Wibble

[Chislenko]

3) '- I ran 25s for a few years and it went away. It has only come back because I've returned to 28s' - answer = go back to 25 with mudguards...

4) If you don't remove the existing mud there will be no room for any new mud.

 

[craigwend]

There are 28s on my bike right now. Quite new. I need to wear them out first.

Or have one set of 25c for 'winter' and your 28c for 'summer' & then they'll last twice as long

 

[Blue Hills]

Get your mudguards as close to the tyre as possible without them touching, and allowing for flexing during normal riding conditions. This minimises the gap and thus, the amount of mud that can climb up the tyres/mudguard.

Twigs are the real danger as a trapped one will send you over the bars. In Autumn lots of twigs hide under the leaves.

Shouldn't happen with sks guards - they have an instant quick release. I would never fit any guards that didn't have this.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Shouldn't happen with sks guards - they have an instant quick release. I would never fit any guards that didn't have this.

In fact, mine let go just a few weeks ago. A big stick somehow managed to jump up and wedge itself in my front wheel.

 

[Blue Hills]

In fact, mine let go just a few weeks ago. A big stick somehow managed to jump up and wedge itself in my front wheel.

Yep, has happened to me at least twice, once flying down a hill. Both times they released before i even knew about any stick. Excellent system.

 

[Ajax Bay]

Try fashioning some tyre skimmers out of coathanger wire, have it drag on the tyre, it's an old trick ,used to discourage picking up flints and thorns in the tyres, might work?

Have you done this, or just read about it, or is it just a cunning idea? bitd these were around but fitted to a non-guarded wheel secured by the rim brake bolt and nut (at fork crown/seatstay bridge). Shown to have no anti-puncture merit (which is why they became extinct).

Smaller wheels? With luck the brakes will reach, otherwise it's new brakes, maybe cables too. Also there's tyres etc. And then, perhaps less choice in tyres available.

Have you tried to fit "smaller wheels" to a bike, or just read about it? If 'yes' tell us how it went.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Have you done this, or just read about it, or is it just a cunning idea? bitd these were around but fitted to a non-guarded wheel secured by the rim brake bolt and nut (at fork crown/seatstay bridge). Shown to have no anti-puncture merit (which is why they became extinct).

Yes, bitd I used them, 'tub savers' as they were known. I don't know whether they worked or not, but I don't recall many punctures while using them, or having to stick the spare tub on the wheel, relying on the glue residue to keep it there! Never heard of them being used to keep mud off the tyre. Theory was they would knock the thorn or flint or whatever off the tyre before it had time to penetrate.

 

[recumbentpanda]

My recumbents both have 20” front wheels. They seem no better or worse that the 26” rears for picking up mud. I do try to set up my guards so that clearance is tighter at the front than the back on the theory that if the gap between guard and tire starts small and gets bigger, stuff is less likely to wedge in there.

 

[PaulSB]

Shouldn't happen with sks guards - they have an instant quick release. I would never fit any guards that didn't have this.

Can I ask why?

Sorry just seen your subsequent post.

 

[PaulSB]

I don't mean to be facetious but isn't the answer to ride in places which aren't covered in mud. It can't be very pleasant. I ride all winter with guards and I've never experienced a problem such as is described.

I can promise you we have more than our fair share of crappy roads in Lancashire.

 

[Blue Hills]

I don't mean to be facetious but isn't the answer to ride in places which aren't covered in mud. It can't be very pleasant. I ride all winter with guards and I've never experienced a problem such as is described.

I can promise you we have more than our fair share of crappy roads in Lancashire.

no I've never had a problem but then i ride mostly hybrid type bikes.
I do know that some roadies fit very narrow guards - possibly something to do with the rulz or ideas of aesthetics.
Guards should be 10mm wider than the tyres.
A tad more doesn't do any harm.
I carry a fair amount of junk on rides but no coat hangers.

 

[PaulSB]

I have 35mm tyres with clearance for 47mm and use what I would call full length guards on the winter bike. I built this bike with winter in mind.

All the people I ride with regularly use retired summer bikes as winter bikes. They all use guards and never have a problem.

Bet you didn't expect that @Blue Hills 😂😂

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My recumbents both have 20” front wheels. They seem no better or worse that the 26” rears for picking up mud. I do try to set up my guards so that clearance is tighter at the front than the back on the theory that if the gap between guard and tire starts small and gets bigger, stuff is less likely to wedge in there.

Shouldn’t that be other way round?

 

[Blue Hills]

I have 35mm tyres with clearance for 47mm and use what I would call full length guards on the winter bike. I built this bike with winter in mind.

All the people I ride with regularly use retired summer bikes as winter bikes. They all use guards and never have a problem.

View attachment 614185

Bet you didn't expect that @Blue Hills 😂😂

No I didn't I imagined you were on some super slimline thing.

 

[PaulSB]

No I didn't I imagined you were on some super slimline thing.

I do have a Cervelo for riding in decent weather. I only put her away two weeks ago.

The Kinesis I built for good weather gravel riding, without guards, and as a winter bike. It does both very well and is the best winter bike I've owned. Can still average 16/17mph which is more than fast enough for winter.

You can probably see it's also set up for short tours.