So I’ve just finished my retro-build commuter – a 95 Lava Dome, P2’s, hope ti-glide/suspension hubs and classic xt 1×8 with XT v’s. The only thing it really needs now is a decent set of mud guards, but I want them to look decent….is there such things? Nearest I have found are these, but I’m not sure about them. Anyone?
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001FB6WD2/ref=asc_df_B001FB6WD27793568?smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&tag=googlecouk06-21&linkCode=asn&creative=22206&creativeASIN=B001FB6WD2

‘Looks’ and ‘mudguards’ do not go together in the same sentence.
Either you want a mudguard that works, which will look gash, or you want a mudguard that looks good and is bugger all use.

The ‘best’ (admittedly off-road) mudguards I can recommend IME is SKS shockboard for up front an Decathlons canti mounted guard for the rear.

For more tyre hugging commuter mudguards, I can’t recommend the SKS range fully enough, very good and substaintial bits of kit

Cheers Z1p, You’re of course right about looks and mudguards! Perhaps I should of said the least offensive, functional mud-guards! Needs must though – yesterdays commute involved torrential rain, hail and glorious sunshine! Cheers for the links, some good options there.

SKS are good.

+1 for sks.

Also great tip (i learned from the scrumptious singular bikes gallery) is to use a cut-down spongy/plastic wine cork and a longer bolt on the chainstay bridge so you can ‘space out’ the mudguard so it the same distance from the wheel all the way round it. Makes no real difference to the perfomsance of the mudguard but if you areputting together a nice retro bike, the devil is in the detail. 😀

Which SKS though?

Looking at wiggle it seems there is a range of very similar looking guards:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-chromoplastic-mtb-mudguard-set/ £23.09 (reviews 4.3/5)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-blumels-mtb-mudguard-set/ £20.53 (reviews 4.2/5)
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-commuter-mtb-mudguard/ £16.09 (reviews 4.3/5)

Any thoughts on differences and benefits?

Commuter ones are ok and a deal, though the rear one can vibrate a little as the stays are not as supportive.. The rear is not as long as the chromoplastics either.

but they are a deal.

of just go with chromoplastics – ignore bluemels.

Cheers rootes1.

I’ve got a steel frame and it has holes in the chainstay bridge and seatstay bridge which I assume are for mounting mudguards.

Do the SKS Chromoplastics fit to these and do they come with the necessary bolts etc?

+1 for SKS Chromos.

The kit comes with all the brackets and bolts.

Top stuff…lasts for years…I mean decades.

PaulD

Cool thanks.

I’m running 1.5 x 26 Conti City Contacts – I see the Chromo are sized as Narrow (1.0->1.5) or Wide (1.6->2.3).

Is the Narrow one going to provide decent spray protection (for commuting)?
Would stepping up to the Wide version look awful with 1.5 tyres?

I bought the wider ones and run 1.25 front and 1.5 rear slicks on an old beater.
Looks OK to me and I am not colourblind.

PaulD

Shockboard

X-blade

SKS are a pain to fit but once done, you won’t need to touch them again.

Yeah full lengths are the way forward for a commuter – the shockboard sits too far from the wheel to be any use!

Yeah I’m running crudcatchers front and rear at the moment.

They’ve always been fine for muddy mountain biking but not ideal for commuting.

Incidentally is the front SKS Chromo compatible with forks (Rebas)?

LBS had Vaverts in their sale with good stainless fittings. I can’t find them in 26″ though – has anyone seen such?

GrahamS, with a fine colection of zip tie bodges an sks chromoplastic went on my old recons a few years ago, but it really wasn’t pretty! I replaced it with a surly 1×1 fork because the commute realy didn’t warrant a suspension fork, and that has proper drillings/bosses for a mudguard.

SKS Hightrek for £7.99 the pair. Once you’ve bolted the brackets on you can remove and refit them in seconds (tool free) as the weather dictates.

Like this you mean?

