Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Fenders and Toe Clip Overlap

After fitting a set of SKS fenders to my favorite bike I almost killed myself when the clips hit the front fender. I definitely would do more wet weather riding if I could fit a set of useable fenders. Any tips or tricks?

Going clipless not an option?

I don't find toe overlap to be a problem.

Keep your pedals in a neutral position when the wheel has to be turned so much that it would hit.

It becomes automatic after a while.

I find that it's generally not a real issue, and I can recover from a pedal/fender strike pretty easily. It definitely startles a little. I have never hit the fender on my rando bike, I don't know if that's because it's not possible because I haven't checked. I used to hit my fender on my commuter, but after practice it didn't happen any more. It only happens at low speeds, you just have to keep it in mind.

With low-trail this interference is less likely because all things being equal a high-rake low-trail fork or a bike with a very laid back head angle displaces the front wheel forward. Longer front-center means more distance from the toe to the fender arc.

So Unter, it might be impossible on your rando, if you've built it for low trail.

Yes, my top tube is also longer than the norm on that bike, so it's quite possible that there is no overlap. My old road bike had horrible toe overlap, which I knew from the beginning. But I only experienced it once in 30 years of riding that bike.

Drop your heels way down if you have to pedal through a sharp uphill corner. You're only going to touch when you're doing something unusual. Just be aware. You might be better off footing in those situations if heel dropping doesn't produce clearance.

have you ever heard of someone that had a toe overlap while on the road as opposed to slow speed maneuvering? I imagine that if it's a 49 cm frame that might be a problem, but I can't imagine anything bigger than that having overlap so bad that it would happen while out on the road. If so, I think 650C tires are indicated.

have you ever heard of someone that had a toe overlap while on the road as opposed to slow speed maneuvering? I imagine that if it's a 49 cm frame that might be a problem, but I can't imagine anything bigger than that having overlap so bad that it would happen while out on the road. If so, I think 650C tires are indicated.

When you aren't slow speed maneuvering your wheel is straight and between your cranks. You can't hit it.

When I got my new bike, I hit my toe on the wheel the first time and figured "something's wrong here somewhere". But once I deduced (or read) that that was how it was supposed to be, no problem, I just figured out, don't turn when the pedals are in the wrong spot. I would assume that would apply to your situation also, that it's just a matter of getting used to it.

practice.

when you are tall with big feet (like me), all of your bikes probably have toe overlap. the only one that doesn't is my 83 stumpjumper, and that's pretty obviously when you look at the geometry.

Yes, my top tube is also longer than the norm on that bike, so it's quite possible that there is no overlap. My old road bike had horrible toe overlap, which I knew from the beginning. But I only experienced it once in 30 years of riding that bike.

My habits for avoiding toe conflict are pretty good, though it's possible on my bikes other than the Mondonico (very slack head angle) and the Terraferma (long TT with high rake). But when I do forget and get my toe hung-up, I'm very surprised and can go down. So while it's definitely an infrequent problem, I'd greatly prefer to eliminate the possibility.

Loose the fenders. Then you won't have the problem. ;););) Short of redesigning your frame or cutting your toes off you're just going to have to be aware of it to avoid it.

Loose the fenders.
I suggest that loose fenders are worse than properly installed fenders.
I like having fenders. Mine are not currently installed because I have been riding on gravel roads and bigger tires don't fit my bike with the fenders installed. Once I get my gravel road bike done, I'm going to put them back on my road bike.

I suggest that loose fenders are worse than properly installed fenders.
I like having fenders. Mine are not currently installed because I have been riding on gravel roads and bigger tires don't fit my bike with the fenders installed. Once I get my gravel road bike done, I'm going to put them back on my road bike.

I am impressed with what you've ridden on your road bike. My favorite in the Inappropriate Use series of images: http://rothrockcyrcle.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/5.jpg

What you're riding on aren't even fat tires, by my standards. Your new bike will actually swallow both fat 29ers and fenders, correct? You heading for toe overlap on the new build? If so, are you just going to use the offroad zen thing (that I have so desperately tried to perfect) to avoid contact? Seems to me that toe overlap in a road bike is no big deal, but is approximately 8 times worse on a monstercross where you'd do the occasional singletrack. At least you're not apt to mount fenders on it, correct. Seems fenders are mostly trouble in that kind of riding though. Even the best mounting methods might rattle them free in a couple hundred miles of gravel grinding.

I find toe overlap to be a problem in my fixed gear, as it's harder to synchronize the turn with the pedals. In sharp, low speed turns I clip out my outside foot and push the pedal with my the tip of my shoe, eliminating the overlap.

It happens when you're going slow and turning sharp. Adjust accordingly.