Varun's Bikes, Stayer, Cotic, that singlespeed Rockhopper....

I knew you'd suggest them :) 2.2" might be pushing it, the space between chainstays in particular is around 60-62mm (2.2" is 56mm) which I'm reluctant to squeeze that close.

So! One day in and I already hate having no guards. Had a puncture anyway so got my hands grubby, but my cranks, BB, feet, in fact legs up to my shins are coated in gunk - and I didn't even ride on an unpaved roads. How did I ever manage without?

As if in response, I just heard from Mike of Velo Duo; Berthoud have sent more stays, but they are the same shape and spec. He suggested I use VO stays instead, but tbh I'm well shot of Berthoud atm (sorry Zahir!). I noticed that he sells just single mudguard blades for VO, though. So I'm going to buy a rear VO 650x58 wavy (in black) which I will absolutely be reinforcing before installing this time.

4 Attachments

Thank you! It really feels like a compromised winter bike now the mudguards are off. It makes me think of how much I actually do rely on them! Luckily, that's being remedied soon.

Yeah that's what I realised when googling them. I even have a set so I should know

That sealant is tenaciously sticky once it dries. I had to resort to a solvent after a great big glob of the stuff stuck to the back of a seat tube. My preference is the WTB stuff these days, though all of the pale milky ones are much of a muchness.

You might want to look at Somerville Bikes guide to fender installation to avoid installing with too much tension on the guards

Dang that’s some Brian Chapman-esque mudguard installation technique, brilliant.

That's the installation guide I followed for Winston 1, takes a while, but well worth it.

@Hulsroy even you would not be expected to know absolutely everything about bikes! 🙃
@JacqueLucque , interesting you say that as I have been picking away at it with my nails all evening, and it's been...manageable? But I did get totally soaked in rain back home, and I've found I can extricate it when I wash my bike usually. The inside of my guards, on the other hand...
@MisterMikkel that's amazing, thank you! I've just used it to have a go on my front guard, looks good without the stays bolted in properly and after a wee little bit of fettling.

After getting thoroughly soaked and miserable on the ride home, I decided to keep the front guard fitted until the rear arrives (hopefully by mid-week), so that at least my feet and socks stay dry. Reminds me I definitely love how this bike looks be-fendered; monstercross might have to wait another time.

1 Attachment

Surely Brian Chapman-esque is the ultimate craftsman's praise; it's like calling a potter Florian Gadsby-esque.

I get that reference, chapeau

Huzzah, a fellow arts fan!

You're welcome - it seems you made good use of it. That front setup looks spot on!
Sadly I haven't had an excuse to use it myself, as I haven't needed to install metal 'guards for some time.

Thanks! It's probably something like 3mm off perfectly concentric but I'm not stressing it. It did the thing where I unbolted the stay and the guard just...stayed put. That's what you want!

I reckon it's a game of diminishing returns, once you're at this stage.
Looking forward to seeing the result, when you've mounted the new rear

Not to burst your bubble, but it’ll probably (definitely) be something like this:
Might drill a new hole in the rear so I can lower it closer to the BB though, will see!

1 Attachment

It's been a tough and emotionally draining week, but the small things - seeing that crack of sunrise, riding a bike over (mostly) frozen trails, feeling that sharp tang of winter on your face - make it so much better.

4 Attachments

In other news, does anyone want to buy this Cotic off me?
https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/400989/#comment17590423

The rear mudguard arrived! I managed to install it in a bit of a fever last evening, after my extremely delayed train brought me back from KMF. As a result I think I've only slightly misaligned one of the drilled holes, but there's a reinforcing plate there and it's by the BB, so hopefully not under any significant stress. @MisterMikkel 's aligning technique came in clutch anyway. Nods to @Hulsroy and @JacqueLucque too for the BB flap suggestions, which was brilliant this morning splashing around post-Storm Bert.

Because Stayer make the BB mudguard bolt quite high up - nearly level with the front derailleur! - the rear guard sits quite awkwardly if you attach it using the pre-drilled slot at the very bottom of the guard. Instead, I chose to drill it twice - once about 90mm higher than the slot, once for the seatstay bridge. More margin for error, clearly, but it sits a lot better now IMO. Also means there is a lot less unsupported guard between the stays and the bridge, so maybe it won't stress as much.

Sadly my previous plated brass spacer was too long for the BB/ST bolt so temporary bodge until the new one arrives; but, I have mudguards!

4 Attachments

Nice!

Longest fenders in the game!

That rear mudguard setup is much more appealing (and way more effective no doubt)!

Paging @Pish 👀

I don't know about appealing yet - they seem weird as I'd grown used to the previous setup. But effective, 1000%!

Had Mike on the line about this earlier in the week, seems like a universal issue with GB 60mm's at the moment.

Apparently Berthoud now advising to drill as normal + bolt down and the stay should deform to fit the curve. We will see!

That feels like a horrendous bodge - and surely it would deform and squeeze the guard locally but not throughout their length?
Bad engineering and machining treated as a solution IMO. Glad I steered clear.