Fenders (not the guitars)

[Page Turner]

...I've been kinda lazy the last few years, what with the drought and our lack of winter rainfall, but I dug some out and mounted them this year.

Winter is a pretty good time to ride here, because even the coldest days usually hit the 50's in the afternoons.  Much more fun than the summer temps.

 

...this Cannondale touring bike is a solid winter ride here, with sealed Phil hubs and the fattest tyres I can fit on it.

 

 

...PX-10 with some old Esge fenders.  The company is SKS now and they still make a pretty good metal/plastic composite fender. I like them.

 

...Velo Orange is a more recent entry into the fender sweepstakes, and their stuff is pretty solid.  Mostly either polished or hammered aluminum, they also sell a stainless steel model. They cost about 65 bucks versus maybe 35 for the SKS old school fenders, but are easier to install, and they follow a nice line on the bike if you are into that sort of thing.  I might try them on something else, if I get around to it. I read somewhere about the instructions being confusing, but seemed clear enough to me.

[onbike1939]

Over here we touring people have them on our bikes all year round given that it rains quite a bit, only the Road men ride without them. Many of my clubmates still prefer to use the old Carradice saddlebags too, the ones which use waxed cotton but then we tend to be middle-aged if not old as a group.

The weather here has been so bad this past while that I haven't been able to get out cycling and now we have flooding all over the place. If this weather continues I may have to swap my bikes for a Kayak.

[Page Turner]

...I just spent new year's Eve researching and ordering four more sets of fenders on the internet.  There is something very disturbing in that, but I'm hoping for a lot of rain here. 

   

Velo Orange 700c Zeppelin Fender Set: Polished Silver; 52mm

 

   

 

    

 

 

Velo Orange 700c 45mm Stainless Steel Fender

 

SKS Bluemels Reflective Mudguard Set

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[onbike1939]

Velo Orange do make some well-designed stuff it's true.

Much is made of the difficulty in fitting Mudguards. Now I know you folks say "Fenders" but that's plain wrong. I can't say that I've ever had much difficulty but then I'm very, very good.

I've found it handy to use a small Dremel type tool to cut off the stays to the correct length while these are in situ. This is mush easier than using a small hacksaw as nowadays they are usually s/s. Have you had a look at those made by Gilbert Berthoud?

Most of his stuff is high quality.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/FSGBSLFS/gilles-berthoud-stainless-fender-set

 

Edited January 1, 2016 by onbike1939
further education of Page

[Page Turner]

...I actually did look at those high end French splash prophylactics, but I quickly realized they were too nice for me.  I'm looking at some Japanese made Tanaka stainless ones right now that look pretty good on Amazon. they come undrilled, so I imagine I can really go to town on the installation.   Thanks for the link. That is a killer deal with the current exchange rate on the Euro.  

If the dollar goes any higher, you are gonna see a plethora of Bermuda plaid shorted Americans all over the place over there come summer. 

 

[onbike1939]

1 hour ago, Page Turner said:

...I actually did look at those high end French splash prophylactics, but I quickly realized they were too nice for me.  I'm looking at some Japanese made Tanaka stainless ones right now that look pretty good on Amazon. they come undrilled, so I imagine I can really go to town on the installation.   Thanks for the link. That is a killer deal with the current exchange rate on the Euro.  

If the dollar goes any higher, you are gonna see a plethora of Bermuda plaid shorted Americans all over the place over there come summer. 

 

If you see someone intently watching the exchange rate with an agonized expression.......that will be me.

[Page Turner]

...good news. I found an online  USA source for the fancy French Berthoud fenders in the 50mm width that will be perfect for a Raleigh Comp I want to fenderize.  I shall now have a collection of fenders from around the world.  I might even do a comparison test here for posterity.  (Very doubtful.....I'm not all that generous toward posterity. Sometimes I just want to tell posterity to bootstrap it.)

 

Those Planet X guys might be good for you, but they want 70 bucks American money to mail me a package.

[onbike1939]

8 hours ago, Page Turner said:

Those Planet X guys might be good for you, but they want 70 bucks American money to mail me a package.

 

Bloody hell! That can't be right surely.....it has to be a mistake as usually they are good on prices.

It was something you said....right? You do know you have that effect on people and it does bring consequences.

I take some comfort knowing that I'm able to steer you towards giving your bikes a degree of class which otherwise they would lack. I know it's not much but it makes me feel a better person.

