As I discussed the day past, I’m enticing the Homer in all its frippery for city commuting responsibility. When using only for using’s sake, I don’t essentially require fenders, but if using to a particular vacation spot within the town in all my finery, getting stuck with out them merely Will Now not Do. So because of this I in any case resolved to proper the Homer’s bare wheel state of affairs.
The clinical physician swears an oath: “First do no hurt.” I swear a special one, and it’s this: “First spend no cash.” So as a substitute of shopping for new fenders for the Homer I made up our minds to scavenge a kinda-skinny pair I nonetheless was hoping would are compatible from the carcass of the Ironic Orange Julius Motorbike:
I commuted in this motorbike for a few years:
I did much more on it, too, together with racing the cyclocross:
[I don’t remember who took this photo. If it was you and you’re angry I didn’t credit you I’m sorry. Please remind me and I’d be happy to do so.]
Or even looking to flip it right into a Rivendell with some swept-back bars:
So in some way you might want to say it’s the Homer’s direct forebear:
They’re each blue, even.
Alas, nowadays the Ironic Orange Julius motorbike is appearing its age:
You’ll want to say this is an issue towards metal, however I’d say it’s most commonly simply an issue towards excessive forget. If truth be told, I believe maximum of this rust is the direct results of like one post-blizzard experience and then I put the motorbike away coated in slush and highway salt after which left it sitting for like 3 months. I’d additionally guess that the rust is most commonly simply beauty, and that if I arrange to get that backside bracket out I may most likely stay using it and it will grasp up simply superb.
Or it’ll all fall aside and I’ll die, what the hell do I do know?
As for the fenders, there’s meant to be a bit plastic bracket for the rear brake bridge, however since this body didn’t take one I didn’t use it:
In some exchange size I are living within the suburbs, stay all my motorbike stuff well arranged within the storage, and feature a drawer that’s obviously classified “Fender Portions.” Alas, on this size I don’t. I’m certain I saved the bracket, nevertheless it might be completely any place, together with any one in all a number of exchange dimensions, and odds are I’ll to find it in 5 years once I’m unsuccessfully on the lookout for one thing else I do know I saved. Within the period in-between despite the fact that I simply stole a bracket from a good skinnier pair of fenders within the hope that I may by some means make it paintings:
Now, you’re going to be aware that those fenders predate the ones protection tabs that let the remains to liberate if one thing will get caught in between the fender and the wheel:
With out them your entrance wheel can jam and you’ll pass flying over the bars, which I do know all too neatly, as a result of that’s precisely how I broke my thumb a number of years again. However I figured I’ll see how those fenders are compatible first, and in the event that they labored then I may simply upload some liberate tabs. Till then I’d simply keep off the paths.
Of extra urgent worry used to be the situation of the bolts keeping at the rear remains:
I was hoping I’d be capable of take away them, however just like the too-skinny bracket I filed that beneath “I’ll take care of it when I am getting to it.”
After putting off the entrance fender, I did a handy guide a rough mock-up to look if it will paintings at the Homer:
It gave the impression love it would, and so I started working:
If you happen to’re questioning why I don’t use a restore stand, neatly, imagine it or now not…I don’t have one. I don’t know why I don’t have one–I’ve just about each different software. Headset press, spoke tensionmeter…I also have a 3.5mm Allen key for the Delta brakes at the Vengeance motorbike! Perhaps it’s as a result of for a few years I had so little area a restore stand didn’t appear price it, and now it’s been see you later I’m simply used not to having one. In that sense I’m like any individual who’s been taking part in an device his complete existence however by no means discovered to learn track–I would possibly not do it the suitable manner, however I am getting through. Sorta. I do understand my loss of this straightforward tool that will make my complete existence a lot more straightforward makes anything else I say about motorbike restore appear extremely suspect, however seeing first-hand what an incompetent doofus I’m will have to be your major reason why for studying this weblog.
Anyway, when putting in the entrance fender, there’s at all times the subject of the bracket/tab/hanger thingy, which is able to hit the headset when you lift the fender up off of the wheel:
If you happen to’ve were given a caliper brake, this implies considered bending in addition to repeated elimination and substitute of brake to look if it clears as soon as the whole thing’s cosy:
Now not slightly…
Perhaps if I transfer it forward of that knurled washing machine….
Extra bending? Screw it. Perhaps if I transfer it in entrance of the sunshine bracket…
Ok, just right sufficient.
When I were given that labored out the remainder used to be simple:
Then it used to be time for the rear fender. As I feared, one of the most bolts proved recalcitrant. Screwdriver and wrench failed, so I escalated to the pliers:
The ones didn’t paintings both, so out got here the scary Vise Grip–trump card of the ham-handed mechanic:
Thankfully that labored, as a result of I used to be ready to lodge to excessive measures:
Through that I imply I used to be in a position to amputate my very own leg.
Oh, the bolt didn’t even pop out, the top simply snapped off:
Just right sufficient for me.
Checking the rear fender, that too gave the impression love it would paintings:
On the other hand, I used to be now not positive in regards to the too-small bracket clearing the tire:
I’d similar to so as to add I were given the ones Schwalbe Marathon Ideally suited tires in like fall of 2020, have ridden them in every single place, and so they nonetheless appear to be new.
I were given your boutique supple tires proper right here. [Indicates crotchal region.]
Anyway, I semi-mounted the fender:
Then I famous the place the bracket would want to be:
Then I broke out the Dremel:
Within the arms of a just right mechanic the Dremel is sort of a scalpel. In my arms, it’s mainly only a Vise Grip with a battery. In the end despite the fact that I thinned out and/or melted sufficient of the fender edge to get the too-small bracket to clip on there:
I didn’t know if it will transparent the tire, however I used to be assured it will no less than grasp the fender.
Now it used to be all about getting the fender on in the sort of manner that it wouldn’t rub, and what adopted have been a number of extra installations and removals, in addition to extra Dremeling, together with lengthening the outlet of the bracket so I may set the fender upper:
At a number of issues on this procedure I just about gave up. In the end, someone with part a mind would merely purchase a brand new set of fenders with a bit extra tire clearance and a properly-fitting bracket. On the other hand, I had an excessive amount of sweat fairness on this shitshow through now and used to be made up our minds to look it via regardless of how kludgy I needed to get. After all, I were given the rear fastened such that there wasn’t any rubbing:
I wanted one thing on the retailer so figured I’d fetch it at the Homer by means of a take a look at experience. Taking a look it over, the fender gave the impression a bit too shut for convenience across the 2:00 place of the wheel, and whilst it wasn’t rubbing within the stand I didn’t have I figured it will once I hit a hill. On the other hand, this wasn’t the case, and thus far no less than the whole thing appears to be working easily and quietly. In the long run I do suppose I’ll want to exchange them for one thing with extra clearance (there’s no reason why to make use of such tight fenders on the sort of loosey-goosey body), however in the meanwhile I’ll stay them on there and notice how they do:
Absolute best of all, it began raining on my manner house.
So whilst I wouldn’t essentially, represent this set up as a “good fortune,” it used to be on the very least one thing rather higher than an abject failure. In that sense no less than I exceeded my very own expectancies.
