This winter, I decided that I needed to do whatever I could to protect my chain, downtube, and bottom bracket from all the salt and road spray.
So, I rigged up a DIY fender extender and have been riding with it for months now.
After every ride, I do tend to wipe my chain and any parts that got sprayed, but I’m blown away by how clean the bike stays simply by having that front fender extender.
The photo shows the fender extender, held in place using duct tape (didn’t want to drill holes in the fender, although, some fenders are designed so fender extenders can be put on easily). It’s held like this through numerous puddles and all kinds of weather, so “it works”. Make it out of a plastic file folder, which I got from Walmart for a few dollars. I can probably make another 3 out of the single file folder.
The only downside I see, which can probably be tweaked by trimming the extender to mitigate it, is that it causes more drag as it acts like a mini sail that’s always working against you. LOL I’m not racing with this bike, so it’s a small sacrifice for keeping it clean! I’m sure someone more crafty could come up with a design that could be easily removed, although, my setup only requires you to pull the tape off. Easy enough.
Do the same on back and be amazed how clean your back/neck/helmet stays too…it feels like whenever there is some crap on the roads/paths existing mudguards are just that little bit too short to be worth a damn
I went to a college known for large amounts of bike traffic. We called the water/mud stains on new students “The Freshman Stripe”.
I have full fenders in the rear, so I never get splashed on my back/but/head.
But I am considering putting a fender extender on the rear to keep my bike trailer from getting sprayed.
I did that. I popped off the soft flaps at the bottom of my fenders and attached longer flaps from a semi rigid plastic I had so that it almost touched the ground. Looked goofy but kept me dry.
Bike trailer? Are you joking or is that actually a thing?
No joke at all! Bike trailers come as child trailers, cargo trailers, and even pet trailers! So many brands make them, and they work with just about any bike😀
I’ve used my child trailer to haul stuff plenty. I’ve picked up car batteries, done small Costco runs, and put my kids’ bikes on as well (I “pick them up” by bringing their bikes).
10/10, would recommend a kid trailer even if you don’t have kids.
We’re looking for a child trailer, but I have a Burley Travoy (highly recommended!) and a regular cargo trailer, which is awesome for heavy grocery hauls. I also use panniers quite often, so it depends on what I’m doing and I just pick an option that’ll work best.
Most trailers you get at the retail level only have 100lbs limits, but you can get custom trailers that can haul pianos. LOL They have integrated brakes for safety, but there’s no limit to what you can haul on a bike!
But yeah, I’ve heard of people simply using child trailers to haul cargo, so that works!
100lbs has been plenty for us, but I do want something bigger, if only to “haul” my wife around (she doesn’t like to ride). That said, a rack, panniers, and a kid trailer have enabled me to do all kinds of trips.
I’ll have to look around at higher weight options. I live near a lake (<5 miles) and would love to bring a couple kayaks.
I’ll have to look around at higher weight options. I live near a lake (<5 miles) and would love to bring a couple kayaks.
Kayak “trailers” are way more simple than you might think! Here’s one example from Wike.
I’ve seen tandems that are recumbent in front, regular seat behind. I think that’s the best option if you want to talk with your partner while riding.
I’ve had a burley travoy, like a dolly that attaches to your seat post, and an old burley bee, it attaches to the wheel hub. They make it possible to do large infrequent grocery runs and pick up stuff I would have to rent a car to do otherwise. Much cheaper and more flexible than a cargo bike as well.
I got the travoy about a month and half ago, and use it so often! I love that I can go into a grocery store without having to worry about finding a coin to unlock their dirty shopping carts, get my stuff, and then hook it up to my bike without fiddling around with anything.
I just wish Burley toned it down with how they price the accessory bags!
The BEST use of political candidate signs I ever saw was as DIY fender extensions
They make legitimately great target practice stands for shooting as well.
haha! That’s brilliant!
What are they made of? In my area they are either wood or a plastic bag with no handles stretched over a metal rod bent into a boxy U
I usually see them made of Fluted polypropylene, it looks like cardboard but it’s plastic, and has holes to stick metal stakes in
Commonly known in North America under the genericized brand name “Coroplast,” BTW.
Usually corrugated cardboard coated in plastic. So strong, thin-ish, and waterproof.
Sounds more premium than our budget politicians can afford. I’ll have to check them out next time 40 of them in a row show up at every highway interchange and see what they use these days.
Is this front?
I’m sure it actually (wheel tread ambigious) is as you say it is but it sure could be the rear fender.
Wish I had known this hack bike commuting in Oregon for years. Only concern I could see is getting too far from the support wire, but like you said, some one craft could probably get another one in. Big wind it could push back against the tire and rub.
Is this front?
Yes. You can see the rear wheel in the background 😉
Only concern I could see is getting too far from the support wire, but like you said, some one craft could probably get another one in. Big wind it could push back against the tire and rub.
The fender supports don’t interfere with the extender on my bike. Some fender supports are designed differently, so they can be used to help fix the extender to the fender.
