Author Topic: plume mudguard; any good?  (Read 2767 times)

plume mudguard; any good?
« on: 15 July, 2018, 10:23:17 am »
I saw one of these recently and although it won't do much more than stop your backside from getting wet (it is a similar shape to some other clip-on mudguards like the SKS/zefal ones), it seemed like a neat idea to me.



https://www.eta.co.uk/2017/02/08/plume-mudguard/
https://www.plumemudguard.com/

it is basically a curved stainless steel recoil spring with rubber edging (so that it won't cut you).

Anyone used one and have any feedback on it?

cheers

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #1 on: 15 July, 2018, 10:35:35 am »
It's an interesting idea.
I assume it works a bit like a "slap band" - how do they stop vibration from causing the spring to roll it up over rough ground?

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #2 on: 15 July, 2018, 11:00:16 am »
It's an interesting idea.
I assume it works a bit like a "slap band" - how do they stop vibration from causing the spring to roll it up over rough ground?

I wondered the same thing, which is one of the reasons I asked if anyone had much feedback on it. It could be that they had trouble with this in prototypes, hence perhaps the shape and nature of the mounting onto the seat pin.  My experience of the thing is manually setting and resetting it; this takes some distinct force, so I don't think it will happen accidentally that easily, but you mever know...

cheers


Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #3 on: 15 July, 2018, 01:46:17 pm »
It looks too high and too narrow to have much effect.

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #4 on: 16 July, 2018, 11:39:54 am »
It looks too high and too narrow to have much effect.

I've used various SKS/zefal models which look like this



for some years and they do (even when mounted high on an MTB with fat tyres) largely keep you from getting a mucky arse.  The plume is of similar size and position so I think it ought to work similarly, i.e. well enough for a lot of folk. However it is unknown to me if  there are unforeseen issues with the plume, hence the question really.

cheers

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #5 on: 16 July, 2018, 11:43:32 am »
There's no way that doesn't roll back up when you hit the first pothole.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #6 on: 16 July, 2018, 11:45:08 am »
What's the point?  In the rolled-up state you've still got a fugly thing stuck to your bike, and now it isn't even keeping your arse clean.

Might as well use the traditional type which can be easily rotated to a random angle when you don't want them to be effective... :)

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #7 on: 16 July, 2018, 11:55:19 am »
What's the point?  In the rolled-up state you've still got a fugly thing stuck to your bike, and now it isn't even keeping your arse clean....

well in some folk's eyes it is less fugly rolled up than not. It also doesn't stick out which can make a difference esp when not riding the bike. For instance one of my bikes folds and is usually not fitted with mudguards except for one of the SKS/zefal jobbies. Folding the machine with the extant mudguard fitted is somewhat more awkward; the plume could solve that for me. [full length mudguards on folding/seperable bikes are usually  awkward/ easily damaged; for many uses they are best avoided IME]

It occurs to me that it was presumably quite a lot easier to find a slightly curved section recoil spring, which was straight when extended. It also occurs to me that there is no reason you couldn't make one which was curved lengthwise when extended; this could be part of a much more effective mudguard that might form part of an improved folding/separable bike.

cheers

Kim

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    • Fediverse
Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #8 on: 16 July, 2018, 12:00:04 pm »
What's the point?  In the rolled-up state you've still got a fugly thing stuck to your bike, and now it isn't even keeping your arse clean....

well in some folk's eyes it is less fugly rolled up than not. It also doesn't stick out which can make a difference esp when not riding the bike. For instance one of my bikes folds and is usually not fitted with mudguards except for one of the SKS/zefal jobbies. Folding the machine with the extant mudguard fitted is somewhat more awkward; the plume could solve that for me. [full length mudguards on folding/seperable bikes are usually  awkward/ easily damaged; for many uses they are best avoided IME]

That's an excellent point.  My mountain bike has a quick-release front mudguard for ease of fitting it in a car with the wheel removed.  If the roll-up thing works, that could be a useful alternative that prevents you from leaving your mudguard at home. [By the door, with your bike shoes - Ed.]

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #9 on: 16 July, 2018, 12:07:46 pm »
There's no way that doesn't roll back up when you hit the first pothole.

I dunno; by hand you need to be very deliberate about rolling it up. I don't doubt that it can be accidentally rolled up, but someone who has used one for a while will be able to say if this happens or not when you are riding, and if so when/how often exactly.

Note that the downwards impulse won't provoke a roll; only an abrupt upwards impulse will do that, and such impulses are usually damped by the Mk1 backside in the saddle.

cheers

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #10 on: 16 July, 2018, 09:06:05 pm »
Really needs a Fairy bottle mudflap riveted to the end.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

Re: plume mudguard; any good?
« Reply #11 on: 16 July, 2018, 10:24:30 pm »
Really needs a Fairy bottle mudflap riveted to the end.


No!!! Zip-tied.