I recently picked up some Esge/SKS Fenders (LBS couldn't get them), Arkel panniers (again, LBS couldn't get them), Old Man Mountain rack (via Arkel, LBS couldn't get them), and some Shimano A520 clipless pedals (through the LBS). How easy are the fenders, rack and pedals to install well on your own for someone who has never done a bit of maintenance on the bike before? Is it better to try and take the items to the LBS and pay them to install?

Depends. Do you want to get handy with your bike? If so, go for it. It will leave you knowing your ride well and able to deal with the inevitable problems. One caveat: you might not want to tackle all of this in one sitting. Maybe one thing a week? Your call.

If you are never going to want to do a thing on your bike again, take it to the LBS.

BTW, good stuff. I'm jealous.

If you have to ask, it's probably a bad sign. These things aren't difficult, however.

Pedals are easy. One tip: one of your pedals is reverse-threaded (I think it's the right one). Your pedals will use a 15mm wrench - if you are lucky, you'll be able to fit a regular Craftsman-type open end wrench on it; if not, you'll need a thin pedal wrench or use an allen wrench.

The rack and fenders may require a trip to your hardware store. If you're mechanically savvy, you may end up improvising a bit for a secure solution. Also not hard, but some creativity may be required.

No sweat if you have all the right braze-ons and eyelets, just nuts and bolts for all of those. A 5- or 6mm Allen wrench and 5-mm box wrench will get the fenders and rack installed. Fenders first: the SKSs are not hard but take some time to adjust. Then add the rack.

The pedals are a bit trickier. Having a real 15mm flat wrench makes a big difference. I've done it with adjustable wrenches before, but be careful. Remember that pedals are threaded different directions - always turn the wrench towards the back of the bike to loosen on either side.

Be prepared for a full night of installing, removing, adjusting, and possibly cursing.

BTW, this is a good topic for the bike maintenance forum.

I'm not very handy, yet I could install all of that stuff. You won't need any special bike tools. The pedals especially should be a cinch. The fenders will be easy as long as you have the clearance you need. Those Old Man Mountain racks are fairly simple to install as well. Now, if the LBS will only charge a few bucks, go ahead and do that. Otherwise, don't waste your money.

Beware if you do it yourself. If you are not careful, you will want to replace other, more expensive items soon, and sometimes items that need no replacing at all. You won't even realize it until your wife/girlfriend calls you out and by then it's too late because it's fun and rewarding.

The LBS that I like the most charges a LOT to install fenders (relative to their other labor charges; maybe it's like $30). I think it reflects not the difficulty, 'cause they're pretty straightforward, but the *frustration* of lining up all the stays and making sure nothing impinges on the wheel or brakes anywhere. We have 3 bikes, I paid to get fenders installed on one, did the other 2 myself, and I can't really say I was freed from that much frustration on the one I paid for because everything rattled loose eventually.

One word of advice, make sure your bolts go all the way through the eyelets, like come out the other side. These will be rattling loose over time, so it's better to have as much thread contact as you possibly can get. For the 2nd bike I put fenders on, I decided to go get new bolts long enough to go through first the fender stays then the rack and finally all the way through the eyelets. I think that's mostly an issue because during the course of rattling free from normal road vibration, the threads can get damaged, so it could get progressively harder to re-tighten it all back down. Maybe that's just paranoia on my part.

Pedals are easy. You just need an adjustable wrench to remove your old ones. For safety's sake it is best to put a couple turns on the new pedals with a wrench but you don't need to put a lot of your weight on it though, just make it snug, pedalling will take care of the rest.

my bike rack, came with 5mm holes but i had 6mm holes on the bike... and 6mm bolts... so i had to do a little grinding to make it fit... i didnt find a 6mm bit for my 18v drill so i dremel'd the holes a bit... works great, stupid metal splinters...

Go for it. None of it is ovelry hard, and if you get really stuck, you can ask on line for help, or barring that you can always take it half done to your lbs. So see how far you get! Could be fun.

The Shimano A520 clipless pedals should have an allen key slot you can use to install them if you do not have a 15mm wrench.

I would say try it yourself... that's how you learn it. If you muck it up, then take it to the shop and confess failure

Pedal tip.... With the unused end of the wrench pointing toward the sky, both pedals will loosen by pulling toward the back of the bike and tighten toward the front. That's how I remember it anyways... your mileage may vary.

Look for the L and R on the stem of the pedal to figure which one goes on which side.

The pedals could be tough if you have to take off the old ones. It could take quite a bit of leverage if they've been on there a while and weren't greased when installed. If you feel like you're doing damage, take it to the LBS.

