SKS Chromoplastics - fitting issues

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Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Does your Equilibrium have a carbon fork like mine?

Pics?

It does have a carbon fork. It's the new one. I haven't taken any pics yet - I've only done 10 miles on it, intended as an audax bike. I'll get some pics at the weekend.
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
It does have a carbon fork. It's the new one. I haven't taken any pics yet - I've only done 10 miles on it, intended as an audax bike. I'll get some pics at the weekend.

Interesting fork. Is the hole on the back, front or right through?

I only ask as mine is on the back (different fork) and it has been a pain to fix a headlamp. It’s also my Audax bike.
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Interesting fork. Is the hole on the back, front or right through?

I only ask as mine is on the back (different fork) and it has been a pain to fix a headlamp. It’s also my Audax bike.

The hole is right through. The longest bolt with the guards was about 50mm and as its quite a thick fork it needs over 60mm. I got a long bolt and cut it down to about 70mm. I put the bridge in front of the fork, rather than behind as it fitted better. The LBS I bought the first set of guards from suggested I get a female adaptor, similar to the ones used for brake calipers, but he didn't have one the right size to give me.
 
OP
OP
EasyPeez

EasyPeez

Veteran
It does have a carbon fork. It's the new one. I haven't taken any pics yet - I've only done 10 miles on it, intended as an audax bike. I'll get some pics at the weekend.
I'm sure you'll be pleased with your choice. I love mine to bits. Haven't bothered with mudguards on that one as I keep it for best. Will you be sticking with 28mm tyres? I've got 25mm on mine. I'll be looking to put some wider ones on for the Coasts & Castles route next Spring, but not sure what width it will take - around 30/32mm would be my preference if possible. I think your fork might be a different one (albeit both carbon) to my 2015 version.
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
I'm sure you'll be pleased with your choice. I love mine to bits. Haven't bothered with mudguards on that one as I keep it for best. Will you be sticking with 28mm tyres? I've got 25mm on mine. I'll be looking to put some wider ones on for the Coasts & Castles route next Spring, but not sure what width it will take - around 30/32mm would be my preference if possible. I think your fork might be a different one (albeit both carbon) to my 2015 version.

I've bought it for long-distance endurance cycling. I currently have a specialized tarmac and have had some issues with it because it wont take proper guards and the raceblades threw crud onto the brakes. I pretty much destroyed a set of rear brakepads on a wet audax. It wasn't comfortable enough either for long distances. I think 28s are about the biggest the equilibrium will take with guards. I'll keep them for a start but will change them for GP 4000s eventually - still at 28s.

It's a new fork for the 2018 model, slightly bigger, with thru-axles and flatmount brakes.
 

JhnBssll

Veteran
Location
Suffolk
I fitted Chromoplastics to my commuter and had similar issues. Fortunately I've amassed quite a supply of spare bits so had everything required to hand! I drilled the rear guard in two places to put bolts with washers directly into the seatstay and chainstay mounting points. On the front I had to use an extra long bolt through the fork crown and use spacers on the left hand fork leg to allow clearance for the disc caliper. I've had to be super careful with alignment as I'm running 32mm tires with 35mm guards so there's not a great deal of clearance :whistle: They've done 500 miles since then with no problems despite initial concerns that I may have gone too far this time :laugh: As has already been said a few times in this thread there is definitely some satisfaction to be had from proper DIY mudguard fitting :becool:

 

Tin Pot

Guru
Hi,

Just wondered if anyone else has fitted these and found it a royal pain in the posterior?

After spending an hour last night trying to decipher the rather vague instructions I finally felt confident I mostly understood what I was supposed to do, and set about trying to fit a set to my Genesis Day One Disc, only to find that -

a) none of the bolts that attach the guard stays (the silver rods that run diagonally from guard to frame - might have the terminology wrong) seem to fit the eyelets on my frame - the bolts seem too wide.
b) the clip on the top of the rear guard that is designed to attach the guard to the seat stay bridge is incompatible as the drilling on my bridge is vertical but the clip assumes a horizontal eyelet to attach to
c) the bolt for the forks to attach the top of the front guard is seemingly the only one that fits the relevant hole in the frame, but it seems to come with 2 washers and no nut!

It's like they've designed these to thwart me at every turn!

Has anyone else fitted these to a similar bike that can advise me on where I'm going wrong? The bolts not fitting the eyelets is especially befuddling - do I really need to throw those all away and go to my LBS in search of different size nuts and bolts? Is that common practice in the mudguard world?!

I believe these guards are quite a big seller and I would assume that frame eyelets for mudguards are a pretty standard size(?) so my presumption here is that I am being an idiot. In which case feel free to give full vent to your creative cruelty as you point out the many ways in which I am a fool....

Cheers,

Andy
I used SKS Raceblades

I'm feeling angry now just thinking about fitting them.

And then you start to hear one rubbing in the middle of a long ride.

:cursing:
 
OP
OP
EasyPeez

EasyPeez

Veteran
Nice job @JhnBssll

Agreed, a bit of bodging makes the whole thing feel more rewarding in the end, though it sounds like you needed to improvise even more than me.

I'm running 32mm tires
What are those tyres, if you don't mind me asking?

I used SKS Raceblades
Yeah, I considered those but don't think I'd feel comfortable with clip-ons.
 

JhnBssll

Veteran
Location
Suffolk
Sorry, mistake in my post. They're 42mm tires and 45mm guards. The tires are the standard ones that came on the bike, Maxxis Roamers. Can't fault them so far. I only hope I can find the same ones with the tan sidewall when it comes to replacing them as they look quite funky :blush:
 

Nebulous

Guru
Location
Aberdeen
Managed to get out very briefly today. Bike path was icy and I didn't have enough clothes on. Bike feels good, comfortable, very shallow drops and good on the flat and downhill. Not so good on the way up! Here are some photos. On the fork you can see the end of the long bolt I fitted showing through. The back wheel one shows the bluemels mudguard.

9ZRDRkX.jpg


OLFsNit.jpg


J7aVwwa.jpg
 

Heltor Chasca

Out-riding the Black Dog
Managed to get out very briefly today. Bike path was icy and I didn't have enough clothes on. Bike feels good, comfortable, very shallow drops and good on the flat and downhill. Not so good on the way up! Here are some photos. On the fork you can see the end of the long bolt I fitted showing through. The back wheel one shows the bluemels mudguard.

View attachment 383808

View attachment 383809

View attachment 383810

Very smart indeed. Only one change I would make but it’s so petty I’m not sure I should even mention it.
 

Katherine

Guru
Moderator
Location
Manchester
I don't know if you have already fitted the flap but, when a friend was fitting mine, he used a soldering iron to make the holes in the guard, ever so gently. Mind you, there was a brief stinky moment from the plastic. He fixes lots of mudguards and flaps for people so I presume the end of the solder is only used for that purpose.
 
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