Anyone have any good ideas or methods to stop a mudhugger mudguard getting bent when I take the front wheel off my bike and lie it flat in the car?

However much care I take I always seem to bent it out of shape and suffer the horrid noise of the guard on tyre until I’ve stopped at least 10 times at the start of my ride to bent it back to somewhere near normal shape.

Despite the cavernous nature of my estate car (audi A6) the bars are too wide to keep the bars straight when I put my bike (Bird am9) in it. I usually fold the rear seats down and just take the front wheel off.

I thought of reusable zip ties to demount the guard but the ones I got are too wide to fit the slots.. They can be modified I suppose but looking for a simple or neat solution I have over looked.

I don’t want to use a roof carrier or rear towbar rack although I have both due to security concerns, I leave my bike in my car at work under a blanket so I can ride in the evening after work.

So, anything simple I have not thought of?

FRX QR Mudhugger (Quick Release)

Had a Transition Sentinel and an Octavia. Similar, I would drop the back seats and take the front wheel off.

I used to put the bike into the boot side on and prop it up at the headtube on a box.

Either that, or take both wheels off, invert the bike so it was resting on handlebars and saddle and do it that way.

it’s not possible….

Closest I could get was to prop the front up on a bag of stuff, but it still didnt really work

I was using a de-fender that had a single bolt to attach to the fork that needed no tools, that was ideal, but doesn’t clear a 2.5wt minion on a 29 fox 36, so thats out…

Currently using the rrp bolt on mud guard, this does the job, but unfortunately does involve a tool, and small hex bolts to loose, so more faff….

so imo if the defender fits your combo, thats the best solution….

defended>rrp bolt on> velcro attaching > zipties

As above, but I use a couple of rolled up towels underneath the head tube to lift guard clear of boot floor

Ridiculous reply of mine. Try a small SUV / Crossover as a MTB will normally fit standing up with the front wheel off. And it will lock itself in position with the dropper post pushing the saddle against the ceiling.
This has worked in a Tiguan, Karoq and 3008.
I can even put 2 bikes standing up that way at a push.
I have given up on estates for this reason and loads of others, including ground clearance.

Bent mud guard? Get a new car 😉

I always rest the forks on something so the mudguard is floating.

It’s a pain in the ass.

I have to take the wheels off my bike, so use them to prop the frame up (tyres touching the frame). It is bloody annoying, I’m getting a van next time!

EDIT: LOL, Nickfrog beat me to it

I put one shoe under the front brake caliper and the other under the headtube. Problem solved and means you never forget your clipless shoes

EDIT: Shit I have just gone and jinxed myself for sure

crud xl guard,

held on with rubber o rings, takes 10 secs to mount / dismount it

Velcro.

Take the rear off and leave the front on?

I put mine in with the bars turned down, then an old Sainsburys shopping crate with shoes, lid, change of clothes etc goes under the saddle and props it up enough to clear.

Try a small SUV / Crossover

Not all of us have given up on life yet… :-p

Could you take a chilli bottle of boiling water to pour over it when you take it out? When I bent and twisted one I poured boiling water over it and it returned to original shape almost instantly
Like someone above I use a defender so I can take it off for this very reason

Same bike with a Proguard. Loosen stem bolts, turn bars 90 degrees and far less issues

Velcro cable wraps. 12mm wide will fit the slots on a mudhugger perfectly. Takes about 30 seconds to remove and refit

Shoes…innit

I put my bike on its side in the car with the front of the forks + RRP mudguard lying front down over an open cardboard box.

Bin the mud hugger and fit a RRP Bolt on guard. Job done.

Problem still remains even with an RRP Bolt on unless you remove it. Easiest option if you don’t fancy taking it on or off is as @rockthreegozy mentioned above to loosen stem and turn bars.
Or buy a van…

It takes less than a minute to take it off.

It’s a damn site easier to take the guard off then it is to loosen and tighten the stem bolts and make sure it’s straight everytime.

Try a small SUV / Crossover

Not all of us have given up on life yet… :-p

Ha ha. True, an A6 is a monster on track lol.

Let`s put it this way, I am not choosing the SUV for my monthly track day at Silverstone on Sunday nor for my Ring trip in May. Different cars for different jobs. Need to transport a bike in a car without hassle and get to places where an estate doesn’t have enough ground clearance? A SUV is brilliant for that in my experience, as well as for mere family road motoring.

Alternate which side you lie your bike on.

“Velcro cable wraps. 12mm wide will fit the slots on a mudhugger perfectly. Takes about 30 seconds to remove and refit”

Perfect, at last a decent piece of advice! Thanks joemmo!

I’ve been using Velcro straps for years. If you have an old on like mine with the holes instead of slots, then just use a Stanley knife to cut out between the two holes. You don’t even need to remove the mudhugger completely. Just remove the stanchion straps and it spins round on the brace straps neatly between the fork legs.

I put my bike upside down on the handlebars and pack stuff around it so it doesn’t fall over. this was in a wee Jazz, so your Audi may not be adequate 😉

This is with wheels off of course. Can’t win everything.