Breakaway mudguard clips on bents

[recumbentpanda]

Just been reading BettySwollox sad thread about breakaway mudguard clips. Was surprised to notice last year that my otherwise well-sorted Nazca Fuego had none on the front.

Fortunately I had a pair in my bits box, and set about fitting them. This was not so easy, as the left hand stays have been heavily reshaped from standard by Nazca and actually attach using one of the disc caliper bolts!

This is ok for a hard metal loop (the bolt in question is extra long), but the plastic body of the breakaway clip would be too soft. I therefore drilled it out oversize and lined the hole with a metal sleeve to prevent compression ensuring a solid mounting for the caliper.

I imagine quite a few bents have non-standard, modified front mudguard stays. Might be worth checking yours . . .

 

[I like Skol]

Is a recumbent really likely to pitch you off the front in a case of the mudguard failing in the feared manner?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Nope not going to happen on a recumbent

 

[recumbentpanda]

True, it is unlikely to end in a face plant, but a jammed recumbent front wheel will slam you onto the deck before you even have time to think ‘ow!’ Sudden loss of vertical orientation and directional control in a road vehicle is never a good thing.

 

[fatjel]

I have locked up the front wheel on my Bachetta (put one of my feet in the spokes) without falling off !

 

[recumbentpanda]

Respect! Mad circus skillz!!!

 

[recumbentpanda]

Just discovered a new reason for having these! Unloading my touring laden 20” front wheel bike from a train I managed to drop the front end, snagging the tail of the mudguard heavily on the cill of the train door. Would normally have resulted in a broken or badly bent mudguard. The pop out stay mounts did their poppy-out thing instead and a quick click click saw me back in action with an unbent bent mudguard.