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fenders for the commuter
Last Post 07/10/2013 04:27 PM by Steve Lindell. 10 Replies.
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THE SKINNY

Posts:506

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06/22/2013 05:45 PM
my commuter is a converted mtb 29er with a salsa rigid fork. putting a fender on the rear was no problem with all the handy p clips and suck. the front is a problem though. there is so much space between the top of the tire and the crown of the fork that securing the fender there is problematic. i had made an 'L' bracket that worked but it was flimsy and looked like it was home made. any suggestions?
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
pretender

Posts:46

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06/22/2013 06:04 PM
immediately i'm thinking some kind of rack clamp around each fork leg with a straight, slotted bracket bolted between them. adjustable, and brings your mounting point down to take away any wambliness.
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/22/2013 07:33 PM
To follow pretender's idea. Two "P" clamps, one on each fork leg, each aimed in. Fasten a small SS tang between them. Have a hole drilled at the center for the fender. A bike shop can get (and in Portland will have) SS tangs that are designed for racks but can be cut and drilled for this. Sturdier tangs can be purchased from stores with hardware for racing sailboats (try West Marine on the web).

You do want the end result to be stiff, ie not move when the bike is jarred, or the tang/P clamps will fatigue and break. You have the entire fender trying to pivot at this point and it is being driven by every road vibration you hit.

Ben
CB2

Posts:18

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06/25/2013 07:10 AM
What about a steerer mounted fender like this:

 photo FE7031_zps436660aa.jpg
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/25/2013 01:45 PM
I could never see those shorty fenders for commuting. A front fender that comes down lower than the hub and that has a large flap is a real blessing every time I ride through a puddle, especially at times of the year when the streets are both filthy and wet. That flap stops nearly as much water as the entire rest of both fenders. It is also impressive how much cleaner a fully fendered and flapped bike stays.

Ben
longslowdistance

Posts:2881

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06/25/2013 03:47 PM
Ditto. The shorty fender will keep your vision clear but your feet still get soaked.
THE SKINNY

Posts:506

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06/26/2013 08:32 AM
thanks for the replies. i'll probably use the p-clips on the fork legs but i was hoping there was a more elegant solution (i guess if i was concerned about elegant i wouldn't be riding a converted mtb). i thought there might be a way to put a star nut in the bottom of the steerer tube and have some sort of adjustable length bracket that would attach to the fender.
How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.
Master50

Posts:340

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06/27/2013 04:39 PM
A rubber plug with a bolt expander up the steer tube or star nut up the steer tube with a spacer and a long bolt. You use a standard fender with stays to the fork tips. you might have to drill a hole through the fender corresponding to the star nut or expanding plug.
CB2

Posts:18

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06/28/2013 05:37 AM
The "shorty fender" I posted is just that; it attaches to the bottom of the steerer and can be taken of at the flick of a switch. Of course it won't offer the same protection as a full fender.

You could try a one of these fenders for bikes w/o eyelets (they attach with rubber straps), but depending on the angle of your forks and the size of your tires they can be difficult to align.

 photo 7015_zps680b58e6.jpg
79pmooney

Posts:3178

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06/28/2013 03:08 PM
When I get fenders with those toy flaps, the first thing I do is drill the flap rivets of the front fender, then using screws and nuts, install real flaps that go most of the way to the road. (My preferred flap is made from two layers of graphic film such as used by architects in the '90s for presentations. I tape the edges with good clear packing tape. Those flaps are plenty stiff enough for puddles but bend easily and without damage to either the flap of the fender itself when I set the fork tips on the road to lock the front wheel or for a flat or when I wheel the bike off a curb and forget I have a fender.)

Ben
BlueCooper

Posts:2

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07/10/2013 04:27 PM
If you are not as handy as Ben, 'Buddy Flaps' sell longer flaps to will bolt though the holes from the drilled out rivets. There are some other brands that are lighter if the fender mount is not as solid.
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