[Page Turner]

...I think they are mistrustful of Americans in general.  The only shipping option was some sort of DHL air freight.  But rest easy, there's some guy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin who understands class and style, and is mailing me a set even as we speak.  Free shipping, even.  Life is good in the land of the free.

 

I honestly do not understand why certain people are so mistrustful of Americans.  We are the good guys here. #amIright

[onbike1939]

10 minutes ago, Page Turner said:

I honestly do not understand why certain people are so mistrustful of Americans.  We are the good guys here. #amIright

Absolutely. I trust Americans implicitly in the matter of Fenders..........it's everything else that I have a problem with.....but that's just me.

That said, I remind myself that you did come over here and steal our womenfolk during the last war....my old mother was never the same.

[Page Turner]

 

...here is a set ^^^ of the VO stainless steel fenders, which are quite well thought out, and come pre-drilled with all the hardware.^^^

^^^the aforementioned VO Zeppelins, which are very wide, and made of aluminum, thus less durable and subject to denting.^^^

[onbike1939]

I note that your front mudguard stays are fixed directly to the Fork drop-outs which may have serious consequences if something is caught up and carried upwards to jam up the wheel. Don't ask how I know this but the result is that one is catapulted head-first over the handlebars to be a laughing stock for ever and ever among your cycling friends......it's not to be recommended. I'm not even going to mention the possibility of a serious head injury as a secondary consequence. These little widgets will provide the answer and work very well.

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/fe83.htm

 

[onbike1939]

By the way I love the Falcon which was from a time when Falcon was a proper company making proper bikes rather than just a name to be sold and resold among those whose intent is to sell cheaper and cheaper bikes.....such a pity.

[Page Turner]

3 hours ago, onbike1939 said:

I note that your front mudguard stays are fixed directly to the Fork drop-outs which may have serious consequences if something is caught up and carried upwards to jam up the wheel. Don't ask how I know this but the result is that one is catapulted head-first over the handlebars to be a laughing stock for ever and ever among your cycling friends......it's not to be recommended. I'm not even going to mention the possibility of a serious head injury as a secondary consequence. These little widgets will provide the answer and work very well.

http://www.rivbike.com/product-p/fe83.htm

 

...I just always figured that if the fender folds, it's gonna jam the wheel no matter what i do.  All the Esge's come with those breakaway mounts for the front now. I bet they eventually start to rattle. I think the way that Velo Orange deals with the breakaway issue is that the little fender stay grabby thingies at the fork eyelets are made of plastic, which I guess will eventually break away after I go flying over the bars.

[Page Turner]

3 hours ago, onbike1939 said:

By the way I love the Falcon which was from a time when Falcon was a proper company making proper bikes rather than just a name to be sold and resold among those whose intent is to sell cheaper and cheaper bikes.....such a pity.

...there are so many great bicycle names riding around on questionable junk right now it could make a grown man weep. It's very upsetting.  Bikes Direct is selling some sort of Chinese thing branded Motobecane, Schwinns are now sold at Target now, and don't get me started on Windsor.   

[Page Turner]

 

...this is one of the various 27"/700c SKS fenders currently in production.  I usually go with silver, but life is short, so i bought these in reflective black.  I think the side stripes are the reflectors.

[onbike1939]

So many firms producing mudguards now and some are very good. I fitted a pair of SKS Longboards and was quite impressed with their ability to keep the much off.

 

Now that I tend to stay home when it rains or snows my views are now purely theoretical but should still be respected obviously.

[Page Turner]

....obviously a guy from your neck of the woods has a much more practical view of this whole topic than a Californian.  I mean, how often does it rain here ?

 

That yellow Bianchi is a surprisingly fine riding bicycle, BTW.  The "Randonneur" model....offered for a short time in the 80's, and manufactured in Japan. They show up here rarely, often in terrible condition, but cheap.

[onbike1939]

You do realise that you should be thoroughly ashamed of parading these bikes past the people here apparently without end.

Thank goodness most people avoid reading your posts....that must be a blessing in that it avoids nasty feelings of envy.

You know you should try to beg a ride on a Moulton, but it needs a good while to realise its virtues and not just a short spin. I've been a traditionalist all my life but only wish that I had experienced them earlier when I was still touring rather than in my present reduced state. The effect of the suspension is truly amazing in terms of comfort and I wish I had toured on the TSR27 as it seems ideally suited to heavy loads and long distances.

