SKS Chromoplastics - fitting issues

[EasyPeez]

Hi,

Just wondered if anyone else has fitted these and found it a royal pain in the posterior?

After spending an hour last night trying to decipher the rather vague instructions I finally felt confident I mostly understood what I was supposed to do, and set about trying to fit a set to my Genesis Day One Disc, only to find that -

a) none of the bolts that attach the guard stays (the silver rods that run diagonally from guard to frame - might have the terminology wrong) seem to fit the eyelets on my frame - the bolts seem too wide.
b) the clip on the top of the rear guard that is designed to attach the guard to the seat stay bridge is incompatible as the drilling on my bridge is vertical but the clip assumes a horizontal eyelet to attach to
c) the bolt for the forks to attach the top of the front guard is seemingly the only one that fits the relevant hole in the frame, but it seems to come with 2 washers and no nut!

It's like they've designed these to thwart me at every turn!

Has anyone else fitted these to a similar bike that can advise me on where I'm going wrong? The bolts not fitting the eyelets is especially befuddling - do I really need to throw those all away and go to my LBS in search of different size nuts and bolts? Is that common practice in the mudguard world?!

I believe these guards are quite a big seller and I would assume that frame eyelets for mudguards are a pretty standard size(?) so my presumption here is that I am being an idiot. In which case feel free to give full vent to your creative cruelty as you point out the many ways in which I am a fool....

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Ajax Bay]

The problems you are having is caused by you having one of those new fangled disc brake bikes. The bridge for the rear is designed to be secured horizontally by the caliper brake bolt and same for the fork.
I have fitted a set of these recently, to a 'normal' bike - in fact just before LEL.

 

[sight-pin]

This link maybe of help, @Foghat fitted similar to his ebike.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/giant-road-e-1.215705/page-10

 

[User6179]

b) the clip on the top of the rear guard that is designed to attach the guard to the seat stay bridge is incompatible as the drilling on my bridge is vertical but the clip assumes a horizontal eyelet to attach to

I used a detachable bridge bent flat and then attached to the frame before fitting the mudguard to the bridge.
https://www.evanscycles.com/sks-mudguard-bridge-00119436

 

[MichaelW2]

For vertical holes, drill the plastic of the mudguard, use a washer and a panhead bolt.
For the chainstay bridge, if it isn't drilled for a bolt hole, I drill a small hole in the mudguard about 1cm from the end and attach using a small zip tie. That is more secure and less rattle than the supplied metal bracket.
The long bolts holding the stays to the frame eyelets should probably be mounted inside out. You can cut them down if needed. The metal of modern SKS chromoplastics is a bit weak so if you have stainless steel allen bolts knocking around, use them.
Frame eyelets are usually M5 but some are M6.

 

[vickster]

Get your LBS to fit...far less anguish and often inexpensive (and they probably have spare bits if needed)

 

[EasyPeez]

For vertical holes, drill the plastic of the mudguard, use a washer and a panhead bolt.
For the chainstay bridge, if it isn't drilled for a bolt hole, I drill a small hole in the mudguard about 1cm from the end and attach using a small zip tie. That is more secure and less rattle than the supplied metal bracket.
The long bolts holding the stays to the frame eyelets should probably be mounted inside out. You can cut them down if needed. The metal of modern SKS chromoplastics is a bit weak so if you have stainless steel allen bolts knocking around, use them.
Frame eyelets are usually M5 but some are M6.

I shall try that with the vertical hole if I can't find a way of making the bridge clip fit, thanks for the tip.

Chainstay bridge is drilled, so no issues there, provided I can get a bolt that fits (didn't try that one as it requires taking the wheel off and none of the others seemed to fit so it seemed pointless).

I wouldn't describe the bolts that hold the guard stays to the eyelets as long - about 20mm if memory serves. But you're saying if I guide the guard stay inside the frame the bolt will fit into the eyelet from the inside of the frame, but not the outside? If that's the case then I do feel very foolish. Though I'm not sure how that would work as the bolt will need to come all the way through the eyelet to meet the nut won't it?
Unless the bolts and the eyelet both taper, but I thought they were even width along their length.
Friday will be my next chance to have a look as I'm away currently.

