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Introduction: Bicycle Design
Why Upright Bikes?
Why Recumbents Cost More
Types of Recumbents
Seat Height
Handlebars
How Much To Spend?
The Importance of Wheels
Types of Wheels
The Importance of Weight
Frame Materials
Frame Alignment
Parts, Derailleurs etc
Brakes
Suspension
Are Recumbents Invisible?
Acclimatizing to a Recumbent
Hills on a Recumbent
Clip-On Pedals
Racks & Mudguards
Bicycle Trailers
Trikes
How to Ride a Tandem
Credit Card Touring
Information Sources
Vancouver, British Columbia
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Attachment of Racks & Mudgaurds

Photo: Loctite 242 medium-strength threadlocker will enhance your cycling pleasure.

Photo: To confuse matters, Permatex makes a similar blue liquid medium-strength threadlocker that comes in a blue tube like the blue Loctite threadlocker that comes in a red tube. Either product will do the job. Just make sure you do not use the red Loctite or red Permatex liquids, which are higher strength threadlockers that will not loosen with hand tools.

Certain geographic areas are continually exposed to the harmful radiation of the sun. For those of us riding in the other areas, mudgaurds are desirable. On a bicycle without mudgaurds a cyclist will become more soaked by the water thrown up by the tires than by the raindrops falling from the sky.

All cyclists should also have a pannier rack for life's necessities. Water bottle racks are essential. The attachment of these things is a bit of an art. Correct attachment will prevent unpleasant surprises later.

Bolts with a receptacle for a hex key should be used for attachments, along with stainless steel flatwashers and, wherever possible, a nut with a nylon (Nyloc) insert. Blue Loctite should be dripped on all attachment bolt threads before assembly. Blue Loctite will allow easy dissasembly. An 8mm combination wrench can be used to tighten the nuts. The washers, nuts, nylon inserts and blue Loctite will keep your racks and mudguards from loosening. The normal vibration on a bicycle frame is a natural bolt loosener.

It should be noted that while mudguards keep the rider clean and drier, the mudguards also keep water and grime from washing the lubricant off the chain and coating it with road grime. A mudguard extension should be riveted to the front fender if it does not already have an extension. The extension should extend nearly to the ground and it should be made of a flexible material to flex over fixed objects.