Today I took delivery of my Specialized Vado SL 4.0 EQ at long last. So I've put it all together, well the bits you have to put together ie the saddle to the saddle post, handlebars, front wheel etc.

Now I feel a bit silly here but the front mudflap/guard has me beat. I've got it attached to the frame ok but where do the two rods go? I can see a hole at the bottom of the forks and I've pushed the rods into them but they don't seem too secure. Indeed I gently bounced the front wheel once or twice and they popped out. Am I putting them in the correct place or is there something else I should be doing? Am I missing something obvious?

There are different ways the stays (rods) are connected. Internet pictures are surprisingly bad to show.

 

That bike looks a little different from any I have seen (and quite neat), but can't see much from the photo of it. Guessing, is there a little grommet screw at the bottom of the forks? If so, loosen that, put in the stays as far as you can, then tighten the grommet screw.

I had a look at the bike, the mudguards seem to attach to the side of the fork the holes at the bottom look too big).. Is there another hole or a bracket that comes with it to attach on the fork / wheels. It's hard to get a close up look at the picture, I looked at a blue bike, the mudguard look like it goes into a black hole.

Thanks for the reply. No there is no grommet, just the tiny holes I mentioned. If all else fails I may try to bend the stays a little to get more tension, but not yet. I'll probably take the mudflap off for now until I work something out.

Thanks again.

Oops sorry Raboa, our posts crossed.

No there is nowhere on the sides of the forks that I can see. The holes I mentioned are on the back of the fork facing the pedals. You really can't see them on any photo's I've seen.

Aha, thanks to both your posts, I think (?) I've got it. I turned the bike upside down And there is another tiny hole there with a thread inside it. If I can find a way of unscrewing that I think the rods will push past that hole and then I would be able to tighten them both up....hopefully.

I had another look, they are inserted into the hole and bent round.

Thanks for trying but that wont work. They barely fit into the hole, it is a perfect fit though. There is nowhere to bend them and not enough length. No I think if I can remove the threaded inserts in holes underneath I'll be able to push the rods further in and then tighten the inserts onto the rods, hopefully

Here's the user manual,

 

https://www.specialized.com/gb/en/turbo-vado-sl-4-0-eq/p/170202?color=263669-170202&searchText=93920-5302

 

Scroll down and press manual downloads, press the 11th down.

 

Here is the screenshot from the manual.

 

The front fender stays are mounted by inserting the stays into the dropout holes and secured using set screws

Thanks for trying but that wont work. They barely fit into the hole, it is a perfect fit though. There is nowhere to bend them and not enough length. No I think if I can remove the threaded inserts in holes underneath I'll be able to push the rods further in and then tighten the inserts onto the rods, hopefully

Yes, that's what I meant; I was just very silly with the word grommet. The inserts probably take a tiny allen key.

Thank you both, with your help I finally got there! Can't wait to get out on it.

Thanks again.