New road bike: which tyres, mud guards, rack

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annirak

Veteran
Location
Cambridge, UK
I've just gotten my first road bike and I'm looking for mud guards and a rack.

I ran into my first set of wet roads yesterday, which had convinced me that I need to get mud guards installed. I also want to install a rack for commuting, but I only have one set of eyelets near the axle and one set of fixing points on the seat stays.

Since this is a road bike, I'd rather have the most minimal rack and mud guards I can get. Any suggestions?
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
The tubus airy is bloody good, albeit pricey. There's a cheaper steel one, rather than bling Ti if needs be
 

vickster

Squire
I use the topeak super tourist rack and slidy bag with fold out panniers, excellent kit. If you are only carrying light stuff and want to be able to remove the rack, get a beam rack perhaps. Mudguards, will depend in the bike and what fits. Personally, I like fixed mudguards, and found the crud roadracers rubbish (rubbed on 25mm tyres and kept losing the nuts) but others like them and they are light and give decent cover. They attach to the forks with something similar to a cable tie

You should be able to fix a rack and mudguards to one set of lugs though

I personally think the type of mudguard linked above look awful on roadbikes, but each to their own :smile:
 

.stu

Über Member
Location
Worcester
Best road bike mudguards I have come across are PDW Full Metal Fenders. For carrying my stuff to work I use a Topeak Dynapack - in fact I have 2, the normal size which carries just my lunch and essential bike repair kit and the DX for when I have a bit more to carry. I can just about fit my 11.6" inch chromebook into the DX, so if you have a laptop you might want something bigger.
 

vickster

Squire
To add, I can squeeze a 15.6" hefty laptop into the side pannier of this versatile bit of kit, and clothes including size 9 shoes in the other side!

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/topeak-mtx-trunk-bag-dxp/rp-prod28663

Can use with fixed or beam slidy rack - but beam has max rating of 9kg which when you've factored in the bag could be an issue. Also, cannot use on a carbon seatpost!

@annirak - you mention tyres in the title but not the post - what do you have right now? Michelin Pro4 endurance are a good mix of good rolling and puncture resistance can get in a 23mm or 25mm for road bikes. If you go 25mm, you may find even more issues finding mudguards to fit

Also, what bike is it, as there is a lot of variation in roadbikes and what they can accommodate!
 
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fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
Topeak Super Tourist here, not super light, but blooming strong. Ortlieb Front roller Classics as panniers, and SKS Chromoplastic guards - the rack and guards have been on over 5 years
 
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annirak

annirak

Veteran
Location
Cambridge, UK
@annirak - you mention tyres in the title but not the post - what do you have right now? Michelin Pro4 endurance are a good mix of good rolling and puncture resistance can get in a 23mm or 25mm for road bikes. If you go 25mm, you may find even more issues finding mudguards to fit

Also, what bike is it, as there is a lot of variation in roadbikes and what they can accommodate!

Right you are! Clearly, I was too tired to be posting last night.

It's a Vitus Razor, which is equipped with "long reach" dual pivot tektro brakes, so that should help with mudguards.

I currently have the stock 700 x 25C Kenda KRITERIUM tyres fitted. I've had one pinch flat and one puncture with them so far. The puncture I got was pretty wide and I'm not sure if it cut any of the threads or not, so while I'm content to continue riding on this tyre for daily commutes, I think I should replace it before the 100k ride I plan on doing in a month.
 

vickster

Squire
My genesis has long drop brakes too. I have the sks chromoplastics and topeak rack, and the 25mm tyres mentioned. http://www.wiggle.co.uk/michelin-pro4-endurance-folding-road-tyre/

Here she is
 

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