I used a detachable bridge bent flat and then attached to the frame before fitting the mudguard to the bridge.
https://www.evanscycles.com/sks-mudguard-bridge-00119436

Did you just bend the part of the metal bridge clip that attaches to the frame forward with some pliers? It feels a bit flimsy for that, and I would have thought it might pull the guard up too high away from the tyre, but will have a bodge about at the weekend and see what I can manage.

 

[alecstilleyedye]

bontrager guards fitted my boardman cx without much problem, they provide bolts and nuts for every eventuality with them too… pricy, but worth it.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Get your LBS to fit...far less anguish and often inexpensive (and they probably have spare bits if needed)

 

[MichaelW2]

If the bolts are too long and interere with the hub, you can reverse the direction of the bolt so the head is on the inside of the frame. The stays still go as intended outside the frame. Use a washer and bolt on the outside. Probably better to use correct sized allen bolts from the outside.

 

[User6179]

I shall try that with the vertical hole if I can't find a way of making the bridge clip fit, thanks for the tip.

Chainstay bridge is drilled, so no issues there, provided I can get a bolt that fits (didn't try that one as it requires taking the wheel off and none of the others seemed to fit so it seemed pointless).

I wouldn't describe the bolts that hold the guard stays to the eyelets as long - about 20mm if memory serves. But you're saying if I guide the guard stay inside the frame the bolt will fit into the eyelet from the inside of the frame, but not the outside? If that's the case then I do feel very foolish. Though I'm not sure how that would work as the bolt will need to come all the way through the eyelet to meet the nut won't it?
Unless the bolts and the eyelet both taper, but I thought they were even width along their length.
Friday will be my next chance to have a look as I'm away currently.



Did you just bend the part of the metal bridge clip that attaches to the frame forward with some pliers? It feels a bit flimsy for that, and I would have thought it might pull the guard up too high away from the tyre, but will have a bodge about at the weekend and see what I can manage.

Just bent it over with my hand, an idea I thought about was using a L shaped bracket bolted to the original bracket then the frame, like the brackets used to secure worktops to kitchen cabinets, might be worth a try.

 

[vickster]

Life’s too short to fit mudguards

 

[Heltor Chasca]

I like fitting SKS mudguards. Odd I know, but I’ll spend ages getting it just so. Disc brakes included. I challenge a LBS to fit as well as I can and not go bankrupt from overtime paid to the long suffering wrench. A decent pair of bolt cutters will make the job easier. Measure eighteen times, cut once, swear loads. And if you goof up, you can always get some more stays for about a tenner. Not the end of the world.

 

[EasyPeez]

If the bolts are too long and interere with the hub, you can reverse the direction of the bolt so the head is on the inside of the frame.

It's not the bolts being too long that's the problem - they're too fat to fit into the eyelets. Which I am all confused about as I thought the eyelets and hence the bolts would be a pretty standard size.

The stays still go as intended outside the frame.

Ok, at least I was on the right track there. Though looking at these photos he seems to have routed his rear guard stays inside the frame.
https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/giant-road-e-1.215705/page-10

 

[EasyPeez]

I like fitting SKS mudguards. Odd I know, but I’ll spend ages getting it just so. Disc brakes included. I challenge a LBS to fit as well as I can and not go bankrupt from overtime paid to the long suffering wrench. A decent pair of bolt cutters will make the job easier. Measure eighteen times, cut once, swear loads. And if you goof up, you can always get some more stays for about a tenner. Not the end of the world.

I haven't even got as far as cutting the stays yet...it's getting the blimmin bolts to fit the eyelets that I'm struggling with. I'm convinced I must be doing something idiot. Those little holes just behind the axle at the bottom of the front fork and just above the rear drop out are actually mudguard eyelets, aren't they?!