Any Lightweight Metal Mudguards??

Plastic ones suck...they just crack. I think a metal one, say made out
of sufficiently strong aluminium, will be rugged for any stones and
twigs which wind up getting caught. So which ones for a 26" wheel,
please? I'm assuming such a thing exists. I have the HP Velo SMGTe
SWB, and the rear guard has cracked. Why don't they make these things
out of light-weight metal?? Copper costs pennies, I'm sure....

NYC XYZ wrote:
Plastic ones suck...they just crack.

Typically /not/ the case with SKS ones. They're not indestructible, but
they don't make a habit of cracking, and they don't bend, corrode and
weigh more like metal ones would.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

NYC XYZ wrote:
Plastic ones suck...they just crack. I think a metal one, say made out
of sufficiently strong aluminium, will be rugged for any stones and
twigs which wind up getting caught. So which ones for a 26" wheel,
please? I'm assuming such a thing exists. I have the HP Velo SMGTe
SWB, and the rear guard has cracked. Why don't they make these things
out of light-weight metal?? Copper costs pennies, I'm sure....

Check with www.wallbike.com and take a look at the Berthoud stainless
steel fenders. I've been using a set for the last three years without
any problems...

Actually, that's just the one I have. I ride pretty hard, mind you,
going off two-feet sidewalk curbs and potholes, yeah, but the front is
all right, so I can only imagine the back one had a stone pop it or
something. The SMGTe user's manual does mention something about
spacing the rear shock appropriately for fear of damaging the rear
guard, but I don't think it's on account of that that my guard's
cracked.

No, it's just plastic, and can only take so much. I'll need metal
ones. Surely someone's come up with some kind of non-corroding alloy
by now??? Hmm, maybe titanium mud guards???



Peter Clinch wrote:


Typically /not/ the case with SKS ones. They're not indestructible, but
they don't make a habit of cracking, and they don't bend, corrode and
weigh more like metal ones would.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Seconded on the SKS (formerly ESGE) fenders, they last a looooong time
compared to any of the other plastic varieties.

I typically get 3-4 years (winter seasons in the PNW) out of them, maybe
something like 8-12K miles. They also over-build the metal parts on the SKS
fenders, that's another common point of failure in the other varieties.

-pete

"NYC XYZ" wrote in message
ups.com...

Plastic ones suck...they just crack. I think a metal one, say made out
of sufficiently strong aluminium, will be rugged for any stones and
twigs which wind up getting caught. So which ones for a 26" wheel,
please? I'm assuming such a thing exists. I have the HP Velo SMGTe
SWB, and the rear guard has cracked. Why don't they make these things
out of light-weight metal?? Copper costs pennies, I'm sure....

NYC XYZ wrote:
Plastic ones suck...they just crack. I think a metal one, say made out
of sufficiently strong aluminium, will be rugged for any stones and
twigs which wind up getting caught. So which ones for a 26" wheel,
please? I'm assuming such a thing exists. I have the HP Velo SMGTe
SWB, and the rear guard has cracked. Why don't they make these things
out of light-weight metal?? Copper costs pennies, I'm sure....

http://www.jitensha.com/eng/fndrs_e.html

Properly mounted they last and are lightweight.

Mike Jenkins

Pete Grey wrote:
Seconded on the SKS (formerly ESGE) fenders, they last a looooong time
compared to any of the other plastic varieties.

I typically get 3-4 years (winter seasons in the PNW) out of them, maybe
something like 8-12K miles. They also over-build the metal parts on the SKS
fenders, that's another common point of failure in the other varieties.

-pete


I beg your pardon, but what's "over-build the metal parts" and how does
that make it a "common point of failure"??

I'm looking at my rear fender and I'm wondering if maybe I "tensed" it
up too much -- that is to say, whether I fiddled with the stays (or
whatever them thin metal rods are called) such that I introduced
tension which built up over time (I prefer my fenders a bit "higher"
because I imagined that would help prevent twigs getting caught)....

wrote:


http://www.jitensha.com/eng/fndrs_e.html

Properly mounted they last and are lightweight.

Mike Jenkins



Looks nice enough. But are they compatible with the HP Velo SMGTe SWB
recumbent? I talked to some guy at the shop but he didn't know and,
while friendly enough, didn't seem interested in finding out. I myself
know nothing about fender technicalities. I'd assume that a fender for
26" wheels is universal, but apparently that's not necessarily the
case....

Sorry, I guess I wasn't very clear.

I meant to note that the metal parts on the SKS fenders are over-built,
about double the thickness as on other fenders.
Often, on other fender sets, I've had the metal support that attaches to the
brake-bridge snap.

I'm guessing something wasn't set up quite right on yours, if your SKS's
didn't last that long.
I've got a set on my winter bike and my loaded touring bike, a 26" wheel
setup that has gone many, many miles on gravel roads, etc.

Like I said, they do *eventually* break, but I'm guessing the alluminum
variety will as well. The only way to avoid that is probably steeel or Ti
fenders, one which is really heavy and I'm not sure anyone would ever
attempt to market a Ti variety...
My SKS fenders seem to outlast a couple of drivetrain (chain/cogset) changes
thou', which seems reasonable to me!

-pete

"NYC XYZ" wrote in message
ups.com...

Pete Grey wrote:
Seconded on the SKS (formerly ESGE) fenders, they last a looooong time
compared to any of the other plastic varieties.

I typically get 3-4 years (winter seasons in the PNW) out of them, maybe
something like 8-12K miles. They also over-build the metal parts on the
SKS
fenders, that's another common point of failure in the other varieties.

-pete


I beg your pardon, but what's "over-build the metal parts" and how does
that make it a "common point of failure"??

I'm looking at my rear fender and I'm wondering if maybe I "tensed" it
up too much -- that is to say, whether I fiddled with the stays (or
whatever them thin metal rods are called) such that I introduced
tension which built up over time (I prefer my fenders a bit "higher"
because I imagined that would help prevent twigs getting caught)....

NYC XYZ wrote:
Plastic ones suck...they just crack. I think a metal one, say made out
of sufficiently strong aluminium, will be rugged for any stones and
twigs which wind up getting caught. So which ones for a 26" wheel,
please? I'm assuming such a thing exists. I have the HP Velo SMGTe
SWB, and the rear guard has cracked. Why don't they make these things
out of light-weight metal?? Copper costs pennies, I'm sure....

They do and I've had a set of the really light aluminum ones. After a
few years of real use, they look like crumpled cans. If I had the dough
and the initiative, I'd get some hammered Honjo ones. Not available in
26, AFAIK.