Mudguards

Could be tricky, perhaps some sort of flap would work?

Forth flap, aka spinnnout flap.

Front wheel mudguard, spray is exiting the top and blowing back into my hands.

How big is the clearance between the guards and tyres in radial direction?

An image would also help.

Taking a snap kind of answers the issue, assuming closer is better, can start with getting it closer to the tyre at the top..

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Just my 2p, but guards should imo be set up with a smaller gap at the start of the wheel rotation ie at the rear of the wheel and a larger gap at the exit of the wheel ie the front. This is for two reasons.
1, any thing that gets picked up by the tyre can roll around with the tyre and not get trapped under the guard and possibly set you over the bars.
2, water also rolls back down the inside of the guard and not out the front. A little bit of tape inside the end of the guard also helps.
Close fitting guards look good, but are functionally suboptimal.

Just my 2p, but guards should imo be set up with a smaller gap at the start of the wheel rotation ie at the rear of the wheel and a larger gap at the exit of the wheel ie the front. This is for two reasons.

1, any thing that gets picked up by the tyre can roll around with the tyre and not get trapped under the guard and possibly set you over the bars.
2, water also rolls back down the inside of the guard and not out the front. A little bit of tape inside the end of the guard also helps.
Close fitting guards look good, but are functionally suboptimal.

This all day. I've gotten to the point where I think close fitting fenders actually look worse because of the underlying disregard for reality.

Thanks, this isn't going to win any style points, will move them away and setup as suggested

I too was not happy with short front end mudguard- mucky spray was completely coating front light so it was useless.
As a hack/bodge I had an old broken mg that I cut up and riveted to the front to really extend it over the top of the wheel and down the front of the wheel. It’s amazing how any forward spray is now directed down and away from the light and is totally clean even after a week of doggy miles. Rigged up a second upside down light bracket to help stiffen mg and there is no wobble.
Knew that the old broken rubbish bike bits would come in handy 25 years later

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Is that a Schwinn?

It’s a 23 inch mtb frame from 92. Think it’s a diamond back but rebadged Ken Hill. No idea who what that is!

@JohnnyOnions

Can I see the drive side chainsaw?

I think it might be one of these

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If you can spring for a Fairlight you should justify good mudguards. PDW are easiest to fit and last well. Berthoud are cheaper and last well but fiddly to fit.

PDW fenders are a shocking cost when plausible alternatives from SKS are half the price. Suitable 56 mm-wide models (for 47-584 tyres) are SKS Edge AL, and SKS Bluemels Style. Trend seems to be towards alloy with single stays, but the plastics set with double stays is basically the same as SKS guards have been forever — that is, pretty reliable. Price diff is negligible. Anyone here have any thoughts which to go for?

To each their own but I like aluminum with double stays. Rock solid and can adjust the curvature a little by changing the length of the stays.

The edge AL look nice-ish in photos. Single stays though.

I don't like the mud flap and overall flat top agricultural look of bluemels. Maybe the flap can be changed.

I think the profile and finish of PDW is superior. This coming from someone who's got the wide PDWs with DIY leather flaps.

+1 for metal. Plastic ones are wobbly and crack after a while, easy to damage, the stays and fittings generally look naff. Fine for a city bike etc, wouldn't trust them touring properly personally.

IMO there is nothing as good as a Honjo. Handmade, very sturdy, can put multiple stays on, look good. Expensive, but people spend more on shoes and helmets which have a shorter life and questionable worthyness.

PDW are 2nd best id say. Sturdy, well designed, easy to fit, can put more stays on as needed as all parts readily available and easy to fit.

Velo Orange 3rd, but on par with Berthroud. Harder to fit, not as long lasting and known to crack if you drill them and don't reinforce them.

Just my 2p after trying them all.

Here it is in full glory. Comfy bouncy tyres, jacked up totally anti slammed front end. Racks or saddlebag options always on card.
Extended front guard and a mudflap made out of 3 layers of glued and shapped inner tubes. When still, it touches the road and just lifts enough not to scrape whilst moving and very little spray. Tried a 3rd scoble flap but didn’t keep chain any cleaner.
Totally parts bin and love it for it. Think oldest part is seat post I bought second hand in 1985.

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Great bike. Not a Schwinn.

I have the identical saddle. I've been thinking should make a bigger flap for mine.

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I don't like the mud flap and overall flat top agricultural look of bluemels. Maybe the flap can be changed.

I agree with this. The tyre is curved, why not the mudguard? Cost of fab, I guess.

I have not tried the high-zoot guards @RonnieOatmilk mentions but have had many years' good service from regular SKS plastic sets, so am surprised he finds they wobble and crack.

Perhaps I will forego guards, or use an MTB-style short guard on this bike, which is likelier to be ridden solo than in a group.

Just my experience, went through about two sets of Blumels before giving up. Both split with cracks. Could have been stones, whacks, not sure tbh, but only other mudguards I had crack were the VO ones before they started giving you the reinforcement plates for inside the drilled holes.

Also found they wobbles loads, particularly the front one, especially without both hands on the bars.

I could be unlucky, I'm sure way more people have plastic ones and they're fine.

I’ve never tried Honjo (but have been thinking about some for my Brompton), but I completely agree with you on PDW.

Odd, I've had the same set of Bluemels for a few years, on a couple of bikes. Not very glamorous but just do the job and aren't showing any signs of packing in to give me an excuse to get something posher.

Any good ways to stop crud running down the inside of my mudguard and onto the outside of my flap? With full length guards I don't really need to clean my bike apart from this annoying part

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Silicone sealant? I have the same problem.

Could you seal the crack with some adhesive/heavy tape/other? I'd try simple first, clean the inside of the guards well, and apply some aluminum tape on the inside to cover the crack.

Both good ideas, thanks. I'll start with some tape and see how effective it is and how long it lasts

Mount the flap on the outside of the guard rather than the inside?