Bicycle mudguards 26 inches: varieties and tips for choosing

Fenders (fenders) are usually not included with a new bike. Therefore, they have to be purchased separately. Nowadays, the choice of bicycle fenders is very extensive: they differ in size, material, design, mount and cost. By the way, the cost can vary dozens of times, and it often becomes a decisive condition when buying, although this is not entirely true. Also, wings are often acquired, taking into account the simplicity of fastening and an attractive design, which is also not very correct.

Fenders are a removable or stationary type, metal or plastic protection, which is fixed to the fork located above the wheels, and protects against various troubles: water, dirt and splashes. They differ in mounting options, level of protection, and have different sizes.

However, the presence of wings cannot serve as a guarantee of absolute protection from everything that was mentioned above. Not every wing is 100% capable of performing its functions, despite the large variety of these accessories.

Before taking on the choice of a component, you should consider the types of wings. According to the material of execution, they are:

• plastic;
• metal.

This is the basic raw material. There are also fenders made with carbon fiber (carbon fiber). Their advantage is in the best weight parameters.

By the method of fixation there are:

• quick-detachable;
• stationary (another name is full-size).

This type of protection is mostly plastic, more suitable for mountain bikes. It is fixed to the forks through the holes in them. All screws are included with the element.

Just before purchasing, you need to make sure that these holes are present on the bicycle forks.

In a different scenario, you will need a quick-release protection with a different fixation method. The rear wing is mounted on a pin connecting the saddle to the frame by means of a clip or a belt.

The front fender has a bolt that screws into the front fork bushing to secure it in place. The structure of the wings makes it possible to adjust the height.

The advantages of this type include:

• little weight;
• ease of installation and dismantling;
• ease of cleaning;
• impressive clearance between the fender and the tire.

By the way, the equal distance from the protection to the tire has both positive and negative aspects. The mountain bike is equipped with solid tire tread. When the distance to the protection is insignificant, dirt will begin to cram under it, and it will be difficult to clean it out of there. And at a great distance, clods and splashes will fly in different directions, reducing the practicality of a bicycle wing.

The disadvantages of quick-release components include:

• low level of protection (a consequence of the large clearance);
• low strength (usually made of plastic);
• poor fixing of fasteners.

Such samples are called full-size, because they are quite tightly adjacent to the tire and in fact cover a significant part of the wheel. As a result, they provide much better protection against splashes and dirt.

Advantages:

• reliable fixation;
• high level of protection, since the wing is installed close to the tire;
• good strength of the material of manufacture.

Cons of stationary elements:

• you need specialized ears on the bike frame and fork to fix this type of bike wing;
• dirt can accumulate between the fenders and tires (due to the small clearance);
• higher wing weight;
• non-versatility of fastening.

Cyclists say the 26-inch full-size mudguard deserves special attention. It not only looks neat, but also protects the cyclist from water and dirt. This is facilitated by the fact that the part covers essentially 50 percent of the wheel.

Production material can be: plastic, metal-plastic or lightweight metal. This makes it possible to manufacture a not very heavy structure, but rather strong. In some versions, the parts are water-repellent.

First of all, you should understand how all the options available differ. The following parameters will be important here:

• bicycle wheel size: 26, 27.7 or 29 inches;
• wing creation material: metal or plastic;
• fastening methods: stationary or quick-detachable;
• in places for mounting on a bicycle;
• by the level of protection: short or long.

The full-size fenders are not suitable for mountain riding, due to the fact that the massive tread of a mountain bike will suck in mud and clog the gap between the wheel and protection with it. Better to purchase plastic quick-release elements.

Here, weight and aerodynamic performance are a priority. Full-size plastic (or carbon) fenders are used for road bikes. They are quite lightweight, perfectly resist the build-up of dirt and are essentially unobtrusive. Without them, driving around the wet city streets is uncomfortable, therefore, for road modifications it is advisable to buy full-size samples.

It will not take a long time to "rack your brains" in resolving the issue, you can immediately put a protection of a large diameter, which will closely adjoin the wheels. Moreover, rubber mudguards are installed on the lower part of the front and rear fenders. You can buy them additionally at a sporting goods store or directly with a set with wings. You can also choose your wings by color (even white).

When in doubt, whether there is a need to purchase double protection for the front and rear wheels, it is preferable to install on the rear. One such inexpensive option would be a metal wing. It is characterized as full-size, it is also called the classic look, since it covers the largest part of the wheel.

I must say that many people make their choice of cycling wings based on their price. This is not a very correct approach, since inexpensive Chinese-made samples are made of fragile plastic, which can crack or split as a result of impacts of several stones at high speed, as a result of which the protection will cease to fulfill its task. In the same time the cost of branded cycling wings is not so high as to try to profit from it... In such a case, it is advisable to pay only once and enjoy riding for more than one year, rather than changing the wings every season.

For an overview and rules for choosing fenders for a bicycle, see below.