So, I started to fit mudguards to my new custom Lynskey tourer and I’ve hit a bit of a problem.

As you can see the hole in the bridge is 90 degrees from where it should be. I’ve tried bending the support on the mudguard fitting but it doesn’t give enough clearance and is impossible to adjust . Getting it fixed properly means shipping the frame back to the states with all the inherent delays.

Should I reluctantly accept this and make a bodge work or should I insist the frame is fixed?

I’m NOT drilling a new hole in the frame.

black and decker.
seriously, youve presumably already waited a good while for this frame,
best to wait a bit more and have it done right imho.

Don’t you just put a hole in the mudguard and bolt straight through rather than using the Bracket?

Get it fixed.

Adapt the bracket

Jubilee clip around the bridge and through the mudguard support or an L-shaped metal bracket with a hole for a nut in each side (Think my old Meccano set had those)…not like its some critical loading bearing component.

Leffeboy has it.

Anyone with this inability to sort basic build issues should not be allowed on tour!

Getting a hole in the mudguard in exactly the right place is quite tricky and frankly, I don’t feel I should have to bother; having waited 9 months I can hardly bear to send it back.

just put a hole in the mudguard and bolt straight through. it’s a piece of piss to get it right.

Could you not get a right angled bracket with a slot in each bit?

So one side bolts to that frame hole and the other goes onto that mudguard bracket?

Bit of a bodge, and no idea if it’d work.

No it’s not tricky. Fix the end down at the cranks, push the mudguard up to it touches the screw on the bridge, mark with a pen, drill down from above, replace inner tube having forgotten to remove wheel. Peasy

…and it will look nicer than with the bracket

What leffeboy said.

We used to fit loads of mudguards that way – ends up being neater in the long run.

i used a zip tie on my pompino (same problem) drilling the guard resulted in the bolt stopping the tyre turning.

On the bright side, the level of mechanical incompetence shown on this thread promises a bright future for bike shops.

Is the frame definitely faulty or do they just have a different idea of how a mudguard should be fitted? Have you asked them?

If it’s wrong send it back. I’d never be happy if my dream bike was faulty from the start, bit like a tainted love.

I would zip tie it but i only use mud guards for my commute.
Like above, ask lynskey which mudguards they intend to fit to that bike. Then get them or take your pick of the advice above. I personally wouldnt be arsed sending it back for an alteration.

Don’t you just put a hole in the mudguard and bolt straight through rather than using the Bracket?

+1000!

Obvious fix! Neater becasue there’s no fussy bracket showing, and less ‘joints’= less to come loose and rattle! I wish my frame was like that!

csb has hit the nail on the head. Yes I’ve asked them but replies are never immediate. The thing is I specified it the other way round. If they’ve done it on purpose to make a neater, albeit more tricky, fitting that’s fine, but I’d have preferred to be informed first.

Waiting 10 weeks for the build after the frame arrived in the UK tainted it somewhat and I don’t want to spoil it further.

Something similar to this. You might be able to find something from a good DIY store, if not then an engineering company should be able to make one for you out of aluminium at very little cost.

If it’s wrong send it back. I’d never be happy if my dream bike was faulty from the start, bit like a tainted love.

Faulty? You’re having a laff, right? It’s an IMPROVEMENT if anything! 🙂

Leffeboy has it – it’s a much neater, cleaner design with less to rattle or rust or go wrong.

Something similar to this. You might be able to find something from a good DIY store, if not then an engineering company should be able to make one for you out of aluminium at very little cost.

NO NEEEEEEED! Drilled mudguard = No bracket = EXTREMELY NEAT!!!!! 😀

You can bend the mudguard support to accomodate this – I’ve done it myself – if you bend the support and use a spacer between support and frame it puts the mudguard in the right position.
Failing that, drilling the mudguard and fitting a bolt through is the best option , and it looks pretty neat. you can overcome the issue of the bolt head catching the tyre by using a dome headed bolt as in the picture above.

Simples

Those brackets on the mudguard always rusted when I used them, End up in two bits at the bend. Use cable tie or drill the mudguard.

It’s a non issue.

I prefer the hole to be like that.

In any case like others have mentioned here, use zip ties. They are cheap and disposable, and your mudguard is less likely to rattle. If you’re a weight weenie, then also they’re lighter.

Fair enough to the OP if he specc’d it the other way. But it’s a simple fix as many have said.

You can position a hole correctly by setting the mudguard up and marking it where the hole is. Use washers around the mudguard and a greased hex bolt as it may seize.

Zip ties are untidy and may mark the frame.

I’ve just fitted my rear guard to my Genesis Vapour which has the bolt hole in the seatstay bridge the same way round as your frame. Fitted the guard to the rear of the BB and offered it up to the seatstay bridge, marked the position with a pick, checked the mark was centred across the guard and drilled through with a 5mm bit. Piece of piss and has left a far far neater mounting than the rattly, rust-prone bracket.

I would definitely keep it as it is. Much much neater and definitely not worth sending a frame back for.

Dont think a zip tie will mark a ti frame.
If you specced it the other way then I would be a bit miffed. Regardless of whether they think its better or not.

Stop being so effin’ precious.

Drill the mudguard and fit with zipties – then go ride 🙄

Apparently lots of bike are like that. My Day One is.

Dont think a zip tie will mark a ti frame.

After a few years’ grime etc, they will mark anything!

Why on Earth are we talking about zip ties FFS?? NO NEEEEEEED! 🙂

Those wrap round brackets always seem to rattle.
Bolting straight through the ‘guard is a much better system.
Why did you want it the other way in the first place ?

Bolt through the mudguard is the neatest and easiest solution although, when I worked as a shop mechanic we became pretty expert at fitting mudguards, racks, light/computer brackets etc to all sorts of weird and wonderful frame designs.

What you’ve got there is a total non-issue though, I can’t believe you’re considering sending a frame back to the US when it’s a 5 min job to bolt it through the mudguard as the manufacturer intended.

Choice of crap bracket and sending the frame back for a ‘fix’ that is less neat and secure or a simple task of drilling a hole in the guard and then using a bolt which is out of the way, neat, secure and reliable.

Tough choice… 🙄

StirlingCrispin – Member
Stop being so effin’ precious.

Err, isn’t the whole point of having a frame custom made from exotic material at great expense that it does pander to the customers whim and is the height of preciousness?

Agree with bodges, I love them, but that’s on a pretty bog standard bike, not a bespoke luxury commission.

Bolt through the guard is probably easiest. The one downside I’ve experienced with a similar setup is riding in snow and freezing temperatures. Snow adheres to the head of the bolt, slowly building up into an extremely dense block of ice that presses against the tyre. Hopefully that’s not so much of an issue for you.

I’d still be kinda p’ed off though, after paying for a custom frame. Unless they could guarantee a fast turnaround on fixing it (with express shipping), I’d be looking for a small discount.

I’ve drilled mudguards before it works well enough, but if you would rather not then perhaps buy these http://www.sks-germany.com/?l=en&a=product&r=mudguards&i=5289300000&RACEBLADE%20XL%20SET

It seems this is a better way of fixing the mudguard so I’ve drilled a through it. It looks better than the bracket method anyway.
Thanks