Toupee Gravel - Front Mudguard

Fits in a few minutes with 4 zip-ties and self-adhesive hook-and-loop pads - all supplied.  See our Toupee Gravel fitting videos: External fitting and Internal fitting

Mount externally to retain full tyre clearance - and mounted outside, it can't clog (recommended). Or if brake hoses, etc. get in the way, then mount internally, but this reduces tyre clearance by ~2mm so check you have at least 8mm clearance before you start.

You must have at least 6mm clearance between the tyre and any part of the Toupee Gravel - the minimum bicycle safety standards expect. You don't want the wheel to jam! The tightest point is usually at the tyre's shoulders, where the tread stands proudest and the fork legs are starting to come in. Zip-ties are suitable to measure this - the heads can be poked into all parts of the gap using the tail. The heads are about 5 to 8mm wide depending on the tie and orientation, so measure yours and use a dimension that matches what you're checking: 8mm before you start, 6mm once fitted.

Both fits work the same way: the zip-ties clamp the Toupee Gravel flat against the fork legs, and the hook-and-loop pad stops it sliding down as the legs taper. Fit it roughly first so the pad lands in the right spot, then fine-tune as you tighten the ties. The ties are releasable so you can loosen and adjust until they are just right: lift the small tab on the head and pull the tail back out.

External mounting

1. At room temperature (the pads stick better warm), clean the outside of both fork legs below the crown and dry them. Washing-up liquid should be fine, unless you have applied non-stick coatings, in which case refer to their removal instructions
2. With the instruction side up, thread the 4 zip-ties - on each side:
   - Thread a tie down through the rearmost hole of the row of 4 (A), and up through the frontmost hole (D).
   - Thread a tie up through the rearmost hole of the set of 3 (E), and down through the frontmost one (F).
3. Flip the Toupee Gravel over and place it above the wheel, Fringe at the front, bend the Cheeks against the outside of the fork legs and loop the ties LOOSELY round the legs, clear of any hoses, etc. Adjust evenly (up/down/fore/aft/tilt) until the Fringe sits just above the tyre and the top edge is higher than the gap under the fork crown.
4. Lift each Cheek away from the fork leg. The 2 pads on the instruction side already have hook pads attached, with their adhesive backing facing the fork. Peel the backing off and press the Cheek back onto the leg firmly. Fine-tune position using hook-and-loop. (The 2 pads on the top face aren't used for external mounting.)
5. Snug ties gently: over-tightening pulls the Toupee Gravel down tapered fork legs onto the tyre. Check the wheel spins free, trim the ties and tuck the tie heads away.

Internal mounting

Check your fork and tyre combination have enough clearance to use this mounting (as above).

1. At room temperature (the pads stick better warm), clean the inside of both fork legs below the crown and let them dry. Washing-up liquid should be fine, unless you have applied non-stick coatings, in which case refer to their removal instructions.
2. Thread the zip-ties through your Toupee Gravel. If your Toupee Gravel came with the zip-ties already threaded, they're set up for external mounting - pull them out and re-thread them. Turn the ties round as you go: they curl the other way for an internal fit. With the instruction side up, on each side:
   - Thread a tie up through the rearmost hole of each row of 4 (A), and down through the frontmost hole (D).
   - Thread a tie down through the rearmost hole of the set of 3 (E), and up through the frontmost one (F).
3. Peel the 2 hook pads off the loop pads on the instruction side and put them somewhere safe - they will go on the fork legs. (The 2 loop pads on the instruction side aren't used for internal mounting.)
4. Slide the Toupee Gravel up inside the fork legs, Fringe at the front, to see where it wants to sit: Fringe just above the tyre, top edge higher than the gap under the fork crown. Note where the loop pad on each Cheek lands on the fork leg - that's where its hook pad goes.
5. Peel the backing off each hook pad and press it firmly onto the fork leg at that spot, mirrored on both sides. Exact position isn't critical - the hook and loop slide against each other while you fit it, and the ties hold it in the end.
6. Slide the Toupee Gravel back in, let each Cheek catch its hook pad, and loop the ties round the fork legs clear of hoses - a couple of clicks each, so it still moves.
7. Adjust evenly (up/down/fore/aft/tilt) by sliding the hook and loop against each other. When it looks right, snug the ties a little more - tightening the top pair pulls the top edge into better shape. Don't over-tighten: that pulls the Toupee Gravel down the tapered fork legs and onto the tyre.
8. Check the wheel spins free, and there is a minimum of 6mm of clearance everywhere between the tyre and any part of the Toupee Gravel. Trim the ties and tuck the heads out of the way - the top pair can tuck inside the front, out of sight.