Front Mudflaps (Fender Flaps?)

Sorry for the description confusion, UK rider!


I've been messing about for a while with different types of flaps on the
front fender. I have tried long & short, thin and wide, and all other
possible combinations. It is very difficult to determine what works
best, some shapes seem to protect the bike but spray your feet, some
keep the feet drier but the bike gets covered, some don't work at all!

Has anyone done (or seen) any research on this?

I guess what I'm trying to establish is:

What is the optimum length/curvature/width for a front flap?
What is the best material to make it out of, flexible, stiff? Material
suggestions?

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.


--

Mark
_____________________________________
Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Knob of Butter

MSA wrote:
Sorry for the description confusion, UK rider!


I've been messing about for a while with different types of flaps on the
front fender. I have tried long & short, thin and wide, and all other
possible combinations. It is very difficult to determine what works
best, some shapes seem to protect the bike but spray your feet, some
keep the feet drier but the bike gets covered, some don't work at all!

Has anyone done (or seen) any research on this?

I guess what I'm trying to establish is:

What is the optimum length/curvature/width for a front flap?
What is the best material to make it out of, flexible, stiff? Material
suggestions?

I use a section cut from a black plastic flowerpot, superglued onto the
bottom of the front mudguard. It works well although it does
occasionally catch on a kerb when hopping down.

The only problem is the water thrown *forwards*, which the bike catches
up with. No real way to avoid that.

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:42:02 +0100, MSA wrote:

What is the optimum length/curvature/width for a front flap? What is the
best material to make it out of, flexible, stiff? Material suggestions?

Optimum depends on many factors including the "spray pattern" of your
tires. My skinny 28mm tires pretty much just send up a thin stream, so
require a basic flap. I use thin material cut from a milk/juice container
which I glue on with construction adhesive. Curving to follow the fender
keeps it rigid in the wind, but it'll bend when encountering curbs and
such.

http://photos22.flickr.com/30668717_dfb1d0edde_o.jpg

I've also successfully used the tongues out of old boots, but the plastic
works better to be honest.

A lot of folks seems to like rubber stair tread material and pop rivets.

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:42:02 +0100, MSA wrote:

What is the optimum length/curvature/width for a front flap? What is the
best material to make it out of, flexible, stiff? Material suggestions?

Optimum depends on many factors including the "spray pattern" of your
tires. My skinny 28mm tires pretty much just send up a thin stream, so
require a basic flap. I use thin material cut from a milk/juice container
which I glue on with construction adhesive. Curving to follow the fender
keeps it rigid in the wind, but it'll bend when encountering curbs and
such.


Exactly what I use, a plastic milk carton.

try in tech archives-
DIY CHAIN GUARD $2

In article ,
MSA wrote:

Sorry for the description confusion, UK rider!


I've been messing about for a while with different types of flaps on the
front fender. I have tried long & short, thin and wide, and all other
possible combinations. It is very difficult to determine what works
best, some shapes seem to protect the bike but spray your feet, some
keep the feet drier but the bike gets covered, some don't work at all!

Has anyone done (or seen) any research on this?


See http://www.phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html
But as Zog The Undeniable pointed out, water thrown forwards is also a
problem, at least when you ride fast. Maybe fenders could be designed to
extend down further towards the front, as with motorcycles?

--
Ned Mantei
Zurich, Switzerland

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 18:42:02 +0100, MSA wrote:

Any advice will be gratefully received.

Have a look at these:

http://circlecitybicycles.com/lrp/mudflap.htm

Good for a giggle at least!

I like the red "trucker slut" one.

Ned Mantei wrote:
Maybe fenders could be designed to
extend down further towards the front, as with motorcycles?

http://tinyurl.com/7ma9z

Honjo, with a rear fender used on the front. »

On Tue, 02 Aug 2005 19:33:45 -0700, 41 wrote:

http://tinyurl.com/7ma9z

Honjo, with a rear fender used on the front. »

Nice!

That's a damn handsome ride as well, love the blue color!

MSA wrote:
Sorry for the description confusion, UK rider!


I've been messing about for a while with different types of flaps on the
front fender. I have tried long & short, thin and wide, and all other
possible combinations. It is very difficult to determine what works
best, some shapes seem to protect the bike but spray your feet, some
keep the feet drier but the bike gets covered, some don't work at all!

Has anyone done (or seen) any research on this?

I guess what I'm trying to establish is:

What is the optimum length/curvature/width for a front flap?
What is the best material to make it out of, flexible, stiff? Material
suggestions?

I've had good results with the stiff plastic "wrappers" that Michelin
tires come in (used to come in?).

Beware - if the front flap is rigid and too wide, you can get some
unpleasant aerodynamic effects on fast downhills with winds.

Mark