I stand corrected. Furthermore, after I actually spent more time than just a passing glance, I realized how substantial the fender is. The front is plastic and not exactly tough. The rear is metal (and indeed does more than just ride along with the rack) and solid.

I think my ideas are not being visualized the way I'm intending. I know the existing setup is strong since I read Thule has a child seat that can be mounted.

In the end, it was just a question I had for a product I thought might be useful.