DIY Honjo Fender Install Test Ride

First time fender install and of course I had to do the hardest ones on an obscure rare old bike with specific challenges. So fun. It only took weeks of research, one reorder, hours if work across three days, and one hardware store run to get 93% finished. Easy.

I went large with the fenders to accommodate maximum sized knobbies that I may run in future. I did not foresee though that big tires and horizontal dropouts are already hard to get in and out of the rear triangle. This is now a real issue with a fender installed. I am going to try the “spring thing” from VO for this. I also did not foresee that the wide fenders interfere with my granny gear chainline, so more dimpling will be in order. While I’m at it, I’ll dimple at the chain stays to allow the fenders to push further forward when removing and installing the wheel. Dimples everywhere.

I also did not foresee that when you order from Rene Herse, they don’t include all needed hardware. They don’t even include the bolt that goes through the fork crown, though they include the daruma that attaches to it. Weird. Nor do they give guidance on figuring out what you need. If you order from them, contact customer service beforehand to avoid re-orders and waiting longer + more shipping costs.

Once everything is all figured out, I’ll cut the stays. What do you cyclers think, should I attach another stay to the front as per official guidance?