Just remember to move the wrench in the direction you would pedal to tighten, and the opposite direction to loosen. Make sure you clean all the threads so they're free of grit and apply lots of grease to the pedal threads before installing them. Do this with your rack and fender bolts too. It will get them nice and tight and keep them from seizing up if you want to loosen them later.

With the proper braze-ons on your frame the rack and fenders should be pretty easy. The fenders may be trickier to fit with caliper brakes.

I just did the fenders/rack thing this weekend. Time consuming, but not hard, but I also completely take my bikes apart and grease them when they need it.

I did have to get creative with some of the mounting hardware to make the rack level on the bike, but I am a little anal about stuff like that. The stays that are used to mount the rack to the bike had to be drilled so they would work properly.

I would reccomend using some type of thread locker on the bolts you are installing your rack/fenders that go into a brazed on fitting on the bike, but don't have a nut to keep things tight when you ride.

If you do attempt to do it yourself, then at least you will know how it went together and can keep tabs on it throughout it's life. Just take your time and be prepared to get creative to make things fit properly.

If you don't want to risk botching the install, then let your LBS tackle it. If they mess something up chances are they will make it right at no extra expense to you.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

I decided to let the LBS do it. They did a good job, but the metal rods on the fenders stick out enough to bump in my shoes if i turn the front wheel more than slightly. Kindof annoying. Is it safe to cut those down and recap them?

Also, the pedals. These are going to take a long long time to get used to. A friend held the bike while i tried to get in and out of them. I couldn't for the life of me get my feet into them without my friend grabbing my feet and forcing it. Same with clipping out. We adjusted the tension pretty lose and it was a little easier, but it took about 10 tries simply to get the shoe to catch in the clip. The kicking out feels weird and it rough on the knees, I tend to pull up the heel when i kick it out naturally. Any recommendations? Everything is a bit awkward at the moment. I wouldn't dare attempt a ride yet.

One other problem... my cleats are scraping the ground when walking about, even though they are supposed to be recessed. Is this normal? I have Shimano A520 pedals and the corresponding cleats, with Adidas shoes (the only show the LBS had in stock in my size).

1) yeah, cut the fender rods shorter and then stick the caps onto them. Dremel + fiberglass-reinforced cutting wheel + face shield + safety glasses works good

2) pedals: if you're not onto the engagement concept, it helps if you remember to get the nose of the cleat under the forward retaining claw first, then push down . You get the hang of it after a while. You may also want to lubricate the contact points where the cleat touches the pedal's retaining claws, so the cleat can rotate more easily when releasing. If your shoes have lots of sole material, it can interfere with normal cleat lock-in and release because it ends up squished against the pedal's body so tightly that you have to fight it... in which case you might benefit from having some material removed using a Dremel and a sanding drum.

My SPD cleats touch all the time, although my shoes have seen a lot of wear and the soles are not nearly as thick as new shoes. But I wouldn't let it bug me, just be careful not to ding up anyone's hardwood floors with them.

I just used bolt cutters and then put the caps on them.

Dremels require unpacking and some setup, bolt cutters just require picking up.

A word....all the studs should be exactly the length you need them, and no longer, particularly on the freewheel side in the back. Use washers if you need to, but be sure nothing protrudes to rub or touch the chain. I suggest, rather than cheap screws or allen head screws, you use a set of allen head machine studs for installing fenders and racks. These can be picked up in 5mm size at Lowes or Home Depot in numerous lenghts. You can also get them at most auto stores. Once you have everything fitted and fitting well, take it all apart and put blue Loc-Tite on the studs and put it back together.

I thought I did it right till my LBS pointed out a problem while servicing the bike one day. There's not much clearance there and a fraction of an inch can cause chain rub.

The good part is that you can get clips for the SKS fenders that allow you to fit the fork and seat stays.


Good fenders take a while to install but are a wonderful addition to a bike. My favorite is a set of Gilles Berthoud stainless steel on my Schwinn tourer. I have probably 1500 miles on these with Blackburn back rack and Jannd front rack with nary a rattle nor rub.

Thanks, guys. Now it's time for a marathon clipping party this weekend. Clip in. Clip out. Rinse. Repeat. Clip in. Clip out. Rinse. Repeat. Clip in. Clip o...oh crap, fall. Rinse. Repeat.

And then the next thing you know it, you are buying a frame and swapping parts for 2 other bikes (the color of the headset on the mountain bike was better for the new bike ) and building wheels and getting it all put together and on the road by the next morning. Not that I would have done that on a Salsa Las Cruces on Tueday. Including driving to Boulder to get the frame.

Get a copy of Pee Wee's Big Adventure. Watch the part where he runs into a curb while showing off and then bounces to his feet saying, "I meant to do that!" Practice bouncing up from the ground and saying, "I meant to do that!" several times before you go out to ride the new pedals.

It helps...really

Ooolala. I need a cigarette now.