SKS mudguards for audax MK3

[njb]

Hi all,
My first post so I'll make a bit of an introduction.
I returned to cycling two years ago, started commuting to work and managed to do the biggest charity sportive here in Ireland last summer, 176KM.
I plan to do it again this July, a little faster than last year I hope.

So, I'm piecing together an order for a  550 frame, in grey.
Which of the many SKS chromoplastics do I order? there are 35, 45 and 50 mm variants?
I'm going to order marathon racers 700 by 30 on a Mavic A319 rim.

sound ok ?

Niall

[Danneaux]

Hi Niall, and welcome to the Thorn Cycling Forums. Best of luck on your next sportive. What a cracking nice bike you'll have to ride. Someone will be along shortly to answer your question about mudguard width.

Best,

Dan.

[JimK]

I ride with 50mm wide tires and P55 fenders - clearance is fine. So I bet you'd be fine with the 35 mm wide fenders. But I can't say for sure!

[jags]

i have 35 on my thorn audax widest tyres i'l use will be 28mm.
btw what part or ireland are you in,
im drogheda..


jags.

[njb]

Thanks for the replies, I'll get the 35s.
Thorn don't seem to put that sort of detail in their otherwise good brochures.

@Jags.
I'm in Naas, my commute in is 15K , and I stretch the return out to 65 K by coming home via the other side of the Blessington lakes.
I bring a pannier to work, hence the need for a rack.
I'ld like to venture a little further into the Wicklow hills, cardio vascular system allowing.

I have an old dawes sterling here, which I bought in 1990s, trying to get the road feel that it had. So I started looking at frames that might fit the bill.

Other audax owners have high praise for them hopefully I'll be agreeing with them in few weeks.

[il padrone]

30mm tyre? I would strongly recommend you get the 45mm SKS mudguards.

With a 35mm guard on a 30mm tyre that really only gives you about 3mm clearance all around your tyre - remember that it is (35-30)/2 on each side and the same all around. If you are likely to ride on any gravel roads, or even on tarmac, you only have to pick up a moderate sized stone or stick and you'll trash your mudguards. 45 was the size we always used with  the old 1 1/8" tyres - about the same as 30mm. I use 35mm with my road bike but that runs tiny 19mm tyres. 35 is OK up to about 25mm or maybe 28mm.

[njb]

Thanks for the replies, I'll get the 35s 45s.
Thorn don't seem to put that sort of detail in their otherwise good brochures.
.....

Cheers il padrone, I think I understand.
Should I get the full mudguard kit to get the rear stays for the mudgaurds ?

[jags]

il padrone is much wiser than me he gives great advice so maybe the  his advice is much better


those wicklow hills are to much for this kid great part of the country though.


cheers
jags.

[il padrone]

I'd suggest the full length guards with all stays. There are the road racer (?) guards by SKS that are designed for bikes without stay-mounts, but you won't have that issue and their coverage is poor. The other thing you could go for with narrow tyres/tight clearance is the Crud Roadracers that fit much tighter frame clearances. They are not as durable nor rigid as SKS, I believe.

[Relayer]

Which of the many SKS chromoplastics do I order? there are 35, 45 and 50 mm variants?
I'm going to order marathon racers 700 by 30 on a Mavic A319 rim.

sound ok ?

Niall

Hi Niall, welcome to the forum, but I'm afraid I have to put a spanner in the works on the direction this thread is going.

Most audax bike frames designed for 47/57mm brakes are also designed for a maximum 28mm tyre. The Thron Audax is no exception,  although it is accepted that many tyres labelled up to 32mm can be, in reality, only 28mm.

I have two audax type bikes (not Thorn) and the 35mm SKS Chromoplastic mudguards are a neat fit. There is no way 45mm mudguards would fit in between the chainstays or between the forks without some carving with a Stanley knife or some such implement.

Is there a specific reason you want 30mm tyres?  I think 30mm tyres and A319 rims are more 'Club Tour' country.

I would recommend a 28mm tyre (Durano, Ultremo, or Conti Gatorskin) on Mavic Open Pro, or Open Sport rims - with 35mm SKS Chromoplastics, perfect fit for an audax bike, comfortable and fast enough for sportives, and strong enough for commuting or even light touring.

I would also suggest phoning SJSC, they would surely give you sound advice on this.

Jim

[triaesthete]

Hi Niall
I run mine with 30mm marathon racers and they actually measure 28 and a sniff mm on my Ambrosio Evolution rims. Nice tyres,and I'd go bigger if 'twere possible.

As has been said above 45mm guards would need hacking to fit between the chainstays.

I use 35mm  SKS longboards now and these a have a curved profile without corners like the old sks guards. Because of this they can sit just a smidge closer to the caliper and don't move when you operate the brake.

Splay the brackets on the guards before cutting the stays to length and you will get a workable but not generous clearance.

It's worth it because you'll get justa bout the plushest ride possible on a mark3 short of fitting Grand Bois tyres.

PS 32 Marathon Supremes also fit under these and I'd wager a lot of the 28mm tyres listed above measure smaller.

Happy fitting
Ian

[Andre Jute]

Welcome, Niall. Wet feet are a horror that interfere with proper rides. I don't know what will fit on your bike, but I agree with the tenor of Il Padrone's remarks, that you should fit the widest mudguards, and the longest, that you can, and if the spray catchers (short, stiff little guides, not great big dragging mud flaps) are extra, as they are on some SKS mudguards, get those too. I'd suggest the form of your question to SJS could be, "What are the widest and longest SKS mudguards I can fit, and what fitting kit and optional extras should I order?"

[jags]

theres a photo of my audax somewhere on the forum and john has a whole collection of photos of his audax bikes.


jags.

[jags]

http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=8613.75

[njb]

mmh.
The thing is I have the wheels already, my LBS built them to suit my Trek 7.5FX hybrid and I assumed they'ld be fine on the Thorn.
I've done 7000 KM on the the hybrid and the only mechanicals I've had are spokes snapping, I'm 95KG, I usually have 4 or 5Kgs  of stuff with me. I haven't had a puncture either, that bike came with Bontrager all weather race 32 which I changed to Schwalble Marathon Original 35.
I read the spec on Mavic Askiums wheels and saw that the maximum specified weight for those is 100Kg, figured a light touring type wheel would suit hence the A319s and Deore hub. At the same time I didn't want a full tourer as allegedly they don't ride so well unloaded (I did 13 years in a landrover defender, when loaded it road like an american car ).
I guess I'm married to the wheels, but could consider starting a brief affair with some 28 mm tyres.

Thanks again for taking the time to post replies.

I shall email SJSC in the morning.

Niall

BTW. This is what I hold to make up the bike with;

Second hand:
4603 Tiagra Triple chain Wheels (50-39-30) and 170 mm cranks
Tiagra Triple Front DR
Tiagra 9 speed triple STIs.

New:
Shimano 4600 BB Cups (34/35/4500 double/triple) Eng   
Deda RHM 02 Bars Black
Shimano 9 Spd HG50 (Sora/Tiagra) Cassette 12-25   
Shimano R451 57mm Brakes Silver   
Shimano Brake Cableset Deore
Shimano 9 Spd HG53 Chain (Sora/Tiagra 9/Deore)   
Shimano 105 Silver (5701) 10 Spd Rear Gear Medium (GS)
Handbuilt wheels, rear is 36 spoke, front 32, Deore hubs Mavic A319 rims.

Stuff I can strip from current bike
B17 saddle, stem (or two), single sided spd pedals, Dura Ace bar ends and Tektro RL520s.