more elegant solution for installing this front fender?

[Dead Man]

picked up some PDW "Full Metal Fenders" today and went to throw em on, knowing there would be some fiddling and improvising to do, based on my past experience w fenders.

the problem ive run into is that the U shaped eyelet for the front fender is waaaay too tall to fit under the bottom bearing o the headset, which sits on a very short fork crown. i tried bending the eyelet to accommodate the headset, but that created other fit issues with the brake caliper, so i then went to a move ive used in the past and just cut it, relying on compression from the brake nut to hold it in place.... but i cut it too short, and now i gotta get ahold of PDW for a new'n... blah. they are local, so i can probably just swing by and grab one tomorrow.

anyway..... anyone recommend a better solution? i was thinking of throwing a bushing behind the eyelet/tab to move the whole assembly forward on the bike, clearing the headset ... so it would be, from front to back: brake caliper, brake washer, eyelet tab, bushing, crown, nut (and use a longer nut, obviously, which i have in all sizes in my small parts box), but the idea of hanging my front brake off an extra 1/2" or so bugs me, from a mental amateur engineering perspective..

what i DONT want to do is rig up some janky looking crap w zip ties n such

thanks for any ideas

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

picked up some PDW "Full Metal Fenders" today and went to throw em on, knowing there would be some fiddling and improvising to do, based on my past experience w fenders.

the problem ive run into is that the U shaped eyelet for the front fender is waaaay too tall to fit under the bottom bearing o the headset, which sits on a very short fork crown. i tried bending the eyelet to accommodate the headset, but that created other fit issues with the brake caliper, so i then went to a move ive used in the past and just cut it, relying on compression from the brake nut to hold it in place.... but i cut it too short, and now i gotta get ahold of PDW for a new'n... blah. they are local, so i can probably just swing by and grab one tomorrow.

anyway..... anyone recommend a better solution? i was thinking of throwing a bushing behind the eyelet/tab to move the whole assembly forward on the bike, clearing the headset ... so it would be, from front to back: brake caliper, brake washer, eyelet tab, bushing, crown, nut (and use a longer nut, obviously, which i have in all sizes in my small parts box), but the idea of hanging my front brake off an extra 1/2" or so bugs me, from a mental amateur engineering perspective..

what i DONT want to do is rig up some janky looking crap w zip ties n such

thanks for any ideas

You can use a Sheldon Nut that replaces the brake nut. It's threaded but it also doesn't end up in as nice a fender line if that matters. I just bend mine out of the way of the HS. Some like Shelden Nuts because they can also install and uninstall fenders without touching the brakes. Kinda handy.

[Dead Man]

Originally Posted by charliedid

You can use a Sheldon Nut that replaces the brake nut. It's threaded but it also doesn't end up in as nice a fender line if that matters. I just bend mine out of the way of the HS. Some like Shelden Nuts because they can also install and uninstall fenders without touching the brakes. Kinda handy.

word.. thats pretty much what im talkin bout by "more elegant solution!" thanks man.

damn.. spendy suckers aint they? at least on ebay

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

word.. thats pretty much what im talkin bout by "more elegant solution!" thanks man.

damn.. spendy suckers aint they? at least on ebay

You just need one for the front?

[Spaghetti Legs]

I’m not quite sure I visualize the problem you’re describing but one solution to anchoring the fender at the fork is called a daruma. It’s an eyelet bolt and the brake bolt passes through it, inside the steering tube, and dangles down, allowing the fender to be secured to the bottom of the steerer.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...k-crown-daruma

[Peter P.]

Pictures would help.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

I’m not quite sure I visualize the problem you’re describing but one solution to anchoring the fender at the fork is called a daruma. It’s an eyelet bolt and the brake bolt passes through it, inside the steering tube, and dangles down, allowing the fender to be secured to the bottom of the steerer.

https://velo-orange.com/collections/...k-crown-daruma

True but he has a fender with a built in bracket/tab so would need to drill that out assuming it isn't bolted on.

Def. a solution that might work. I always had a problem with the VO drums either being too short if I recall.

[Dead Man]

the brackets are bolted on with these fenders. so this device compresses the fender to the crown via that washer at the bottom...? googled for demonstrations and found nothin on it

[Spaghetti Legs]

Originally Posted by charliedid

True but he has a fender with a built in bracket/tab so would need to drill that out assuming it isn't bolted on.

Def. a solution that might work. I always had a problem with the VO drums either being too short if I recall.

Ahh. I have a set of PDW metal fenders and they have the crimp on, sliding bracket. I’ve heard that about the VO piece being short too. I have that piece on one of my bikes, but not sure if it’s VO brand or not. At worst it’s an idea you can copy with hardware store parts.

Originally Posted by Dead Man

the brackets are bolted on with these fenders. so this device compresses the fender to the crown via that washer at the bottom...? googled for demonstrations and found nothin on it

Yes, with a locking nut. Could be problematic if clearance between fender and tire is tight. I’m a relative noob at mounting fenders but I gather from getting pointers from veterans that a great deal of hacks and mods go on, so it wouldn’t be too unusual if you started cutting and trimming pieces off your set.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

the brackets are bolted on with these fenders. so this device compresses the fender to the crown via that washer at the bottom...? googled for demonstrations and found nothin on it

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Ahh. I have a set of PDW metal fenders and they have the crimp on, sliding bracket. I’ve heard that about the VO piece being short too. I have that piece on one of my bikes, but not sure if it’s VO brand or not. At worst it’s an idea you can copy with hardware store parts.



Yes, with a locking nut. Could be problematic if clearance between fender and tire is tight. I’m a relative noob at mounting fenders but I gather from getting pointers from veterans that a great deal of hacks and mods go on, so it wouldn’t be too unusual if you started cutting and trimming pieces off your set.

Like this if you can make it work. I forgot about those brackets but still might need to drill the correct hole diameter.

Deadman....yes the daruma sticks up inside the fork crown steerer and the brake bolt goes through that hole. You then insert the washer tab from the underside of the fender on to the threads and install with the nut. It's a very old (French?) way of doing it and it seems modern bikes don't always have the right spec to make it work but when it does it's super slick.

Follow?

[charliedid]

[Spaghetti Legs]

Maybe this will help, here are some pics of mine I just snapped. Washer with rubber gasket between fork crown and fender, small washer and locknut on underside of fender.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Spaghetti Legs

Maybe this will help, here are some pics of mine I just snapped. Washer with rubber gasket between fork crown and fender, small washer and locknut on underside of fender.

Exactly...better illustration.

[Dead Man]

yea, thats about what i was picturing. that is pretty slick - i think i like that better'n the sheldon nut

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

yea, thats about what i was picturing. that is pretty slick - i think i like that better'n the sheldon nut

It is. What fork do you have? These things are not super common these days and the VO one is pretty short. You have a 60 year old bike shop in your neck of the woods? Maybe Ebay

I could not use it on my Gunnar or a SOMA but to being short.