Full mudguards on a disc brake bike?

[eldudino]

I have a sport-hybrid with disc brakes and it's just recently been serviced as the brakes were binding, a bit stiff etc. along with the hubs, BB etc needing re-packed. So I go to re-fit my mudguards this morning because it's pishing down and realise that the reason my brakes were not functioning as desired was due to the mudguards fouling the calipers. This happens on both sides as the mounting boss' are right next to the rotating part where the cable attaches. Why would Trek produce a frame with mudguard mounting boss' that are effectively useless unless you want to reduce the effectiveness of your brakes?!

Anyway, I still want mudguards and preferably fixed ones but I'm not sure what to do about it. Do I adapt the originals to fit? Do I look for an MTB race-blade (do these work?). Or do I go for something like this?

Opinions/help appreciated.

 

[Bodhbh]

You could mount the orginal mudguards onto the forks with either p-clips or even hoseclips. I used a hoseclip on the disc brake side and it's absolutely rock solid, although I can see if it's a nice bike you might not want it to look such a bodge.

 

[eldudino]

P-clips may be the solution I'm looking for. I'll have to have a measure up of the fork and stay diameter's and see if I can find a clip in that size. It will mean bending the stainless mudguard stays but it should be a neat enough finish and it won't look too bodged! Thanks for the advice.

edit: I may have to take the p-clip apart and spray the metal section black... how anally retentive is that?!

 

[Bodhbh]

edit: I may have to take the p-clip apart and spray the metal section black... how anally retentive is that?!

Thinking about it, if it's the right size without any excess banding a hoseclip actually might look neater than a p-clip. If I get time tonight I'll stick up a photo.

 

[eldudino]

Thinking about it, if it's the right size without any excess banding a hoseclip actually might look neater than a p-clip. If I get time tonight I'll stick up a photo.

Are you talking about a jubilee clip? I'm not a big fan , plus I'm not sure how I'd be able to bolt to it. I think a correctly sized p-clip would be a neat solution, then I can use stainless bolts to attach the mudguard stays.

 

[Crankarm]

Model? Front or back wheels or both? A pic or 2 would be helpful.
I'm a bit confused as you say brakes were binding due to mudguards fouling the calipers and yet you are fitting mudguards because it is pouring with rain???

You can fit full mudguards to a disc braked bike as I fitted full SKS 60mm commuter guards to my Kona MTB which has front suspension as well. No problems at all. You say with your bike it might just be down to Trek however I doubt it. It could just be the bike shop that didn't fit the mudguards properly as you say it was 'serviced' and they still haven't picked up on the problem. Can't be much of a bike shop or service.

 

[eldudino]

Model? Front or back wheels or both? A pic or 2 would be helpful.
I'm a bit confused as you say brakes were binding due to mudguards fouling the calipers and yet you are fitting mudguards because it is pouring with rain???

You can fit full mudguards to a disc braked bike as I fitted full SKS 60mm commuter guards to my Kona MTB which has front suspension as well. No problems at all. You say with your bike it might just be down to Trek however I doubt it. It could just be the bike shop that didn't fit the mudguards properly as you say it was 'serviced' and they still haven't picked up on the problem. Can't be much of a bike shop or service.

You're so insightful, thanks for such a constructive response....

I'm not sure your first point makes sense, why wouldn't I want to re-fit my mudguards because it's raining?

I took the mudguards off prior to the service as they'd been put on with crappy mild steel bolts and I want to replace with stainless. There was a pre-existing brake problem which was solved by taking the mudguards off and the 'service'. The issue was highlighted when I tried to put them back on the bike and found that the stays were severely fouling the calliper.

The bike is now running perfectly, and having never seen the bike pre or post service I'm not sure you have enough knowledge to comment on the quality of service received. Please feel free to come up with which LBS you think this is an offer reasons why their work is sub-par.

Oh, and well done on fitting your mudguards with no issues, that really helped.

 

[RedBike]

You often need to put a few 'spacers' between the frame and mudguard arm then bend the mud-gurads arm slightly so it clears the caliper.

Look at the 'spacers' on this rack.

and the way this one bends around the caliper

You need to do the same sort of thing with your mud-guard arms.

 

[eldudino]

Looks like a good solution, cheers Redbike. A good bend around the caliper then use a long bolt through a spacer. I'll have a look and see what's in the shed; some nice cylindrical tube would be good though it would have to be strong enough to take the torque from the mounting bolts which won't be too much thinking about it as they're going into an aluminium frame.

 

[eldudino]

Done! I ended up cutting the mudguard arms and with a lot of bending and rotating them so that they now attach to the front rack mounts on the forks. I mounted the rear one again with a lot of bending of the mudguard arms and used a 40mm bolt and a piece of 8mm copper pipe to achieve the desired off-set. I want to replace this with a piece of black steel/alu but finding what I want may be difficult so I'll just have to keep an eye out for something. Thanks for the adv.

 

[Crankarm]

You're so insightful, thanks for such a constructive response....

I'm not sure your first point makes sense, why wouldn't I want to re-fit my mudguards because it's raining?

I took the mudguards off prior to the service as they'd been put on with crappy mild steel bolts and I want to replace with stainless. There was a pre-existing brake problem which was solved by taking the mudguards off and the 'service'. The issue was highlighted when I tried to put them back on the bike and found that the stays were severely fouling the calliper.

The bike is now running perfectly, and having never seen the bike pre or post service I'm not sure you have enough knowledge to comment on the quality of service received. Please feel free to come up with which LBS you think this is an offer reasons why their work is sub-par.

Oh, and well done on fitting your mudguards with no issues, that really helped.

You're welcome, pleased my advice was of help. Glad your bike is now running well. Sarcasm is the best form of flattery .

 

[eldudino]

Sarcasm is the best form of flattery .

Really?!

 

[compo]

Done! I ended up cutting the mudguard arms and with a lot of bending and rotating them so that they now attach to the front rack mounts on the forks. I mounted the rear one again with a lot of bending of the mudguard arms and used a 40mm bolt and a piece of 8mm copper pipe to achieve the desired off-set. I want to replace this with a piece of black steel/alu but finding what I want may be difficult so I'll just have to keep an eye out for something. Thanks for the adv.

Hi Eldudino, I have just got a disc braked Trek and want to fit full muguards. Are you saying that you have simply used the 40mm bolt as a spacer to allow the mudguard stays to go over the top of the calliper. I thought about this route but I suspect the stays will foul on the brake cable. I also have a pannier rack fitted which doesn't help. It's a new bike, I don't want to bodge it too much!