[Bowks]

Yesterday, I spent a good 40 minutes trying to fit SKS Bluemels to my Giant Defy with Ultegra 6800 caliper brakes and failed miserably. It appeared that the calipers were going to crush the guard and I couldn’t get the washers to fit behind the front brake mount, so I was worried it was going to scratch the paint from the headtube.

Does anyone have any advice or a decent guide to fitting them? 

Topic

[stem]

Great timing! I’ve got a 2013

Great timing! I’ve got a 2013 Defy and have gone through 2 pairs of Giant Defy Fenders in 3 years, both breakages were the metal tab which connects to the brake bridge on the rear.

Spent a few hours trying to fit a rear SKS Bluemel but gave up because it went on fine but the wheel wouldn’t turn. I’m in two minds whether I use cable ties to bodge the Giant fender back on, or hack away the SKS to get it to fit. I reckon will be quicker to get the Giant so most likely to do that, unfortunately it is too flexible and the rattle drives me mad.

Next bike will have more clearance.

[robbyrob2000]

If the front mudguard impedes

If the front mudguard impedes the calipers then the Raceblade LONG set is the last option!

A paintwork protection is supplied together with the guards.

 

[The _Kaner]

Defy Adv 2 – with discs on

Defy Adv 2 – with discs on 28mm Pro 4s … and a set of Giant Speedshield universal ‘fenders’

I invented some new swear words.

Rear are now fitting, no rubs – straight as a die…

Front…I have no words to describe this … I may die if this ‘fender’ even strays by 2mm from it’s currently fitted site…

Think I’ll just live with spray from the front wheel…

[dottigirl]

I second the PDWs. The front

I second the PDWs. The front went on in minutes. The rear sometimes needs adjustment around the bridge. They are so easy to put on and take off and look great.

EDIT: and I have a 48cm frame – to get a front mudguard to fit in the first place is a minor miracle. The PDW is lovely and snug to the wheel, which minimises toe overlap.

[What Mid Life Crisis]

Try these…

Try these…

http://road.cc/content/review/95213-pdw-full-metal-fenders

The rear guard has a fitting that loops over the caliper to make it easier – seen them on a number of race frames that wouldn’t otherwise take a guard. Not cheap, but very well made

[Bowks]

FatBoyW wrote:

Yep n+1, stop destroying quality gear and buy a dedicated winter bike, kinesis or ribble for example! Or one of those boardman disc jobbies!!

 

or even, god forbid, sell the defy with ultegra and use the cash for above….

 

I got a new bike 3 months ago, so that plan is out the window!

The Defy is a 2009 model which was my only bike for the past 4 years, the groupset was a very nice upgrade, so the value is less than the sum of its parts. 

My new TCR Advanced has 105 and I’ve considered swapping 6800 onto that bike, but I’m more than happy with the TCR as is, so the Defy is now a commute/winter bike with a very nice groupset.

[FatBoyW]

Yep n+1, stop destroying

Yep n+1, stop destroying quality gear and buy a dedicated winter bike, kinesis or ribble for example! Or one of those boardman disc jobbies!!

 

or even, god forbid, sell the defy with ultegra and use the cash for above….

[StraelGuy]

My SKS standard mudguards

My SKS standard mudguards saved me last winter when a stick got into the front one, the clips  popped out instantly and I didd’t get ejected over the bars. The QR mechanism worked perfectly but the front guard was never ‘right’ again which is why I now have the longblades instead.

[fenix]

Oof. Glad my guards have the
Oof. Glad my guards have the qr mechanism. Locked up my guards at slow speed once on a close clearance frame. Went down like a sack of spuds.

There’s a lot to be said for proper winter bikes.

[pga]

I fiiied Defy mudguards to my

I fiiied Defy mudguards to my Defy 2 – quite easily but be careful they fit very close to 25mm Gatorskins and there is no safety quick release device on the front ones.   It is very easy to pick up stones, leaves etc, especially this time of year, so there is potential for a serious straight over the handlebars job.

[Ratfink]

Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

Jack Osbourne snr wrote:

Dremel.

I used the fitting of guards as the excuse to buy one the other weekend.

Made the job so much easier.

[TheScotsman]

Anthony.C wrote:

“The Defy won’t probably fit them anyway, o.p. would be better off wth these.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/gear/product/giant.road.fenders/592/54781/

 

 

Even fitting Giant’s own ‘road fenders’ without cursing & swearing depends on your Defy’s frame size. They’re a good fit unless you have an XL frame, in which case they’re too small and you’ll need to do a bit of modding with a Dremel and a fair bit of fiddling and readjusting to stop them rubbing once fitted.

 

Even after getting mine on, they broke away from the bracket that fits behind the brake after a few months of being battered on Edinburgh’s roads. Luckily, I was able to do a further bodge with zip-ties to cinch them up tight against the underside of the brake again.

 

They’re OK guards, but they still rattle excessively despite being held tight in the right places.

[Jack Osbourne snr]

If it’s your winter bike and
If it’s your winter bike and the guards are not going to be removed, don’t worry about scratching the paintwork on the head tube.

[Anthony.C]

“At the back I mounted the

“At the back I mounted the pressed steel part that holds the guard to the caliper the opposite way round to the instructions so I gained more clearance under the guard. “

If you mean this part

http://www.cycletourstore.co.uk/touring-mudguards-sks-bluemels-review/img_4235/

they are now made of plastic so not fit for calipers. If you have calipers you have to buy a metal bridge separately. The Defy probably won’t fit them anyway, o.p. would be better off with these.

https://www.giant-bicycles.com/en-gb/gear/product/giant.road.fenders/592/54781/

 

[Bowks]

I was commenting to my missus

I was commenting to my missus on Sunday morning that I see a market for bike cafe with repair shop in our neck of the woods. Up until the afternoon I thought I was pretty handy and could tackle most jobs, but when it comes to mudguards, there would be a ‘we don’t to duvets’ rule!

[Author]

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