Mudguards?

If you have eyelets to fit them SKS chromoplastics

They are a bit of a pain to fit but once on are the best.

Chromoplastics.

kelsen wrote:

Has anyone else experienced their rear SKS mudguard shearing into pieces after prolonged use? I think the constant road vibration causes this at the stress points (i.e. where it is clamped at the seat stay bridge). I got a pair replaced under warranty, but the same thing happened again. I'm reluctant to get another pair now.

(I'm aware there's a mudguard thread in Commuting General, but let's face it, more replies will be gotten here)

Reposted here in the expectation that the replies will be more useful...

I've had this happen a few times and am similarly reluctant. I don't know what the answer is, except maybe that mudguards could be regarded as consumables?
I had Aluminium ones on my commuter last winter but they rattled and bent and the mounting holes stretched... I ended up with three or four bits of mudguard zip tied together! Currently, I have the front one in place but a bit rattly and the rear section from the BB to the brake bridge. The bit behind the brake bridge is covered by a Tortec race-blade clone...
I don't know if there's a better solution than the Chromoplastics, though, despite their limited lifespan. The ones on my tourer had clip-on attachments, which I thought might alleviate the cracking issue, but they arn't very secure, so not much of an improvement.

Maybe there's a better way to mount them- the ones on my wife's MTB have been fine, so it could be that the problem has been lack of proper support on my commuter-bikes: vibration causing cracks to spread from stress concentrations, as you decribe?
More support or maybe some sort of isolation-mount? Old inner tubes between the support-bracket and the 'guard, perhaps? Wouldn't work with the riveted versions, though.

Cheers,
W.

I too have never found chromoplastics to be that good and have had a couple of sets crack and fail around the mounts. The silver ones discolour too and look pretty tatty.

I've been much happier with a Tortec set which are as good as new after a couple of years commuting. The hardware is all stainless steel and the nuts are nylock so there's no corrosion or loosening at all. They even came with a nifty plastic bridge to go between the chainstays if your frame doesn't have one

Chromoplastics on my winter commuter have seen some abuse over the last 3 years, and funnily enough, the fronts just broken at the bottom stay. I did woner if my son had caught it as he's taken out his bike, but he assures me he didn't.
I guess its vibration that's just taken it's toll. Bodged it by just smoothing off the jagged bit and re mounting the stay a bit above.
'd buy them again like a shot.