OK… Am I being a muppet or are there a few things about Roadrats that are seriously crap?

What the flying **** is that stupid nub squatting between the chainstays meant to be in aid of? Other than to make me spit feathers trying to fit full mudguards to the damn thing… I've got SKS Chromoplastics which will not go on it now matter what I do… And now it's starting to make me seriously reconsider how much I like the bloody thing…

The irritatingly flared chain stays which stop me running the SS as anything bigger than 39t* I can now just about live with thanks to finding small enough rear cogs…

But that bleeding stupid mudguard nub thingy is driving me up the wall…

Have I seriously got to resort of chopping a felt-tip in half to use as a spacer?

Having whinged lots… I still love the geometry which fits me beautifully… And it is nippy as anything…

*unless I switch to one of those gopping shitmano Alfine monstrosities (which incidentally are the third least attractive feat of engineering in the history of the world, the Roadhog fork-brake-calliper-bit and Mother Nature's – perfectly functional, but aesthetically rubbish – attempt at genitals beating them to the top spots)

Oh… I just realised, my point was not actually just to come on here and whinge like a girl… Does anyone know of a full mudguard which actually will fit?

Ta…

Mark 1 RR it is supposed to but I gave up a long time ago. The later versions supposed to be better but I have not looked to see what the difference is as it is aademic. I've got what I've got. Nice bike other than that though.

try getting a real road bike.. 😉

No you're right – trying to cludge a mudguard onto the roadrat is a PITA. I ended up with a biro spacer which has since fallen off. My next idea is a small length of syphon tube as a space which I'm going to try when I get around to it. Having to drill my own hole through the wishbone was also a 'niggle' – fingers crossed you avoided that one.

Despite that it's a great bike for the commute

1) Running SKS Chromoplastics on mine. They are fitted at the bottom bracket end with the clip which just snaps round the peg between the chainstays rather than using the bolt, just snapped on no problems. Had to bend the stays slightly to clear the disc brake but other than that no probs fitting. Only had mine a month or two though.

2) Have you tried running your chainring on the outer ring position rather than inner? I'm using compact HT2 cranks on mine (34-50) – there's not a lot of space on the inner but loads on the outer ring.

The irritatingly flared chain stays which stop me running the SS as anything bigger than 39t* I can now just about live with thanks to finding small enough rear cogs…

I run a 48t chainring on mine with a narrow BB. No problem at all.

I'm using an SRAM singlespeed crankset which only has one chainring position – so i could change to a different crankset and get better clearance – but that means buying a new crankset which I don't really want to do – like i said, I can live with this…

The mudguards not fitting that stupidly positioned little nub thingy is what has really pee'd me off… What's more, I've just discovered that the mudguard/pannier rack holes on the rear of the frame haven't been tapped properly… Not impressed anymore…

Thanks for other's help… Will be off to buy a new tap tool tomorrow and then play with bits of biro and felt pen tubing to get the mudguard to fit…

Oh yeah, forgot about the tapping thing. I sheared an alloy bolt in one of the mudguard holes trying to put the guards on, but a steel bolt with a bit of grease cleaned the threads up nicely. The alloy bolt drilled out no problem, fortunately, and I didn't even damage the threads doing it.

This is a pic of how I did my chromoplastics at the chainstays if that helps:

Ta for photo Elvis, tried that after you suggested it but it leaves a whacking great gap between the mudguard and the tyre whilst at the same time rubbing the mudguard against the frame… That can't be right surely?

What size guards are you running? I've got 28c tyres and 35mm narrow guards (they do 20-28c tyres I think). There's not a lot of room but they don't rub. I'd imagine the wider road ones would be a bit of a squeeze in there.

The gap you can see on mine isn't a problem as far as I can tell, and any rubbing on the tyre was sorted by adjusting the stay lengths and the seatstay bridge height so they don't rub at all.

I am sad enough to admit do love my mudguards on the commuter and wouldn't be without them at all, worth the hour or two of cocking around to get them on properly.