Honjo Fenders

[Bryan H]

Hello!

I am thinking of getting some fenders for my clem smith Jr w/ 650b 2.2 tires. Anyone put a set on their bigger tire rivs? If so did you go with flat or smooth style? I am having a hard time deciding on which, however if one is easier to install and functions better i may lean towards that one. Thank you!

Bryan

Photos for reference:

[Oliver Moss]

Hey Bryan,

I've installed a few sets of fenders on a few bikes, Honjo and Velo Orange, and I'd say pick whatever fits your aesthetic best and go for it. 

I'd say that smooth fenders are a bit more simple to install since drilling the holes is a bit easier on a smooth surface, but it's not so much harder on the hammered or wavy VO ones that it should keep you from going with them if you like them. Fenders are a bit time consuming to fit properly, so what's a little extra time taken to drill the holes. 

I'm sure you've read this if you've red about fenders, but textured ones hide dents better, and smooth ones show the life they've lived and that's got its own charm. Read up the SimWorks fender articles if you haven't, they're great for learning how to fit them.

Hope this helps, and have fun with putting on your fenders when you get there.

~Oliver

[Tom Powell Davies]

I've had both VO and Honjo fenders. The VO ones are a lot easier to install, but the Honjo ones are beautiful and give you a nicer, more bespoke fender line. Its a trade off - short term ease or longer term elegance! 

While I don't have it to hand, somewhere in the depths of the email list archive is a thread in which some list members suggested switching out the VO stays for another brand, which allegedly looked a bit better. I've never tried that, but made a mental note for a rainy day.

Look forward to hearing how it all works out,

Tom

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[Kim H.]

I have on my Clem a pair of SimWorks Homage 650Bx43mm, of which I primarily ride with Honjo Flat 65 fenders. I also have a a spare wheelset with SimWorks Homage 650Bx55mm tires. Both are the same rims and hubs of which are stock wheelsets from Rivendell Bicycle Works consisting of the Alex DM-24 rims and Novatec quick release cartridge bearing hubs. Both wheelsets fit and clear the Honjo Flat 65 fenders without any issues whatsoever. Happy !

https://www.sim.works/products/the-homage-650b

https://www.sim.works/collections/fenders-simworks-by-honjo/products/flat-65

Kim Hetzel. 

[Bry]

Thank you all for the wonderful responses! Kim do you have photos of your clem with the flat fenders? I am leaning towards the flats! It seems like there’s more clearance in general in the flats since it doesn’t round off into the tire. Thank you

Bryan 

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[Brian Turner]

I’ve never installed or owned any of the flat fenders, but I think they’re look really cool on bikes with fatter tires. Fat rounded fenders remind me of big balloon-tired cruiser bikes.

Brian

Lexington KY

On Oct 25, 2026, at 10:20 AM, Bry <bshm...@gmail.com> wrote:



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[Kim H.]

Hi Bryan,

Here is a photo link to three pictures of my Clem with the Honjo Flat 65 silver fenders and both the SimWorks Homage 650Bx43 and 650Bx55 tires. The picture of my Clem on the paved trail has the 43mm tires. The other two have the 55mm tires.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2JMBU6B3t2fpfdGP9

Yes, I will agree with in that "It seems like there’s more clearance in general in the flats since it doesn’t round off into the tire." because there actually is. 

FYI. I had my LBS owner/mechanic install my fenders. 

Kim Hetzel.

[Patrick Moore]

Based on my own experience, both should work equally well, and you should choose based on what you think looks nicer.

Me, I like the "hammered" look.

Aside: I've used Honjos and Berthouds (and Kelpie customs and*), and IMO and IME, the VO equivalents, where they fit, are just as good and cheaper and more readily available.

*And plastic/polycarbonate/sandwiched plastic+aluminum fenders from Araya to Zefal, and yes, metal ones are better and prettier and once you get used to installing them not much harder to install.

[Collin A]

Heya Bryan,

I've used the flat ones on my old clem smith with 2.2 650b tires and they worked. The only issue is they don't take deformations particularly well (like when trying to shape them to a perfect fender line or dimpling to fit around stays. I also recall running into brake clearance issues (there was juuuuuuust enough space for the v-brakes) and chain rub on small-small when using a narrower chainline.

BUT they did a good job of keeping the muck and water off of me on some wet-weather rides. However, with tires that size, there will be compromises.

[Jonathan Carmack]

I just installed Honjo fenders on my Roaduno to prepare for commuting and they thoroughly kicked my ass.  I had the rear one installed in about an hour and this led me to a pride goeth before the fall sitch as the front was quite challenging.   I won’t go into the details, but last night I had all but given up, tightened the brake bolt to put the bike back into its storage spot, and the fender line just magically fell into place. They look quite nice, but wow what a challenge.  I lost the directions for the install and thought I’d just be able to figure out.

