Touring - Tour without fenders?

How important are fenders?

I just bought some Freddy Fenders and the front one is not compatible with my Old Man Mountain (700c) AC Lowrider front rack. That rack must use the lower eyelet. It doesn't fit any other way.... The fender also requires that same eyelet. I would use the higher one, but the fender arms would have to bend around the fork... it just doesn't work.

I tried using the same eyelet for both, but it bends the fender in a way that allows it to run the tire.

So... I am trying to decide. Do I take them back and spend the money on something else? Or do I just use a rear fender?

look towards the bottom half of this page here (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/tubus_racks.asp), they have some adaptors that might solve your problem

I've toured without fenders on several occasions. Except for a series of tar spots on the back of my favorite jersey and tar buildup underneath the downtube, no problems. If you can limit your riding to periods without wet weather, you should be fine for the most part. For what it's worth, I always use fenders now.

I would spend some more time analyzing the situation and McGyvering up a solution. With a little bit of effort you'll be able to mount those fenders.

You can, I did for a few years.
Wouldn't want to now though. Like keeping as dry as possible.

If you have racks that wrap around the top and sides, then about all the fender does for you is protects you from front wheel splash, and there are plastic bits that clip onto the downtube that will cover off that.

Most racks are designed to mount on the lower eyelet, and we have to pair up the eyelet and the rack mount, so that alone is basically the way it is for everyone, and you ought to be able to juggle something. mostly people just stack both on the outside. I welded my fender strut to a piece of plate so that it would bolt solidly with the rack strut. Another option is the overlength bolt so that you can use a nut and locktite to mount your fender on the inside of the eye.

Out of your mind!
Unless of course you are touring in Saudi Arabia or Arizona.

Even a light rain can throw an amazing amount of moisture at you. When it's warm you can just change clothes, but wait this is touring and you don't want to have a lot of change of clothes.

I remember a trip with 3 friends some 30 years ago. They all were laughing at me and my fenders. And they even laughed on day 6 when we got some serious rain. But they didn't laugh when we caught a section of fresh tar: unannouced, just after a curve when going downhill.

I use an AC lowrider with Zefal fenders, attached on the same eyelets. Not sure how it can bend the fender. Can't you correct that by bending the fender stays?

I just bought some Freddy Fenders and the front one is not compatible with my Old Man Mountain (700c) AC Lowrider front rack. That rack must use the lower eyelet. It doesn't fit any other way.... The fender also requires that same eyelet. I would use the higher one, but the fender arms would have to bend around the fork... it just doesn't work. As far as I know, those arms are quite bendable; I actually bent them to make the fender fit on one of my bikes. Of course if that doesn't work you're stuck with a fender you can't return...

You can also try a different fender design of course, one that does not require eyelets for attaching it.


I tried using the same eyelet for both, but it bends the fender in a way that allows it to run the tire. Hm, this usually works for me (yes, I have a setup like that as well :)). Did you try switching the order in which you install the two things?