SKS Mudguards - a warning to the designer

[HLaB]

I cant say I've had a problem with them but I preferred the older design it was more adjustable when on the bike. My latest two sets have the type where the stays need to be cut down to size but rather than having that hassle I used stays of older (broken :-( ) sets that were all ready cut to size.

 

[fossyant]

PS once fitted they are awesome. Mine have been subject to lots of abuse over the last two years, and the shop I bought the bike off, even fitted the quick release safety tabs to the rear - essential for a fixed wheel bike - to allow for on-road repairs.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Chutzpah - check the second page, bottom right - you should see the writer's name there. In small letters: 'S. Legg' usually.

surely he only provides instructions regarding mudguard removal?

 

[Jezston]

Mine only took about 2 hours to fit, which surprised me!

Has anyone had any difficulties getting the adjustment section screws to stay tight? I regularly find myself having to pull them up after they come loose and the mudguard slips down a bit and starts rubbing the tyre. In fact one of them has fallen out already and is currently temporarily retained with a cable tie.

 

[buddha]

... Has anyone had any difficulties getting the adjustment section screws to stay tight? I regularly find myself having to pull them up after they come loose and the mudguard slips down a bit and starts rubbing the tyre. In fact one of them has fallen out already and is currently temporarily retained with a cable tie.

I used a file to rough-up the surface of the stays, around that area.

Though I don't remember getting any instructions with mine. Which is probably why they were so simple to install

 

[mickle]

After reading this thread I'm giving serious consideration to the idea of starting a nationwide mudguard fitting service.

 

[RedBike]

It always takes me HOURS to fit a set of sks mud-guards. The process normally seems to involve making brackets, trimming the guards and drilling new holes.

Then you go out for your first ride and no matter how tightly you've secrured everything the stupid things always rub.

My top tip is to use hot glue on the nuts and bolts so they don't come undone and they don't rattle

 

[dodgy]

A high quality instructional video would be better than any written instructions. I didn't have any trouble fitting my guards, I do have a good workstand and quality tools though. I can imagine it would be much harder trying to fit them with the bike leaning against a wall

 

[totallyfixed]

This is going to sound ridiculous, but I take mine off and put them back on at least half a dozen times per year. I keep them on through the winter but for any fair spells of weather I take them off because I like minimalism and the bike feels faster. Takes about 10 mins for each operation. I do sympathise though, the best tip I can give is to have a good tool base with lots of bike bits kept for a rainy day.

 

[SquareDaff]

Took me 2 nights of about 2 hours each to fit mine. Fit the front one the first night (as I had a cheapo mud catcher already on the rear) and then the back the night after. The instructions are total cr*p and I just ended up using the pictures and logic. Had the same problems with having to cut the stays as just about everyone here - also had to modify the support bracket for the rear mudguard. Haven't had any problems with the screws working lose - but they were a real ball ache to get in in the 1st place due to overpainting on the frame/forks. They're good when on though!!

 

[vorsprung]

Reading this thread I feel like an arch-fettler. I have never had any trouble fitting mudguards. However the fun isn't over once they are fitted. My blog has lots of mentions of mudguards (ie http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2010/06/19/the-bikes-weakest-part/ , http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/crud-road-racer-mudguards/ ) because they are a faffy waste of time.

If you want a less than optimal mudguard design then the Stronglight ones are the worst. The eyelet bolts are made from plastic. The rest of the mudguard kit is great, strong guards, stainless steel stays...but having such a key bit made from cheese-like plastic is not a recipe for contentment

 

[Bodhbh]

Never had a serious problem fitting them, but it's the job I hate most and does seem to end up taking a couple of hours and some sort of bodge. I hated cutting the down the stays so much I spent 50 quid on some fancy boltcroppers.

 

[Davidc]

The designer's not to blame - it's the writer of the instructons who needs to come to an inhuman and lingering medieval style end.

Helped to fit some to a friends bike a few weeks back. After 3/4 hour we decided the instructions needed to go in the recycling bin. A cup of tea and another 1/2 hour later they were on, another 15 minutes the stays were cut to length and they were back on and look set to stay that way, but we did need a non-SKS bolt out of my box to complete it.

Stays - measured in the trial fitting, cut in a vice using a hacksaw, and plastic bits fitted with added araldite after final fixing of the guards.

The instructions doubled or more the time taken from what it would have been if they'd been left out of the pack in the first place.

 

[I like Skol]

surely it isn't an enormous hardship as only done maybe once every ten years or so?

 

[vorsprung]

surely it isn't an enormous hardship as only done maybe once every ten years or so?

I can take an SKS mudguard from "new out of the packet" to "broken, utterly useless" in 18 months