Bike Anti-Porn - When Things Go Wrong

I don't get the placement of the mudguard stays on these guards, especially the rear one. You can see how the curve of the guard doesn't follow the tyre, as a result of that I think (there is now way to dial them in perfectly).

I think that bike woud be a lot better with unpainted mudguards and black tyres. Still a bit silly, but not as bad as it is now.

The fenders are a mistake. Not because gravel (they're fine for dry dirt & gravel roads) but the Trump-approved paint scheme and the single stay at the back. Just (cough) buy a second set of Zipps with some road tires and you're sorted for all occasions.

the single stay at the back

Nothing wrong with that, just not in that position. Should be more like this:

Most steel mudguards are quite stiff in and of themselves and come with thick enough stays to make the setup stiff enough with only one set of stays.

You can see how the curve of the guard doesn't follow the tyre...

Depends if you build your bikes for IG likes or for actual use.

A guard that exactly follows the tyre is less functional than one where the gap increases towards the front.

Ah well if they're steel that's different. I just went from double stay PDW Ponchos (plastic) to single stay PDW Metals (alu) and they're much more difficult to tweak the "twist".

A guard that exactly follows the tyre is less functional than one where the gap increases towards the front.

I don't really get what you're saying. Why don't you make the gap at the back the same as towards the front? Or the one towards the front the same as at the back, however you want to see it. Surely it would be just as functional, as well as better looking?

My point is that you can't achieve this with the stays being so far up the mudguard; you have to settle for the curve of the guard at that point, decided by the manufacturer.

The more I look at it the worse it gets. In better news, I think it has cured my desire for a Speedvagen so my bank account is grateful.

dry dirt & gravel

yep. but then, it rainsszzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (the noise the accumulated dirt makes between your tyre and fender)

I am so glad that most everyone here thinks that Speedvagen is super bulbous and ugly, I felt like I was taking crazy pills while looking at that and seeing everyone super stoked on it.

https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pinarello-fixed-gear-track-bike-diesel-only-the-brave-small-rrp-c-749-00/192520288876?hash=item2cd31a7a6c:g:xV4AAOSwyKta3vVr

dear God, that needs a nsfw warning as I just let out a little scream

ha! looks like an old betting slip someone's picked it out the bin and tried to straighten out again. fucking rotten.

The gap should open up a bit so that anything that gets between the guard and tyre has an easy path to exit.

I guess you could argue that if you make it even then anything that can get in should make it out but it might have to grind and rattle it's way around. Or the gap could actually close ever so slightly and the offending article would then jam.

Make it open up a bit and it'll definitely get out.

I think there's a book with the 'mudguard rules' in it, probably written by a French guy or something.

Going back to this I hate the look of deep rims and fat tyres on gravel bikes. It looks like a fat bike.

For that matter in most cases I don't think 50mm rims are justified when you're cruising on 47mm tyres with mudguards, upright geometry, 3 bottles, etc. And given that it's a gravel bike, you're probably going up and down a lot of hills, so if you want carbon rims surely you're better off with super lightweight 25mm rims in 90% of cases.

I'm sure small riders are glad that deep 650b wheels exist though

I'm sure small riders are glad that deep 650b wheels exist though

The logical extension of your thesis would be that small riders would be glad that deep 650C wheels exist, since that's the size for which skinny racing tyres are available.

thesis

Never say this word to me again please. At least not for another 6 months.

But I guess so, depends how small you are...

This bike has a very decent saddle to bar drop. And I fail to see why having mudguards and a third bottle cage instantly means you are cruising.
As for the "up and down", I can assure you there's plenty of fast rolling, flat as a pancake gravel roads out there (local example) in the world.

That's actually not as bad as this 'colorway':

Pinarello's technology and know-how blend with Diesel's style and creativity... it is reminiscent of the American messenger bikes in its design and soul, but - as with all Pinarello models - it is also the result of a careful study of balances, strengths and efficiency ... Pinarello works on all its creations inside its R&D lab, where the line of the bike was studied together with the Diesel Creative Team and further developed by the Pinarello lab using the SOE system and analysis. The Hydroformed Aluminium 6061 T6 used for the frame allows for an original and distinctive design, while preserving handling agility, cornering ability and speed; crucial features for riding urban streets.

actually not as bad

Only in the sense that "not as bad" includes worse as well as better.

While discussing Paris-Roubaix recently, was reminded of this...

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At least it’s easy to set on fire

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NOW THAT is a Scoblestack™

Pretty low BB for a track/crit bike no?

Eh, that looks solid to me