makeinu

...is mudguards.

When I think of it large wheels aren't really that inconvenient once the front wheels are removed and even folders with larger wheels can be pretty easy to carry around like the Airnimal Joey (with the rear wheel crammed into the front fork) or the Montague (with the front wheel strapped on), but mudguards seem to thwart these purposes because even if the wheel is removed the wheel silhouette is still there.

Is the essential feature of the folder to move the mudguard (rather than the wheel) out of the way? I personally would never ride more than a few miles without mudguards because you never know when you will find rain, pool cleaners, broken fire hydrants, etc plus when it's not raining I still need them if it was raining the day before (though less so if I'm riding slowly) and, besides, even when it's dry guardless bikes get filthy which is an inconvenience in itself for storage or multimodal usage.

Are there other solutions for blocking spray than attaching mudguards to the forks? Are there mudguards which attach solely to the wheel axle? Or how about something to knock/rub the water off the wheel before it sprays?

lz4005

You should talk to the guy who started this thread:
https://www.bikeforums.net/folding-bikes/524435-large-wheels-pointless.html
I bet he wouldn't agree with you.

makeinu

What in the world are you talking about?

That thread was about the practical advantages (or lack thereof) of wheels larger than 20". This thread is about whether there are ways other than folding to solve the particular inconveniences created by mudguards in storage or multimodal usage. This thread has nothing to do with wheel size apart from the extent which the wheel silhouette of a mudguard may exacerbate storage or multimodal problems of a larger wheel if left unsolved. While interrelated, folding and wheelsize are two separate considerations.

Don't you have anything better to do than troll my posts?

fmattheus

The planet bike fenders can be popped off of the stays with ease if you use the quick clips without the screws. I don't find those little screws to be necessary as friction holds the fenders in place quite nicely.

https://ecom1.planetbike.com/7009_4.html

Other than the quick clips, you need to undo one screw per fender

rhm

+1

We're a one-car-family, and due to various complications (P2C2E) I often have to put the bike in the car; this is one of the reasons I like the folding bike. On Monday I rode my touring bike, though; the front fender was a major obstacle putting it in the car. A QR on the stem --to turn the handlebar sideways-- would have helped a lot, but I don't have that feature.

rbrian

I completely agree. I once managed to get 3 people and 3 mountain bikes into a tiny car by removing all the wheels. They had crud catchers which don't really get in the way. Crud catchers have loads of clearance, great for riding in mud, but they're nowhere near as effective as proper mudguards. However, I couldn't have got even one bike with proper mudguards in that car.

gringo_gus

I can't really say much specifically, but would like to say I like this thread because it restores mudguards/fenders to their essential role on the bike, at least for a lot of us. A bike without mudguards isn't really an option where I live, no more than a bike without pedals or brakes.

Lalato

+1 and Hear, Hear!

jur

Yep same here. I have to commute with mudguards all year round because of Melb rainfall pattern... but once tried fitting my now-gone singlespeed into someone's car's boot... I gave up. Removing both wheels made no difference. (Except to my hands.) Goes to show... bikes are just the most clumsy inconvenient objects to have if you're not actually riding them.

With the Swift and Moulton I use clip-on guards - just one set with fittings on both bikes.

ShinyBiker

In response to your question on alternatives to mudguards, I haven't seen any. Theoretically, I can't see a way to stop water spray from shooting up except for a mudguard.

Never been a fan of the clip ons. Those rear ones that float a few inches over the wheel don't stop me from getting a skunk stripe on my back. Much better are the full coverage ones that seem to hug the rear wheel and are the size of a half moon. Dahon does a great job in equipping most of their bikes with full-on mudguards.

makeinu

Which clip on guards do you use for the fronts?

Well I was thinking that if there was something to squeegee the water off at the bottom of the tire then there would be no spray.

This would of course cause friction, but since tires seem to stick to the wet ground anyway, it might be sufficient to have something slippery like a nylon brush and only engage it on wet ground....
.
.
.
like maybe just a pipe cleaner with nylon bristles that can be easily bent to graze the bottom of the tire or out of the way entirely! I might have to try this.

4cmd3

Assuming you have an ahead-style headset, you might investigate a locking headset spacer to lock your headset down - I think that should allow you to loosen your stem enough to turn the handlebars. You'd have to use an allen key

makeinu

Or just use threaded fork and quill.

jur

These.
I like your thinking. Keep me posted.

itsajustme

Does anyone know if these exist?