Wind, even riding in 40km+ headwind, has not bent this extender back. The curved shape keeps it strong. If I were to go over a curb, it will bend back before returning to its original shape. So it’s designed not to break (or over stress the fender if you hit it), but also to not bend when it’s not desired.
Wish I had known this hack bike commuting in Oregon for years. Only concern I could see is getting too far from the support wire, but like you said, some one craft could probably get another one in. Big wind it could push back against the tire and rub.
Yeah, I’ve just had cheaper/ crappier fenders get pushed back, and then the rubbery bits got pulled into the wheel.
It needs to be shaped like a scoop, and not a flap. A slightly more rigid material (i.e. thin plastic sheet) would be better than something softer.
Most fender extenders you can buy are rubber, but they aren’t nearly as long as the one I made, and thus, not nearly as effective.
It’s the back of the front wheel, which is why it looks weird I think. Thought it was supposed to be the front of the front!
yeah what got me was that it’s actually not on the bike. with the other bike in the frame I thought “oh they are working in/ tuning up all their bikes”, thinking this was just the front wheel of another bike (out of frame).
It’s on the bike, the tire is just turned a bit too the side so that the back of the tire is more prominent since that’s where the fender extension is. The frame and rear tire visible are for this bike
Oh chicken fried christ I see it now.
I never used fenders it was “unnecessary added weight”. Now I commute every day so I put them on … and I have to say that they are not unnecessary.
Yeah, I bought my commuter hybrid bike with fenders. People were like why do you want to ruin the look with fenders? As they have wet lower pants, and turn around and have a muddy stripe splashed up their back. The only time it became a problem was switching to winter studded tires, and snow would sometimes build up inside the fender, but they have those adjustable posts to move it up off the tire some and that did the trick.
I make mine out of a thick piece of leather which works great too.
Yeah, I’m vegan, so leather was out. I couldn’t find a similar piece of rubber or silicone, so I went with something cheap and easy to get. LOL
Did you screw yours into the fender or mount it in some other way?
Wasn’t meaning to knock yours. Just throwing that option out there for others. I appreciate your post because it’s one of those things that can make a big difference in keeping people riding year round. I drill two holes about an inch apart vertically and use small bolts with washers and locking nuts. I put the leather on the inside so it takes the curve of the fender and looks nice.
I didn’t take it as a knock at all! I saw plenty of leather ones, which helped to give me ideas for size/shape, it’s just not a material I choose to use.
I drill two holes about an inch apart vertically and use small bolts with washers and locking nuts.
Nice! I think I may do that if I decide to keep this as a permanent fixture. 👌
Vegan to vegan: What are your thoughts on reclaimed leather, like the tongue from a broken work boot? It is going to get landfilled. So my thinking is that has less impact on our planet, than molding a new rubber or plastic flap. But small enough market where it doesn’t generate demand for people selling old workboots to upgrade. Thoughts?
Reclaimed leather doesn’t contribute to animal (ab)use, so I don’t really have any ethical problems with people buying or using it.
I find certain animal products (leather or fur) to be off-putting, but that’s a personal thing. If you have use for them, and you’ve already got them (or can get them second-hand), I don’t see anything wrong with that.
We donated all of our fur years ago, and I think the only leather in our home are old knife sheaths and patches on old jeans. 😂
Bookmarking this for future reference. Good work.
I wish I could utilize a bike where I live. I can’t.
Bad infrastructure or poor weather? Or both? 😵
Infrastructure mostly. The weather sucks today but I’ve ridden motorcycles WAY below freezing so that’s not my problem. High speed two lane roads with no shoulder or bike lanes or sidewalks. Just a ditch on one side usually. A couple of rare times I’ve had to walk local roads I had multiple people stop and offer me a ride because it’s that dangerous.
That’s just awful.
I tend to be the type to say “just ride, or you’ll be waiting forever for infrastructure to be perfect”, but when it’s as hostile and dangerous as you describe, it’s super difficult.
Rather than main roads, have you tried looking up alternates to your destination that use side-roads or more residential roads? I’ve found some very creative routes over the past year that keep me off most of the main roads around me. Doesn’t eliminate the use of those roads entirely, but they offer safer options.
There are four viable routes I could take to work. It’s 11-14 miles depending on the route. The longest route takes me on some nice country roads with non-existent traffic but every route has some absolutely deadly and busy roads too. There are three large landscaping companies between me and my work and their mulch trucks fly around those blind curves at 50+ mph all day long.
Why do they sell insufficient fenders without selling clip-on sufficiencers?
Cost, weight, aesthetics, added resistance?
Seeing how many small and detachable fenders are available, perhaps cyclists are OK with the existing coverage.
A piece of flattened bicycle tube with a small fishing weight at the bottom works great, particularly so when you need to hop off a curb the rubber simply flexes before popping back into position.
Put one or two rivets with washers into the fender at the top of the piece of rubber.