[Page Turner]

...John Boyer who has a small bicycle enterprise down in Midtown, was queer for folders and small wheeled bikes for a long time.  I think he got me to ride a Bike Friday once, but that is not nearly as deluxe as a Mouton.  Nest time I'm down there I'll ask him if he's got one around.......he  consigns used high end stuff for people as well.

[onbike1939]

15 hours ago, Page Turner said:

...John Boyer who has a small bicycle enterprise down in Midtown, was queer for folders and small wheeled bikes for a long time.  I think he got me to ride a Bike Friday once, but that is not nearly as deluxe as a Mouton.  Nest time I'm down there I'll ask him if he's got one around.......he  consigns used high end stuff for people as well.

I wish you luck in finding one, and after all it is only sensible that a person of your age should be seeking a modicum of comfort....nothing to be ashamed of at all. The thing is that they are addictive and now I have two which is ridiculous given the amount of cycling I do these days. I suppose I could content myself with just bragging but this doesn't come easily to me given my retiring personality.

[Page Turner]

...a reworked Motobecane that came with dreadful derailleurs that is now close to perfect with its new fenders:

 

[Page Turner]

...now that I see the photo, this one needs more work  on the rear fender line.  Swell early Japanese tourer, though.  From the years before everyone went to cantilever brakes.

 

[Page Turner]

...forgot to mention that the above is a "Sheldon Fender Nut", which I only recently discovered.  It makes mounting a fender that uses an angle bracket  to a recessed nut brake soooooo much easier and quicker.

 You can buy them in pairs here, or one supposes other online suppliers will also sell them to you.

 

[onbike1939]

These nuts are certainly handy and SJS do sell them here. As is their normal practice they take the Dollar price and use that in GBP. So $14.99 becomes £14.99, which in dollars is $24.55.....sigh.

The Shimano 600 group was my favourite back in the day as I thought it very good quality and the brake levers were particularly suited for women with smaller hands. It does seem that the US market was very open to Japanese imports back at that time whereas the UK was not and these bikes are not well known here.

I still think it a pity that SunTour as a company was strangled by Shimano marketing practices as I held their products in high regard....and especially their derailleurs which at the time were cutting-edge.

[Page Turner]

Speaking of Alex Moulton bicycles: http://sacramento.craigslist.org/bik/5396786166.html

[onbike1939]

You would be amazed at the number of people who buy these older Moultons, some up to 50 years' old and in terrible condition, and then spend months and years refurbishing them. They go to immense trouble in sourcing the original parts from the "Moulton preservation" chap who keeps a record of all Moultons, however old, registered with him. A proper cult in other words and one with enthusiasts from all over the world and being particularly strong in the Far East...at least for the wealthy there as the more expensive models (£15,000) are very popular.

[Page Turner]

...this one required some significant manipulation of the original fender mounts, as provided.   I think the white looks nice in this application, though.  SKS Chromoplastics in the 45 m width. and tight clearance on the fork.

 

[onbike1939]

Not keen on the white mudguards but it's a really nice bike. I've always liked bare wire operation for the rear brake and don't like the ferrules running along the top of the top-tube.

My custom-made Mercian Vincetore came from the same period and was like a favourite armchair. I toured on it for many years but had to give it up when I couldn't get my leg up over the top-tube.

[Page Turner]

10 hours ago, onbike1939 said:

Not keen on the white mudguards but it's a really nice bike.

...as you are doubtless well aware by now, I am a slave to fashion.

[Page Turner]

1 minute ago, Page Turner said:

...as you are doubtless well aware by now, I am a slave to fashion.

...I guess I could change all that by buying and restoring that 1965 Moulton.

[onbike1939]

13 hours ago, Page Turner said:

...I guess I could change all that by buying and restoring that 1965 Moulton.

Indeed you could.........and I think that you'd look particularly cute in tweed Knickerbockers.

[Page Turner]

...rjones called my attention to these over in the other forum which must not be named.  One offs, not commercially produced.  I bet these would give @Dirtyhip fender envy big time.  

 

[onbike1939]

I wouldn't be able to push that thing I'm sure, not with these tyres so hats off to those who do.

I once rode through four inches of snow with an old bloke, a fellow club member, and he was wearing a summer-weight suit and ordinary lace-up shoes. I was so stressed out watching him that when I got home I sneaked along to his house and pushed a pair of cycling bootees through his letterbox. I later found that he had previously cycled up to the Arctic circle on a sit up and beg, three geared bike tied together with string and had the photos to prove it.

It would be very unkind to give Dirty Hipster a view of this bike as she's clearly delighted with her new buy....but that's half the fun I imagine.