Sixty Fiver

This is usually a problem with road bikes when you try and fit wider tires into a frame that was designed for skinny little slicks and when you add studs the clearance issue can become even more problematic.

Solution...

Cut the fender right in front of the brake mount and fabricate an extension for the nose piece so that the fender does not pass between the fork blades.

I used some pre-drilled steel flat bar that cost all of 40 cents to fabricate the mount.

mikeybikes

Does that front piece flop around much?

Sixty Fiver

Not a bit... I looked for the roughest roads I could on the test ride that mount is solid and there is less vibration induced fender shudder than there is on a stock PB fender.

WCoastPeddler

You're still going to get some crud on your brakes, but it does look as though it will eliminate any spray from the top of the tire.

Good solution, and nicely done.

Kojak

If not the MacGyver type........

https://rivercitybicycles.com/product...ackets-737.htm

irclean

Are those screws poking out of your tread blocks? If so, and you installed them from the inside out, how to you protect your tubes from the screw heads? And... how long did it take you to do it?

Sixty Fiver

That is a self studded tyre... the screws are mounted from the inside and a second tube was used as a liner.

The traction on ice is awesome and they do not affect straight line riding so the bike's speed on dry roads is still excellent.

I've done so many of these it only takes me about 45 minutes to an hour to stud a tyre and the cost is about $4.00.

Tequila Joe

Well done.

Interesting frame. I remember seeing Steve Bauer frames back in the 80's / early 90's..

CliftonGK1

I've done the self-studded tire thing, too. Used roofing nails and sealed/protected the heads with silicone caulking. Took some end-nipper pliers and cut them down to size to clear the frame w/o scratching. They worked awesome on hardpack snow-ice.

vrkelley

Great mod. From the pics I can't tell what the 2 bolts are actually doing. Can't figure out how you're suspending the fender.

Sixty Fiver

I won't fork out money for commercially made studded tyres... I just retired one of my first studded tyres and it has seen over 20,000 km of winter riding.

I built up these Schwalbes last year for my hybrid but my friend needed a set of tyres for his winter bike (the bike pictured here) so I will just build another set.

I am thinking my hybrid has the frame clearance to run a 29'r sized tyre so may try that...

Sixty Fiver

The reacharound mounts behind the brake and passes under it, has a bend to raise the fender position and then provides a flat plate for mounting the fender's nose.

The bolts hold the fender to the mounting plate.

It is hard to tell tell that there is anything different about this fender when you look at the bike and I was thinking that plate might be a nice mount for a light as well.

My friend was very pleased with his new winter bike... I delivered it tonight and was tipped with some wonderful single malt scotch.

jefferee

Possibly a stupid question, but do you have to worry at all about salt and crud splashing up the inside of the steer tube with that gap in the fender?

Sixty Fiver

The headset is sealed and there is a wine cork in there for extra protection.

tennisplyr3

wow that looks great! i can't see how you attached the nose piece to the steel flat bar though. did you attach it to the brakes? did you have to do it for the rear tire as well?

tennisplyr3

That looks handy... except I don't think they ship it out?

Sixty Fiver

If you can't see how I did it then I did a good job.



Look really closely at the images and you will see where the mount comes from the rear of the brake, passes under it, and then rises to meet the fender.

tennisplyr3

Ahh I see. For the front fender -- I also see that the mount is attached from behind the front fork. I have my front fender mounted in front of the fork, between the fork and the brake caliper. I wanted to mount mine behind the fork, but my fender won't fit. I was wondering if there was a work-around for this. According to Sheldon Brown's site, I think he describes my problem perfectly.

"Traditional fender hardware has not changed since the days of exposed nuts holding brake calipers to the frame/fork. However, most newer caliper brakes use "recessed mounting." This has required mounting the tab on the front of the fork, which reduces clearance under the fork crown, and also rotates the front fender forward so it provides less protection to your feet (and your drivetrain.)" (from https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fenders.html )

Is there a way for me to mount the front fender behind the fork without ordering the part since I have a "recessed mount"?

Sixty Fiver

The mount for the front of the fender mounts between the brake and front of the fork as there is no room under the fork for anything.

This fork also has a recessed mount and the mounting tab for the rear part of the fender had to be dremelled just a little to make it big enough for the brake nut.

tennisplyr3

I guess the only solution is to get some Sheldon nuts if I want to mount the fenders behind the fork. Meh...

Jasmijo

Those tires look SO badass. I knew you was cool, Sixty Fiver, but I didn't know you was this cool.

Sixty Fiver

Those are lighter duty winter tyres...wait 'til I get my new tyres built up.

mkeller234

Nice work, +1 on the awesome tires

Magmol

I had done the same thing for my old lugged steel Allez. Fab'd during lunch time while in Tacoma Wa.. I lucked out because I work in a sheet metal shop. Hit the scrap bin and go to town.

Great job. Always think outside the box.

PaulRivers

Thanks for posting the pics and stuff, but - thinking about it, I just feel like "if I had the clearance between the tire and the brake to pass a thin piece of metal through, wouldn't it be easier to just pass a fender through there?

Or did you have a different purpose, like needing to put a fender on a bike that can fit it but doesn't have fender mounts?

I know on my cheaper road bike that I've been entertaining putting fenders on, the brake has slightly *less* clearance than the fork. I think it's designed this way deliberately so that if you put to large of a tire on the carbon fiber fork won't get damaged. But whatever the reason, room between the brake and the tire is the biggest obstacle to fenders...

(And before anyone suggests it, I already have the clip-on kind, just been wondering about fuller coverage fenders)