[Closed] I ignored the advice ☹️

Looking into getting some roadie guards....why are they garbage?

yes, go on, please elaborate.....

Agreed! I had some last winter - they wobble and rub - significant paint damage to my frame near the bottom bracket and under the fork crown, despite using the rubber protector things. I lost 2 front sections through 1 season (admittedly they're only £1 to replace, but shouldn't have to keep replacing them. Also found the refitting a pain as they never go back in the same place.

Now have SKS raceblades, which are much better in every way. (Except not having a section protruding in front of the fork)

Sometimes you just have to find out for yourself

I've got some Mark 2s I'd sell ya 😀

Now have SKS raceblades, which are much better in every way. (Except not having a section protruding in front of the fork)

That's what the Raceblade Long is for! I had some mk1 Roadracers and they were shit beyond belief. Vastly prefer Raceblades.

A mate of mine smashed his face in due to Roadracers getting mashed under the fork crown on a ride and throwing him over the bars - I honestly thought he was dead when I turned back to find him in the road, unconscious, literally in a pool of blood. I would never use them after seeing that......

When the Mk1 came out we sold loads and many folk came back with tales of them rubbing. Every single complainer had ignored the advice in the fitting instructions and had tightened the zip-tie so much that the mudguard couldn't "float" as designed.

Slight hijack: I've got the joy of fitting some SKS Bluemels tomorrow night. Any tips or experiences?

I had a set of the Mk1 and thought they were brilliant - followed the instructions and they worked really well.
I since fitted some later versions to a friends bike and didn’t think thet were very good - I thought they tried to be a bit smarter with them so they protected more but they were very hard to fit and never worked as well as my Mk1’s.

They are supposed to fit 38s but they’re super close to my 35s and pretty much catch on the little knobs ( chuckle ) on my g-ones yanking them into themselves.

I guess if you use slick 28s they’d be ok but on this bike ( Pickenflick ) I use both size tyres on two wheels sets, so set the guards up to suit the bigger of the two.

I’d hate to fit them on a proper road bike with tight clearance.

I’d hate to fit them on a proper road bike with tight clearance

You'll never have to, because they don't effing well fit!! As I found out.... Ended up getting sks raceblades, very happy with those.
CRUD can go take a running jump.

Every single complainer had ignored the advice in the fitting instructions

I’d go along with that.. they work just fine if you fit em right.

Now have SKS raceblades, which are much better in every way. (Except not having a section protruding in front of the fork)

Saw a nice cannondale in Nottingham with the guard fitted in front of the fork, dry chin, soaking feet I guess.

Mine worked fine (follow the video) but broke with tedious regularity.

They're in a hedge near the Ugly House just outside Betwys if anyone wants them.

I've used clip on mudguards on road bikes in the past and whilst extremely fiddly they can work reasonably, my main issue was the damage to the paint/lacquer on the stays from the rubbing. Fine if you ride a beater but I had an expensive bike back then.

Now I feel there is really no substitute for fitted mudguards. Not only are they considerably more effective but they won't damage the detailing of the frame and they won't require readjustment.

They’re in a hedge near the Ugly House just outside Betwys if anyone wants them.

You know fly tipping is a crime right? 😀

I consider it a public service - a warning to the curious. 🙂

They worked fine. I glued the little brush things on and they did their job, until they touched something, you looked at them in a nasty manner or hurt their feelings, when they'd just fall to bits.

They used to send out spares for the cost of postage, so I persevered. That stopped, so the hedge it was.

don't feel bad, I made the mistake twice
each time they just gradually fell to bits over the course of a winter
there's a reason that they are always available at a discounted price

There are two ways of fitting crud roadracers

1) you own one of the bikes the factory used when developing them. Probably a trek of some kind. You leave the guards near the bike overnight and they sort of fall onto it and work perfectly forever

2) you do not own one of those bikes. You spend three hours tinkering with the roadracers in the workstand until they don't rub. You feel pleased and go for a ride, whereupon they start going SSSSS SSSSS SSSSS SSSSS SSS after 200 metres. You go home, take them off, give them to a mate with a trek and order a kinesis winter trainer frameset.

they work great on a dolan precursa as long as you haven't put the chain as short as possible so there's enough gap between the back wheel and frame

Raceblade Long bought.

keir

Member
There are two ways of fitting crud roadracers

1) you own one of the bikes the factory used when developing them. Probably a trek of some kind. You leave the guards near the bike overnight and they sort of fall onto it and work perfectly forever

Tried on my Trek Domane 2.3 and Mk2 Crud guards. Used the instructions, and they never make it off the workstand. Still in the box some 2 years later.
Would rather have a soggy chamois than ride with those on my bike ! :/

Took mine off and refitted them again. Still shit.
I don’t think it helps that I use 30mm rims and 35s - having said that I also tried my 25mm wide and they were still shit

Update time.

I took them off and poured over some nearly boiled (95c) water and rested the guards in a bowl ( see pic ) I could then flatten the middle section between the stays allowing then to open up a bit.
Quick dip in cold water to reset the plastic and job done.

They’re now on the bike with about 1cm clearance either side of the tyre.
The only side effect is the front and rear lips of the guard are sitting a little more closely to the tyre. No big deal.

They don’t flap around as much and they don’t rub. 100k test ride tomorrow so they’ll either be ripped off mid ride or will be a complete success.

TBC

Good stuff.

You and 'mould' them laterally simply by leaning them up against something overnight.

Once you've got the tyre gap right don't change it.

Buy they tended to always be a bit off laterally and needed a quick tweak after a van trip.

The pads are a great idea, but glue them on, they make a huge difference because of the inevitable movement of something so flexible.