Brandon , so far I've agreed with your wisdom on everything I've seen from you .
And , enjoyed your humor .
But , don't you start talkin' about my fenders !
: - )
I really like the only pair of Bluemels I have long term experience with . And , after some 20 years , they're still just fine .
They're on a sort of utility bicycle , so historical accuracy was not a factor . I skipped the middle stay / rod . I just left them off . Leaving the ends of the fenders supported , but the middle can take care of itself . Looking at it engineering wise , I can see how this could easily increase the stresses , or how it could easily prevent stresses from building .
When the rear fender began to develop a crack , at the point where there's a clip attaching the fender to the chainstay bridge , I carefully applied a blob of epoxy resin and left it alone for about 3 days .
They have not been bashed about in a big city bicycle rack . But , they are on a utility sort of bicycle . Twenty years later , they have been leaned against , and bumped against , and banged against a whole lot of walls , tree trunks , etc .
Is the fact that they are made of black plastic significant ? As we all know , the pigments in black plastic , and black rubber , make the material more durable . White plastic is almost always the first one to "photo-degrade" , from exposure to sunlight .
Raoul Delmare
Marysville Kansas
> On Tuesday, Oct 29, 2002, at 02:04PM, Raoul Delmare
<R.Delmare@Charter.net> wrote:
> >These fenders are spectacular .
>
> Ok, I'll just have to ask the list why everyone seems to like Bluemel
fenders? I've used them and regretted it each time. I can understand it
for the looks or period restorations, but as actual fenders they are way too
fragile. Leave them in the sun and they crack, lean them against a lamppost
and they crack, look or breathe on them wrong and they crack.
> thanks,
> Brandon"monkeyman"Ives
> SB, CA