Mounting fenders to a CF frame



Sharkey

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Nov 13, 2009
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I've got a Specialized Roubaix which I would like to mount fenders on. However, being a carbon frame with no mounting holes on the rear dropouts (or anyware else except the water bottle ones for that matter) I was wondering if I could use "chushioned" wiring clamps (most of the clamp is covered in rubber) around the chainstays and/or seatstays to provide a place to attach the fender support rods. I've already bought the fenders from REI and would like to utilize them but the support rods are meant to be used with the normal treaded holes one would find on non CF bikes.

I guess the crux of my queston is: might there be problems clamping something to a CF frame member. We're not talking a lot of load here of course

I'm sure this is not a new issue, so I assume someone has solved this problem long ago.

Thanks in advance for any gems of wisdom you might have..
 
I made this "fender" out of a plastic 1/2 gallon milk container attached to my saddle bag with tie wraps. It keeps my butt dry:



I have this front fender (Crud Catcher) from BikeTiresDirect - Discount bicycle tires, components and accessories coming soon:

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Sharkey said:
I've got a Specialized Roubaix which I would like to mount fenders on. However, being a carbon frame with no mounting holes on the rear dropouts (or anyware else except the water bottle ones for that matter) I was wondering if I could use "chushioned" wiring clamps (most of the clamp is covered in rubber) around the chainstays and/or seatstays to provide a place to attach the fender support rods. I've already bought the fenders from REI and would like to utilize them but the support rods are meant to be used with the normal treaded holes one would find on non CF bikes.

I guess the crux of my queston is: might there be problems clamping something to a CF frame member. We're not talking a lot of load here of course

I'm sure this is not a new issue, so I assume someone has solved this problem long ago.

Thanks in advance for any gems of wisdom you might have..
Yes, you can theoretically use so-called P-CLAMPS ... this is a hardware store item (e.g., Home Depot, Ace Hardware, etc.) ...

A bazillion years ago, Blackburn sold coated P-clamps that were for use with the rear racks they sold ...

You can 'wrap' the clamp with some old inner tube OR sandwich some inner tube between the stays & the P-clamp ...

KNOW THE DIAMETER OF YOUR STAYS so that you don't buy a P-clamp that is too large or too small ... allow for the thickness of the scrap inner tube.
 
I got coated p clamps from my LBS to mount an old Blackburn rack on the CF stays for a western trip last summer. As alfeng says, be sure to measure the stays carefully before you go out to get the clamps; even my LBS guy found several different sizes while digging through his old mounting hardware.

I also wrapped the stays with black electrical tape, and set up the rack so that the p clamps were clamped to the very bottom of the stays over the plugs for the dropouts, which should prevent the CF tube from crushing. Also, even if the clamps want to slide, they are stopped by the rear dropouts. Not as permanent or slick as having eyelets of course, but the clamp mounting worked securely for me over the 500 miles ridden on the trip.