Originally Posted by
gpburdell
You'll have to ask 1UP USA what their specific intent was in creating it.
I suppose some might consider it as a "backup" protection in case of bumping the fender into the rail, or they might orient the swing arm to not quite touch the fender and have the cushion in case the strap slips or loosens, or they might have a bit more finesse than you do and find they can adjust the swing arm to just touch the fender without crushing it - while the strap plays the majority role in securing the wheel per the graphic I copied from 1UP.
If you're unable to imagine circumstances in which others might find use for the product, I'm sure the kind folks at 1UP can assist you in the answers you seek.
I linked the product so other folks were aware of it existence in case they were able to imagine uses for it that hadn't occurred to you. I don't own the product.
Their intent in creating it was
precisely for clamping it down on the fender. They have been selling the fender cushion for years, long before the system above (with the wheel stop) was invented. You clamped the fender just like you would a tire. It was a terrible idea.
It was such a terrible idea that they finally came out with a better system using the wheel stop you pictured (and kudos to them for doing that). But with that system, you don’t need the fender cushion. They don't mention the fender cushion in the directions for using the wheel stop. They tell you to have the rear arm hover over the fender. So you are not clamping the fender... so you don't even need the cushion. What you have is essentially a rack that works like any other front wheel clamping rack that you strap the back wheel down. It does not even really need the rear clamp arm.
If you want to engage the rear clamp arm, one would be better off doing what I showed. Either with or without the wheel lock (doing what I showed, you don't even need the wheel stop, it serves the same purpose in this case: keeping the front wheel pressed against the front clamp arm. If the wheel lock works... great, use it. The issue I have with it is that you can't move it. It is just in one fixed position. At least that it the way it looks. I could be mistaken.