Touring - Help! SKS fender front clips and damned bolt lengths...

I have a set of SKS P45 fenders I'm attempting to install on my new Surly LHT. I've had the smaller set of SKS fenders before with the "Secu-Clip" which attaches to the eyelets on the fork. IMHO, while innovative, it sucks, because the supplied bolts are nowhere close to the right length to fit ANY fork eyelet. There's two bolt lengths and one is too short to thread completely through the clip and eyelet and another that is way too long to thread from the outside in. Here's photos to illustrate what I'm dealing with:

http://www.greggcasillo.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8684&g2_serialNumber=1

http://www.greggcasillo.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8678&g2_serialNumber=1

http://www.greggcasillo.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8675&g2_serialNumber=1

http://www.greggcasillo.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=8681&g2_serialNumber=1

There's three ways I see around this problem. One, use zip ties. I tried this, but it just isn't firmly secured enough. Two, hit up the hardware store for proper length bolts. Might do this though on general principle I think it's bunk. Finally, three, use the longer bolts and thread them from the inside out. Too much of a hack for me to entertain at the moment.

Anybody else have some suggestions? Am I out of mind, or is there something obvious about SKS' fenders that I don't get? Ideally, I'd like to screw the clips onto the fork eyelets with a proper length bolt, but I'm open to any ideas.

I always just go to my local Ace Hardware store, and get whatever length I need. usually in stainless, and usually with a handfull of flat washers, and nylock SS nuts. The "kits" never have what you really want for fasteners.

Your other option is to remove those clip things.

kuan, indeed, I could remove the clips, but they're supposedly a "feature" that allows the fender to break away if something gums up the works. I dunno. I've installed the P35s on another bike before without these clips in order to circumvent the bolt length fiasco, but I wanted to see if I could make it work with them this time.

Sigh, I should have bought the PB Cascadias instead.

or just hacksaw the longer bolt down to the right length (smooth end gently afterwards with a file)

You'll get them in. It's just a trip to the hardware store that's all.

gotta have a collection of 5mm ss. hardware, spend a few bucks and get three dozen of three lengths. Also the bottle cage bolts that came with your bike just might be the right size.

Appears what I need are 5x16mm bolts (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fenders.html#kits). The smaller bolts I have are 5x10 which seem completely worthless to me where the use of the SKS "secu-clips" are concerned.

just use the longer bolts, who cares if they stick through a bit?

sheesh.

hardware store

just use the longer bolts, who cares if they stick through a bit?

sheesh.

I do if they're hitting spokes.

i didn't realize they were that long... are the spokes that close to the fork dropouts? in that case, hardware store. Ace has it all...

edit, I just looked at the photos again. there's no way that bolt will hit the spokes...

use washers as spacers on te outside so tat the screw just gets in as far as the other side of the dropout; or cut the bolts; or buy new bolts closer to the correct size.

... this is bicycling ...