Disc brakes and fenders
 

This is becoming a problem on my Vassago Fisticuff I have noticed. I currently have a set of SKS Commuter Hybrids (45mm) and I can get everything mounted but requires some bending and also mounting to the brake mount which I would rather avoid.

I should also mention I am having an issue with the fender pushing up tight against the front derailleur. I am considering going to a smaller fender if some decent suggestions are listed. I can still return these and would prefer it that way vs buying another set outright.

What adapters have you used and had success?

I got a thin piece of metal about half an inch wide and 3 inches long and drilled a hole into each end. I then bent it into an S and screwed one end to the fender/rack mount hole on the frame and attached the fender to the other end. Now I can adjust how far the fender stay end is away from the fork to make it clear the brake caliper.

Let me know if that is not clear enough and I will take a picture.

A picture would help thanks.

Why are you against using the brake mount for the fender stay?

In the shop, installation of the fenders is done with some cutting of the lengths to make the fit perfect.

The issue with disc brakes is interference witht the fender stay: there is no straight-line route. My LBS bent the stays to route under the front caliper. You can cut, drill and form some metal to make a bracket to relocate a fender eyelet.
If your fenders are too wide for your front mech and casuing interference, you can remove some of the fender material. I use a dremel tool to chip away until the shape is correct (usually to produce a thin neck between the chainstays)

I had no problems mounting my fenders on my Salsa. The PB fenders came with spacers to use on the caliper side of the fender stays. No need for bending, twisting, cursing. Does your frame and fork come equipped with eyelets for fenders or are you jury-rigging it?
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...R/IMG_1145.jpg

Fenders really aren't all they're cracked up to be. You're probably better off using a rear cargo rack (with something on the top to block water) and a front clip-on.

Fenders can be fun to fit on discs.

One trick I've used is to use an extra long bolt on one of the caliper mounts. You run two nuts onto the bolt, then screw the bolt into the caliper mount fully engaged. You run the first nut town to the caliper mount to tighten and the second one outboard for the fender stay mount.

Don't have one here at the moment to take pictures of, but the description works.

Rear if you have to run a disc specific rack you can sometimes go with a bit longer bolt and use the same mount as the rack - either outboard or inboard of the rack mount.

All that said though, I don't find fenders to be the be-all end-all anymore and don't run them. If it's raining you're going to get wet anyway. A rear rack will usually stop the stripe up the back syndrome. Have two new sets of SKS's on the shop wall should I change my mind :)

Commo Soulja, like that Salsa. Building a Vaya now.

Make a "standoff" to clear the caliper. http://lh4.ggpht.com/_WBxptacwSrY/St...0/IMGP1335.JPG

I used a longer stainless M5 bolt with a stack of nuts and washers in order to push the stay out past the disc caliper. With that particular bike, given the positioning of the braze-on, the stay ended up being too short to reach the fender. I cut a piece of another stay, bent it, and then used silver wire to wrap the stays and bent piece together.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_WBxptacwSrY/St...0/IMGP1347.JPG

I assume that Seattle Forrest's comment is facetious.

I'm quite new to disc brakes so I'm just now getting familiar with it. What do you mean by caliper mounts, in relation to this image?

http://www.parktool.com/uploads/imag...avid_disc7.jpg

EDIT - I'm assuming this is what you mean by one of the two caliper mounts,

http://bikehugger.com/images/blogs/G...20jig%2004.jpg

Right?

On my Muirwoods 29er, I use a stack of old V-brake washers to push the fender stay out from the brake.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/...7dc8a1c0c1.jpg

Aside from giving me a lot of flexibility over how high the stack is, this setup lets me have the fender stay angled out away from the frame (using the "toe-in" adjustment feature of the washers).

?!! :twitchy:

For my rear fender I used the supplied spacer supplied with my PB Cascadias to clear the caliper (why all manufacturers don't mount calipers on the chain stays to avoid this problem is beyond me):

http://i.imgur.com/kAKmRl.jpg

My bike lacked eyelets on the front dropouts, so I bent and trimmed the struts to allow them to be mounted on the lowrider braze-ons:

http://i.imgur.com/c3Jckl.jpg

If the fender is interfering with f. derailleur, just cut away 5mm of fender edge to give clearance. SKS rears were actually made this way for a long time.

As far as fender stay interference with disc brake, simplest thing to do is bend them around to give clearance. Not the prettiest solution, but, you'll hardly notice after a while.

Mounting fenders well can be a real challenge that may require a little resourcefulness and creativity.

I went from having a bike that fit me perfectly, to a bike I could only turn if the crank arms were at 6 and 12 o'clock. Fenders were the only "upgrade" I think I've ever made to a bike that left me disappointed. My comment was serious; it's the fenders that are of feces. :D

incorrect

Then you were doing it wrong.

So there's a way to stick a piece of plastic behind the front wheel without reducing clearance between your toe and the front wheel?

So that is your specific experience. Don't stick your feet in the wheel. Pretty simple. :D

But there is no better system for keeping spray off the rider and bicycle, other than not riding in the rain.

+1

Nothing to do with feet in the wheel: I was able to turn the bike wherever my feet happened to be in the pedal rotation, until I got fenders. Honestly, I prefer cornering with the crank arms at 3 and 9 o'clock than 6 and 12, because in a series of hair-pins, you don't have to keep changing. It's a habit I got into. And fenders get in the way.

Anyway, a rear rack does most of the job of a rear fender. I'd rather have a clip on front fender than a normal one. And I find it's better to ride in water -proof or -tolerable pants ( merino or goretex, for example ) than with fenders.

Planet Bike Speedez fenders can be used to avoid mounting right at the brake. I have one on the rear of my V3 recumbent and a conventional Hardcore fender on the front (with a bent fender stay and longer screws with nylon spacers).
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...M/IMG_2144.jpg

http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z...M/IMG_2145.jpg

I don't think so. Seriously, you think you're going to ride in the rain and not get wet?

I've run fenders. Get any speed and the water coming off the front wheel is still going to blow forward off the top of the wheel then back in your face. Rear with the right rack (I use Topeak MTX which are essentially closed at the top) isn't going to throw the water up your back, and beyond that the rest is rain - you're still going to get wet. Sure, I'll give you that you may not get as dirty, but once you're wet you can only get so wet..

You're kidding, right? :lol:

So basically, because you have a frame that isn't well suited for fenders for your application, all fender applications are bad?