EthanSpokesEtc

SO, im not trying to break my wallet here(which is already pretty broken) but Im trying to figure out what width fenders will work on my schwinn.

the tires are 27" x 1-1/4th. (normal)
the rims are 27" wheels....
the frame and fork look like they'll have enough space to mount them. 1cm between the fork and top of tire, in the front, and what looks like 1cm at the back between the rear tire and the brake bridge...

my issue is with the brakes. their DIA compe 500s, which when squeezed tight against the rim, give me about...
spot on 1cm all around in the front, and in the back.... i have ...
ok so on closer inspection it looks like i have about 1cm of clearance all around the tire. im looking at these-
Fenders Cascadia Road
which i measured in person(pretty sure they are the same ones linked) from edge to edge to be about 1-3/4"

sooo total space between brake arms is 51.75mm and the width of the fenders are...44.45mm soooo I should be good right? with... 3.65mm of clearance on both sides between the edges of the fender, and the brake arms.


sorry for the long boring over thought post, I just wanna make sure I figure out the right width to use for this bike, the clearances just look really tight to me, I'd normally just take it into work but my service manage at the main shop i work in isnt a huge fan of vintage bikes, and likes to give me crap whenever i ask him about it

blakcloud

It sounds like you are good to go. On paper everything looks good but sometimes it is just trial and error to get it to work. Get the fenders and take your time installing them. You will need a couple of hours the first time out. If the fenders don't fit under those brakes, you may need to trim the fender. Worse case scenario is to use a "reach around" fender mount. Good luck.

OneIsAllYouNeed

You should use fenders that are nominally 10-20mm larger than your tires (for 5 to 10mm clearance all around). In your case, your tires are 1.25in = 32mm, so 42mm - 52mm wide fenders are where it's at. Make sure they're labeled 700c or 28" wheel size, not 26" and not 29". Trimming fenders to fit tight spots is sometimes necessary -- you might need to nibble a little off inside your brake arms. There are lots and lots of fenders that should work for you. For examples, Nashbar has these right now that I would consider good buys at the quoted price:
$20 Zefal Paragon C50 Universal Fender Set
$25 Zefal Paragon Fenders - 700x45 Black or Silver
$30 SKS B42 Commuter 2 Fender Set
$38 Planet Bike Hardcore Hybrid Bike Fenders
$45 SKS P45 Chromoplastic Longboard Fender Set (one of my personal favorites)

Tree Fort Bikes has a fantastic selection, too, including some nice metal fenders at fair prices: Full Coverage Fenders at Tree Fort Bikes

Leebo

700c, 28" ( Germany?)" and 29ers all have the same rim size. Usually 29er tend to have wider rims and tires.

PepeM

I love my Portland Design Works fenders but they are a bit pricey.

jefnvk

I put a pair of SKS Bluemel on my touring bike with 27x1-1/4 tires, I think they were around a size 45 width. They don't fit your "don't look like crap" criteria, but they function well enough. They did need trimming, specifically on the brake mount for the front fender, which I had to grind down to get me more clearance between the fender and top of tire (it was limited by hitting the bottom of the headset).