So I got my fenders a couple days ago and started assembling today. I got the V.O. 45mm Facette for my '88 Voyageur, trying to keep it somewhat classy lookin and I thought the Facette design was a little more interesting than plain but not screaming look at me like hammered ones do. Riding on 27 1-1/4 Pasela TG. Anyway the rear fender is a bit wide for the chainstays.



What is normally done in this case, do I try and cut it (I have tin snips, or perhaps a cut off wheel on dremel?) or bend it? Cutting would seem to weaken it by removing the folded edges, but maybe that is not a big deal idk.

Unfortunately my chainstay bridge has the hole mounted perpendicular (the installation instructions don't even cover that scenario) but the kit came with an L bracket for the front fork mounting which I don't need, so i could use that on the rear chainstay mount. The L bracket also has a good inch of adjustment, as does the fender, I could probably mount it so that the fender ends just above the chainstay and not trim or bend it at all. Would that be acceptable, does that extra inch or two cut down significant amount of splatter, etc? Conversely I could mount the L bracket underneath, and have the fender go a couple inches below it if the extra coverage is beneficial there as opposed to behind.



This is my first set of fenders, so appreciate any advice!

Tin snips seem to be the better option here are you would be able to control your cuts much easier than the dremel. What are you going to attach it to as I don't see a fender mount unless it is obscured by the fender in the second photo?

Fabricate ! If your only tool is a camera you can Hire someone else to do mechanical Work for you..

Us Old People make things..

a 90 degree bent piece of metal with 2 holes in it should do the trick .

It does not Have To go in between the chainstays ..

add some rubber or Leather washers to cure rattles

but a steel L-bracket would look so plain.
how 'bout a black rubber-coated P-clamp over the bridge?
then only one short bolt needed. save 3.75 grams!

IMO the best answer depends on how much tire clearance you have to spare at the chain stay. If there's a tone of room you can crimp the fender in so it drops between the stays, and then you could use an angle bracket to secure it from beneath the bridge.

If there's no room to spare, end the fender at the top of the chainstays (not touching or you'll get noise and paint damage) and secure with an angle bracket

IMO, you don't want to snip the reinforcing ribs off right where the stress from the mounting bracket will be highest. I don't know if it would make a functional difference or not, but I prefer to err on the side of added structural support if there's no penalty.

If there is a lot of space needed, like frames with long slot Horizontal dropouts and your aesthetics require a close line..

then a spring has been used to move the mudguard out of the way so you can get the wheel out.

Of course a flat tire makes it's own extra clearance..

Just my humble opinion
but I would consider a hair dryer to heat the plastic, before cutting it in a more brittle state. Or maybe grinding instead of cutting.

Those are aluminum fenders. No plastic there.

Ok so I put wheel back on to double check clearances. Seems awfully tight fit to me but I'm not really sure what is considered roomy and tight when it comes to this stuff. There is plenty of space between tire and chainstay bridge, like 5/8" or 1.5cm. Between the sidewall of the tire and chainstay is a hair under 1/4" on one side, and about a 1/4" on the other side, 6-7mm. My wheel dish may be just slightly off center.

If it's no big deal I think I'll mount the fenders so they end just above the chainstay bridge with enough gap to prevent scratches, would definitely be easiest way to go and most clearance. Of course with the fenders spaced up a little the fender doesn't have to squeeze between tire and chainstay as it sits more above tire. I don't really need the fender hugging the tire super close - but the seatstay bridge already puts it fairly close up top and I think it wouldn't look as good tight at the top and wider at the end, would like to keep the fender fairly consistent around the tire.

Here it is with the fenders spaced out from the tire with a slightly larger than 1/4 piece of wood shim, and for reference an exactly 1/4" wood stick that will not fit between the tire and chainstay.


And fietsbob I don't quite follow what you were mentioning but this frame is vertical dropouts.

In the past I have cut plastic fenders to fit. But, if I was installing some nice metal ones like you have, I would start with the L bracket and not cut them. If I was unhappy with the results, you can always cut them later. But once cut, you can't uncut them very easily.