Bicycle Mechanics - Fenders for a mid-80s Raleigh Technium

I picked up a set of SKS Chromplastic fenders for my Technium, only to find that there the clearance between the fork and the tire (given the bolt location on the fork) was insufficient, causing the fender to hit the tire no matter what I did. Unfortunately, I did not research this before ordering them, and simply used the wheel size chart to order the proper size.

Anyone have any suggestions on a set of full fenders that would fit this bike? I have had to forego rain commuting thus far because I commute in my work clothes. Thanks!

Depending upon how mechanically inclined you are and how home fabrication capable you are, I have seen where some people cut the fender and find or make a brace type extender to mount the front section of the cut fender in front of the brake mount and the rear section of the cut fender behind the fork leaving the area under the headtube open. How you attach this assembly to the fender sections and to the bike are up to you or will be based upon any examples you find on the web or elsewhere. I have seem people post their setups in various commuter and long distance cycling sections over the years.

Then there are the clip-on fenders that bungie-strap to your forks which some people have various degrees of success with.

Here's one example on a MTB I found while image Googling: road bike front fender mount
http://drivemybike.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/fendermountdetail.jpg

Get creative, but be safe. And if you can't come up with something then find a store-bought solution or just take your bike into your LBS and ask them to come up with something.

The following page also shows a way to mount a fender to a tight clearance bike:
http://blog.americancyclery.com/?m=200901

Yours is a very common problem with sports bikes. The tire/fork/brake arch clearance is very tight, sometimes even limiting you to 700x23 or at the most 700x25 tires with no clearance for fenders. There are clip-on fenders that can be used but their coverage is marginal.

The real solution is a bike with adequate fork and rear stay clearance and these are typically touring or cyclocross frames. I have a Surly Cross Check built up as my rain bike and there is plenty of fender and wide tire clearance. My Litespeed sports bike is nearly hopeless.