(Mudguards are Zefal Paragon 26″. Tyres are 2.1″ Landcruisers)

GrahamS, with a fine colection of zip tie bodges an sks chromoplastic went on my old recons a few years ago, but it really wasn’t pretty!

Hmmm… would drilling a small hole in the bridge of the fork be a terrible idea?

Hmm.. some folk have had success mounting them on suspension forks:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/787392-Fitting-SKS-Fender-to-a-Hybrid-with-RST-Front-Suspension-Fork

There are two bikes in my garage with 26×1.5″ road tyres and full mudguards – Thorn tandem and wife’s MTB-based tourer. Both have SKS chromoplastic guards, but the trick is to use 700c ones and cut the length down a bit. The ones in the 26″ range are all too wide for 1.5″ road tyres really. 700c ones come in just the right width (45mm IIRC) and fit nicely with a bit of the end trimmed off. The slight extra curve isn’t a problem as they’re so flexible anyway. Bit more effort to fit than “proper” 26″ ones but look much better in the end.

The MTB-based bike has a “suspension compensated” long rigid fork. I used a length of plastic pipe that fits inside the steerer tube to lower the mudguard mount down to a sensible distance from the wheel. Looks a bit odd (but not as odd as it ought to!) but works very well.

Wow they do look like a bit of a faff to fit, even on bikes with all the necessary braze-ons and holes:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lG_WZVS9SUY[/video]

They’re not really what you want if you’re planning on taking them on and off depending on the weather, that’s for sure.

I’ve got a set of Dirt Monkey fender-type mudguards on the 26″ wheeled commute hack. However those SKS chromoplastics look worth the faff and I’ll switch to those when the Dirt Monkey need replacing.

The ones in the 26″ range are all too wide for 1.5″ road tyres really.

Does that apply to the 26×1.0-1.5 “narrow” mudguard as well as the 26×1.6-2.3 wide version? Also does the 700c version come with the mudguard flap on the front?

These are very nice and looks swish.

http://www.theoldbicycleshowroom.co.uk/gilles-berthoud-stainless-steel-mudguards-1791-p.asp

More sizes available here.

http://www.gillesberthoud.fr/anglais/index1.php

Hmmm… I’m thinking the SKS Velo 65 mudguards look interesting.

Not quite as neat as the Chromoplastics – but they are a lot easier to remove which is good for cleaning and if I want to revert to MTB-mode for a blast down the woods.

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=099R0UfBUfU[/video]

Only thing is they still need a mount-point on the fork brace. Any ideas how one might add one? (my Rebas don’t have a hole there). Best I can think of is bending a large P-clip into shape.

Has anyone got any experience of these? They seem to get mixed reviews – great looks, poor fixings….
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/curana-c-lite-mtb-55-60mm-mudguards/

Has anyone got any experience of these? They seem to get mixed reviews – great looks, poor fixings….
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/curana-c-lite-mtb-55-60mm-mudguards/

like most flat profile mudguards, probably not as effective as ones with more of a wrap around profile..

I have some 26inch raceblades which are obviously quick to get on and off and fit round suspension forks fine.

They were made for Dahon bikes with 26inch wheels, like the Cadenza, but I can’t find them with google.

Sod it. I’ve gone for the Chromoplastics.

Will report back on my attempts to bodge a fitting to the front fork brace.

I’ve often thought about how to fit a decent off-road mudguard in that position so that it does a decent job, just like my trials motorcycle.

I havent tried it yet, and it should stand commuting, but fill the middle recess on the back of the brace with say metal putty (it won’t stick enough to hold it adequately but it’s only to prevent movement). A small metal plate, cut to match the curve, goes over that and the mudguard bolts through its own bracket to the nut (which could be welded to the plate). The plate is held to the brace by colour matched plastic ties. If I could put a sketch on here I would.

Worth a try?

I have a pair of new SKS Chromoplastics in the garage doing nothing if interested. Pm me 😀

Orange Crush: yeah wondered about something similar. I don’t have welding gear but I do have some “metal glue” that bonds pretty well.

Andy: doh too slow. Just ordered them off wiggle yesterday.