Mudguards for road bikes
 

With winter fast approaching, I want to get a set of 'guards for my Orbea. Only trouble is, it has neither the mounts nor the space for normal fenders. I'm sure others must have this problem and there is surely a solution, but what is it and how much will it cost me? I want to spend as little as possible, and I have limited tools here at uni, so something with zip-ties or similar would be nice (if there is such a thing). Having said that I do have a full set of allen keys and screwdrivers, which covers most possibilities. I will of course need front and rear fenders, even if they are a bit on the small side (I really just want to keep the spray off my back and legs).

If all else fails, you could make your own fenders. One example is shown here, using Coroplast:
http://www.mile43.com/peterson/FendForYourself.html

Winter muck... there are a couple of solutions to this. To reduce spray from the front wheel, I have seen bikes fitted with a simple flat plate (aluminium or plastic) fixed on the down tube, using the bottle cage fixing screws. It is the sort of thing that could be made easily from scrap materials. Not very aerodnamic, but it is probably quite effective. There are slimline, lightweight type mudguards as used by the Audax (audax.uk.net) and Randonneur people. To reduce spray from the rear wheel, I have seen guards that attach to the seatpost with a simple clamp fixing. It is probably worth a trip to a bike shop to check out the options. There is stuff online that might give you a good idea, for example www.settlecycles.co.uk. Look under mudguards in the "components" section of their product list.

Personally, I dislike putting "stuff" on my bike (stupid vanity really), so I live with the muck, but am able to change & clean up after arriving at work.

Cheers,

Ed

Here's what I used to do back in the day (I ride my MTB with slicks in the rain now):

- Get a pair if ESGE narrow road fenders. These are the ones made with an aluminum core laminated with plastic.
- Go the a LBS and politely ask if they have any extra rack mounting hardware. You want the rubber coated straps for frame mounting (to attach the fender stays to the bike) and the long metal pieces that mount the rack to the seat stays.

Now the fun part... mounting.

- depending on clearance use one of these techniques:

1) Hold the fender to the bike and determine where the fender interferes with the seatstay, chainstay and fork. Cut away (you'll need a little saw or tin snips) the fender as required to get it "into" the frame and away from the tire. Test fit with the wheels in place. You'll likely have to nibble away more material until the tire can spin without rubbing the fender. Some tape around the stays wouldn't be a bad idea if the cut edges of the fender are too close to the paint.

2) Figure out where the fender will run under the fork and rear brake bridge. Cut the fender at this point. Drill two holes along the fender's centreline. Now you have to get creative. Using a combination of the fender's own mounting tab and some rack hardware bent to form an "L" mount the fender halves in front and behind the fork and/or the brake bridge.

Whew.

I used to do this every year with a new set of fenders. It all sounds like a PITA and it is. But once you're done you've got a solid system that will last the whole season and keep you far drier than any half-assed attempt with clip-onplastic fenders.