Re-radiusing Metal Fenders -- What are the limits?
11-15-17, 10:41 AM
#1
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Re-radiusing Metal Fenders -- What are the limits?
I've been scrounging around trying to find a set of fenders that could cover the 26" x 2.4" tires on my Schwinn Mirada, but it looks like the widest anyone makes in polished metal in a 26" size is 60mm (2.36").
Velo Orange sells a 700c 65mm set...and has an article about re-radiusing metal fenders on their site.
The Velo ORANGE Blog: Re-Radiusing Fenders
In this article, they take a set of 650B fenders and re-radius to fit a 26" wheel, not exactly a huge jump.
It got me wondering, would it be possible to take these 63mm fenders:
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...m-fenders-700c
And re-radius them to fit my 26" wheels with fat tires?
Or should I just bite the bullet and buy both smaller tires and the "right" sized fender?
Velo Orange sells a 700c 65mm set...and has an article about re-radiusing metal fenders on their site.
The Velo ORANGE Blog: Re-Radiusing Fenders
In this article, they take a set of 650B fenders and re-radius to fit a 26" wheel, not exactly a huge jump.
It got me wondering, would it be possible to take these 63mm fenders:
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...m-fenders-700c
And re-radius them to fit my 26" wheels with fat tires?
Or should I just bite the bullet and buy both smaller tires and the "right" sized fender?
11-15-17, 11:25 AM
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I think you might find that even if you successfully re-radius the 63mm fenders, that there would not be a lot of clearance with 2.4" tires. I have the 26" 60mm VO fenders and wouldn't want to go bigger than my 1.75 (maybe actually closer to 1.9") tires.
Last edited by lax; 11-20-17 at 06:27 AM.
11-15-17, 12:32 PM
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Some years ago, I got a wide set of 700c, Giles Berthoudt, SS fenders from a frame builder in Olympia, WA at a very low price after he was unhappy with a re-radius attempt to fit 650b. Mounted them on my Miyata Seven Ten commuter, and made a mental note to "don't try that". Don
11-15-17, 12:39 PM
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The bike in the photo above has 26 x 2.3" tires (559 x 58 or something) (Compass Rat Trap Pass).
The fenders are the same Velo Orange "fluted" fenders for 700c that you asked about:
https://velo-orange.com/collections/...m-fenders-700c
To re-radius them, I cut a few short pieces of dowel (about half inch thick; any scrap wood could be made to work). So if the space between the rolled edges was 60 mm, I made a dowel 65 mm long and another 70 mm long (those are approximate guesses). Put the shorter one between the rolled edges, slightly oblique, and twist it straight so it makes a bulge; then slide it from one end of the fender to the other, extending the width of the fender out a couple mm; this will also reduce the overall radius of the fender. Do this to both fenders; then do the same thing with the longer dowel.
This was easy to do, and as far as I can tell it did not weaken the fender at all.
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11-15-17, 12:55 PM
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V.O. 26" x 60mm silver fenders. Rat Trap Pass tires. No mods to the fenders required. That said, I haven't been on a ride with a bunch of road debris. I could imagine some resulting sorrow if the wrong size stick or rock worked its way in between, but I think that's a universal hazard regardless of clearance.
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11-16-17, 07:50 AM
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To re-radius them, I cut a few short pieces of dowel (about half inch thick; any scrap wood could be made to work). So if the space between the rolled edges was 60 mm, I made a dowel 65 mm long and another 70 mm long (those are approximate guesses). Put the shorter one between the rolled edges, slightly oblique, and twist it straight so it makes a bulge; then slide it from one end of the fender to the other, extending the width of the fender out a couple mm; this will also reduce the overall radius of the fender. Do this to both fenders; then do the same thing with the longer dowel.
This was easy to do, and as far as I can tell it did not weaken the fender at all.
This was easy to do, and as far as I can tell it did not weaken the fender at all.
11-16-17, 12:08 PM
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Thanks everyone for your input.
Looks like I have options.
10-28-20, 12:06 AM
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If you don't mind a bit of refinishing (or spraybombing, depending on your approach), it might be fun to adapt pair of 1950's Schwinn heavyweight fenders. The stays on them aren't great, but you could conceivably bend your own as replacements.
Expect to do dent removal, and likely filling of holes from the invariably long-removed Delta Rocket Ray headlight.
-Kurt
Expect to do dent removal, and likely filling of holes from the invariably long-removed Delta Rocket Ray headlight.
-Kurt
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10-28-20, 01:38 AM
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Wald 962 is 3+ inches wide. Available in black or chrome. https://www.amazon.com/Wald-WALD-962...001TIABII?th=1
10-28-20, 05:59 AM
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Thanks for the replies, people, but this bike (and this little quandry) has not been a part of my life for a few years now 
