Introduction: Featherlight Fender
Designed for commuters and travelers, this fender will help you and your followers to stay clean on the road. There is actually no many product on the market that fits great with bike racks. The one I create take advantage of the bike luggage rack. Using a simple folding trick that I've learn doing some packaging, you can make a light, strong and effective rear mudguard !
Step 1: Stuff You'll Need
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Plastic sheet, I bought 2 chopping mats at the dollar store for 1.50 $ and that's the biggest expend of the project. It looks like PETG but I'm still not sure about this. The important thing to look for is the ability of folding the plastic without breaking it (polymer toughness). I was looking for a black plastic but I still didn't find anything available in small quantity in stores, that's why I decided to go for these transparent chopping mats.
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Metal bracket used to attach a bike rack.
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2X Bolts and nuts ready to fit on a bike rack.
- 2X Washers.
Step 2: Unbend the Metal Bracket
1 - Use a metal vice to ''unbend'' the metal bracket (which one of these two you find).
2 - Bend your metal piece in a similar radius of your wheel. Think about the offset and make it a little bigger.
2 - Bend your metal piece in a similar radius of your wheel. Think about the offset and make it a little bigger.
Step 3: Print the Template
- Open the pdf file and print it on a 11"X17" sheet or make a collage with 2 8,5"X11" if you can't print big format.
Attachments
Step 4: Cut the Shape
1 - Fix your template on a cutting mat (not the chopping mat...)
2 - Fix your chopping mat on your template and the cutting mat.
3 - Using an Exacto, cut the main shape by following the exterior line
4 - Cut the 4 little triangles as shown on the picture
2 - Fix your chopping mat on your template and the cutting mat.
3 - Using an Exacto, cut the main shape by following the exterior line
4 - Cut the 4 little triangles as shown on the picture
Step 5: Mark and Fold
1 - Using the back of an Exacto knife, mark the folding line. Don't put too much strength on the blade, you only need to create a little weakness on the plastic.
2 - On the side of a table, fold the plastic by following the marks. You can do this at first and then start to put more pressure by folding it in your hands.
3 - Finish the folding as shown on the picture.
2 - On the side of a table, fold the plastic by following the marks. You can do this at first and then start to put more pressure by folding it in your hands.
3 - Finish the folding as shown on the picture.
Step 6: Punch Holes
1 - Punch holes on your template.
2 - Mark your plastic shape with you template.
3 - Punch holes on your plastic shape.
2 - Mark your plastic shape with you template.
3 - Punch holes on your plastic shape.
Step 7: First Assembly
1 - Install the metal bracket on your shaped plastic.
2 - With a nail, punch a last hole at the end of the metal bracket.
3 - Fix the second bolt. This step will prevent the fender from moving and making any noise.
2 - With a nail, punch a last hole at the end of the metal bracket.
3 - Fix the second bolt. This step will prevent the fender from moving and making any noise.
Step 8: Final Result
Install it on your bike and you're done.
You may need to make some adjustment. Tweak it a little bit to get the perfect alignment. You can also modify the template to create your own design.
This tail fender will protect yourself and your followers !
Optional : this project can be achieve using a laser cutting machine.
Please share your pictures.
You may need to make some adjustment. Tweak it a little bit to get the perfect alignment. You can also modify the template to create your own design.
This tail fender will protect yourself and your followers !
Optional : this project can be achieve using a laser cutting machine.
Please share your pictures.