Got the 24" SKS Fenders on the 11 year old's bike
04-20-21, 02:02 PM
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Got the 24" SKS Fenders on the 11 year old's bike
SKS makes really great stuff. I have SKS Longboards on my road bike. However, these 24" SKS fenders leave a bit to be desired. Installation was pretty easy. Getting them adjusted and keeping them adjusted is something else altogether.
I cut the front fender with a hacksaw just at the L bracket because the clearance isn't there. Used a Honjo L bracket to mount the forward cut-off portion ahead of the fork crown. Broke several small cobalt drill bits trying to drill the opening in the factory L bracket lower. Dremel to the rescue. I probably should have drilled the rivets on the SKS L bracket and gotten a second Honjo L bracket, but it's fine. Also used a 5mm rather than 6mm bolt through the fork crown. It was tough enough finding a long enough bolt to go through both L brackets and all the washers both rubber and metal.
Little boy broke one of the caps that cover the cut end of the fender stay getting off the bike. Was able to trim it flush, move it to the front fender, and cover it with a rubber stay cap. Ordered a Topeak rear rack that will help protect the fender stay hardware long term.
I struggled to get the rear fender centered. The stay slides into the stay connector and doesn't lock in place. I suppose that's good on a kid's bike as it creates an extra safety release if something snags. Eventually, I mounted the left rear stay to the INSIDE of the dropout. There's plenty of clearance from the wheel, and it allowed me to get the fender pretty well centered.
Despite cutting the front fender into two pieces, it mounted up and aligned a whole lot easier.
The fenders are plastic with a thin layer of aluminum sandwiched in the middle. They are very lightweight, but they are so flexible that the stays seem to battle the fender. I've been looking at other fender hardware, and I'm thinking about replacing the SKS fender stays with PDW fender stays. The PDW fender stay would be solid, and the fender would bolt to it. I think it's the best possible cobbled-together option. VO doesn't have a safety release, and the PDW has a stay for a 55mm wide fender. These SKS fenders measure 56mm wide, so maybe I have to trim a small groove into the fender.
I'm probably way overthinking things. Little boy loves his bike, and probably wouldn't care if it was pouring down rain and a rooster strip of muddy water was spraying up his back.
I cut the front fender with a hacksaw just at the L bracket because the clearance isn't there. Used a Honjo L bracket to mount the forward cut-off portion ahead of the fork crown. Broke several small cobalt drill bits trying to drill the opening in the factory L bracket lower. Dremel to the rescue. I probably should have drilled the rivets on the SKS L bracket and gotten a second Honjo L bracket, but it's fine. Also used a 5mm rather than 6mm bolt through the fork crown. It was tough enough finding a long enough bolt to go through both L brackets and all the washers both rubber and metal.
Little boy broke one of the caps that cover the cut end of the fender stay getting off the bike. Was able to trim it flush, move it to the front fender, and cover it with a rubber stay cap. Ordered a Topeak rear rack that will help protect the fender stay hardware long term.
I struggled to get the rear fender centered. The stay slides into the stay connector and doesn't lock in place. I suppose that's good on a kid's bike as it creates an extra safety release if something snags. Eventually, I mounted the left rear stay to the INSIDE of the dropout. There's plenty of clearance from the wheel, and it allowed me to get the fender pretty well centered.
Despite cutting the front fender into two pieces, it mounted up and aligned a whole lot easier.
The fenders are plastic with a thin layer of aluminum sandwiched in the middle. They are very lightweight, but they are so flexible that the stays seem to battle the fender. I've been looking at other fender hardware, and I'm thinking about replacing the SKS fender stays with PDW fender stays. The PDW fender stay would be solid, and the fender would bolt to it. I think it's the best possible cobbled-together option. VO doesn't have a safety release, and the PDW has a stay for a 55mm wide fender. These SKS fenders measure 56mm wide, so maybe I have to trim a small groove into the fender.
I'm probably way overthinking things. Little boy loves his bike, and probably wouldn't care if it was pouring down rain and a rooster strip of muddy water was spraying up his back.
04-20-21, 05:56 PM
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Nice job on the install. The last SKS 24" fenders I worked on were for Terry 520 ISO ft wheels. Those are more like 22" diameters. Andy
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