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I am in need for mudguards for a bicycle I bought.

Here is a link to the bicycle's description: Speeder i8 The bike is a flatbar road bike, with an internal hub and roller brakes.

The bicycle is always carried in a small lift where it is positioned vertically on its rear wheel because of space limitations.

The mudguards I see in stores that would fit this bicycle have a problem: they are of "full length" and cover the wheel part that touches ground when positioned vertically.

What I need is something like these shorter fenders. However, most fenders sold are larger, like these.

Are there any pre-made solutions?

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3 Answers

up vote 7 down vote accepted

You could try something with slightly less coverage like the sks raceblades. However, the sks commuter fenders have less clearance in the back. It still might be too much though. Clip on fenders like the portland design work soda pop fenders may be an option for you as well, but they provide less coverage overall.

Fenders are one of those things that are pretty easy to hack yourself if you have some small tools. I trim off some material from the fender to make it fit.

I would bolt it on to the fender mounts on your rear dropouts and then measure the distance from the actual end of the fender to where you would like the fender to end. Then, on the other side of the fender, where you secure it near the cranks, I would mark the fender and trim that much material off from the end. You could do this with a coping saw or a dremel tool pretty easily on plastic fenders. You'll need to re-drill a mounting hole.

You might not be able to trim the fender in a straight line, you may have to cut it in a similar pattern to the bottom of the existing fender, depending on the fender's width. Skinny fenders may need little to no tapering at the bottom, while large fenders may need to be thinned down a lot. Really, just make it look like the end you're chopping off and it should be fine. You could trace the shape on to some paper, cut it out, and trace that on the fender before making your cuts.

You might also want to put some washers on either side of the new hole for extra reinforcement.

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Thanks for the tips! Hacking them myself seems to be the way to go. Regarding the raceblades: they do not seem to be "vandal-proof" and could be easily stolen (or I am a paranoid). –  LRipa Sep 25 '12 at 9:46
I have the same though on the race blades. For a commuting bike locked up, I'd prefer something harder to steal. –  Benzo Sep 25 '12 at 13:46
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A full length mudguard does not serve much purpose to you, but it is a courtesy to other riders who may be trailing behind you: it keeps you from spraying water and debris high into the air behind you.

You could just stand the bicycle on the mudguard when inside that small lift. You're assuming that the mudguard will be damaged, but perhaps that assumption is wrong.

If you stand the bicycle on the mudguard, the mudguard will probably bend until it makes contact with the wheel, and that will cause the mudguard's supporting rods to also bend. This is not good, but perhaps the situation can be remedied by inserting some spacers between the mudguard and tire, such as eraser rubbers.

The rubber pieces will transfer the force from the contact area where the mudguard rests on the floor directly to the tire, relieving the mudguard and its hardware from stress.

If you're worried about scratching the mudguard, you can put some tape on the contact area. (Hmm, will there be a rear reflector on your mudguard?) Or just carry some small cloth for that occasion. You can wrap the erasers in it when it's not in use.

Incidentally, that rear reflector is another good reason for a full-length rear mudguard. It's a good spot for it.

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Benzo already hit all the high points.

IMO, it depends on the weather you get and the amount of coverage you need. I've had quite good luck with the seatpost clip on fender (SKS Xtra-Dry Rear Seatpost Fender). It can be adjusted up or down and moved out of the way if you need to hold the bike vertically.

If that arrangement doesn't work for you (buy one and try it... they're easy to remove and return), then I'd agree with everything Benzo said... buy one you like and cut it with a hacksaw.

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