[MENTION=57478]repechage[/MENTION] saw this one coming. The SimWorks fenders that the client picked out are 54mm wide. Clearance at the seat stays is about 56, no problem. Chainstay clearance is much less, but I can shape the stays around them as I've done in the past. The problem is the twin lateral stays. Tire clearance there is about the same as the chainstays, but add a fender, no dice. If I form the fenders around the twin laterals I may lose tire clearance. What to do? Radical surgery is the solution.

First, let's take a look at what we're up against. I've already rough brazed in fender attachment points in this picture on the chain and seat bridges. This sets the path the fender will take. Notice that the twin laterals bend inwards to attach to the seat tube - the more "standard" construction is to add one of these - but that adds weight, and the builder clearly wanted this to be as light as possible. If you look carefully you can see a Sharpie clue as to what's in store for this frame.


My file set gave up one of it's nine lives on this one.


No, I did not leave that gaping hole. It's common to use tubing cutoffs as seat stay caps. Similarly I took a piece of head tube scrap, cut it down the middle, flattened it out some, and brassed it in. Lots of hacking and filing later, I've got this.


Removing the fender you can see what I did.