Is there a simple way to stop the mudguards on my bike rattling? They're securely connected, but when I go over bumps in the road they tend to wobble about and rattle against my front wheel.
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I think it's a problem that must be solved on a one-off basis, since there so many different fender/bike combinations. First make sure the connections are really tight. Often they work loose over time. Then try to observe what's rattling. Some heavy tape applied to points that tend to knock against the bike frame may help. Different fenders that are stiffer and have more stays is another possibility. In some cases you may simply want to cut off, eg, part of the front fender extending forward from the fork, as that area tends to be less well secured and vibrates quite a bit. (Mine cracked at the fork and the front part fell off some years back, and I haven't missed it.) |
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I use rubber patches from used tubes. It not always look nice, but besides dampening the rattling itself, they also dampen the sound propagation along the fender (depending of course on the amount of rubber). EVA could also be a good alternative. Other think I sometimes have to make is to preload the metal plates which run from side to side along the fixtures (I have SKS chromoplastic fenders). If you bend them against the surface they rattle, than the "spring action" will keep the surfaces pressing against each other. As a matter of fact, my front wheel is very silent EXCEPT when I take one hand off the handlebar (for example, to use the cycling computer or take the water bottle). Riding one-hand is even noisier than riding no-hands, because the front wheel oscilates laterally. I think that's it, hope it helps! |
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I've had success with leather washers. They go between the mudguard and the screw-hole. The idea is to keep the mudguard from being able to pivot (and bang into stuff and make noise). FWIW, I run 35mm honjo fenders on 25mm conti tire. |
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Another source of rattling can be the positioning of the fixings. If it's a road type then the stays can sometimes be moved along the mudguard to make the contact points wider and reduce rattling. |
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My bike developed the same problem after I put fatter tyres on the bike. The back mudguard is not noisy but the front one was. After a certain amount of 'rattling' the mudguard broke off, so let that be a cautionary tale for you! A close-fitting front mudguard can only take so much before it breaks, particularly if SKS chromo-plastic (rather than vintage steel). Doing up the bolts and dampening them is not going to solve your problem. Only a narrower front tyre or a fatter mudguard will. |
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