In retrospect I think what tricked me is I only used one bolt to secure the bolt to the fender in the back, and this was fine given two other mounting points on the fender line.  The front needed two bolts for the strut to keep the fender from sitting out of center line.  Oh well, lesson learned.

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[Kim H.]

I am glad to hear that it all worked out for you, Jonathan.

What model of Honjo fenders did you buy ?

Kim. 

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[Jonathan Carmack]

False alarm, they started to rub again during my commute this morning, luckily only a block from work.  Looking at it now, I think the major issue is getting enough clearance at the fork crown, I used a dove stay specified for the front, but that pushes the fender too far down, at least for the tires I have on (43s that probably measure around 41).  Maybe the dove stay for the rear will pull the fender far enough up for better clearance.  Frustrating to say the least.

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[Brian Turner]

Jonathan, could you possibly slot the holes in the dove stay (with a drill or round file) to give you more flexibility in adjustment? Or maybe I'm misreading the issue...?

Brian

Lexington KY

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[Jonathan Carmack]

In fact I did try that, but getting the bracket to then bend and still clear the crown race has been a challenge.  But that's how I got them to clear last night but hitting a speed bump dropped the stay down again (guess I didn't have the brake bolt as tight as I thought.  Possibly a sheldon bolt on the rear of the crown would work better.  Funny enough all the directions I've read are like "the rear is harder", ok, but as with anything in bikes YMMV.

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[Gordon Stam]

I have Planet Bike fenders on both my Clem and the Charlie and they work fine. They include spacers so you don't have to use a wine cork. I also use Sheldon nuts to make the installation easier. 700c wheels.

[Patrick Moore]

Jonathan: The good news is that installing metal fenders and fenders in general is gets easier after the first attempt. I use to joke about buying 2 pairs of fenders for one installation to have a first set to practice on an ruin.

One thought about fork crown attachment. Is there a steerer tube plug or "daruma" that will work with what I presume is the Roaduno's 1" steerer? I've pounded in a threadless aheadset star nut upside down at the bottom of the steerer so that I could simply bolt a fender on under the crown, but of that was with a 1.25" steerer. Do they make these for 1" steerers?

Failing that, I've eked out the maximum clearance under a crowding crown by using the standard "L" bracket and bending outward it so that it clears the bottom headset cup and lets you get the fender up as tightly as possible against the bottom of the crown.

Good luck. Let us know what works out.

[Bry]

Wow now i am a bit scared to do this myself…. I did end up getting the smooth fenders instead of flat. Figured it’s a more classic look and will give me more coverage. Since these are a bit on the pricey side for fenders is this something i should take to my local bike shop? Normally i do everything myself but I don’t want to ruin them. Anyone know of any good shops in the walnut creek area? Thanks for all the responses!

Bryan 

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[Jonathan Carmack]

Yea don’t let my botched job dissuade you from trying it.  My main issue with the dove stay is I was able to bend it and drill some more clearance but when I bent it, it would interfere with the brake bolt (on the front of the crown).  I just took a look again tonight, if I get a Sheldon but I think I can get the fender in there fine mounting the bracket from the rear of the crown.  I also have smooth fenders.  I’ll let you all know how it goes and with pictures, the black fenders with the Ana Purple looks goooooood.

Jon

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[Kim H.]

Hi Bryan, 

You could take your bike and fenders to RBW headquarters and have Mark install them. 

Kim.

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[Bry]

Hi Kim,

From my understanding they don't operate like a bike shop, i thought it was mainly fresh builds for customers. I will ask next time i go there!

Bryan 

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[Kim H.]

Hi Bryan, 

I could be very wrong. It's worth asking for sure. 

Let me know of your findings. 

Kim.

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[Kim H.]

Hi Bryan, 

Rivendell Bicycle Works headquarters does not operate like a standard retail bike repair shop. They explicitly state that they are not a repair shop and do not do repair or maintenance work for the public unfortunately.

Try Mike's Bikes of Walnut Creek at 1615 North California Blvd. in Walnut Creek. They have a high rating. 

https://mikesbikes.com/pages/walnut-creek

... or Encina Bicycle Center at 2901 Ygnacio Valley Rd. in Walnut Creek would be your next running up. They have been around in serving the community since 1974. 

https://www.encinabicyclecenters.com/

All my best wishes for you find a shop to help you out with your Honjo fenders.

Kim Hetzel.

[Steve]

Bryan, I have found this online three part series to be an excellent resource for installing metal fenders:

https://somervillebikes.wordpress.com/2020/03/01/how-to-install-metal-fenders-part-i-achieving-a-proper-arc-radius/

Also, Rene Herse sells an illustrated instructional booklet on fender installation for $5.  I've not used it, but given that RH offers it, I would expect it to be first rate.

https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/equipment/fenders/how-to-install-metal-fenders/

Steve in AVL

[Bry]

 Will dig into this before i start installation. Thank you!

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[B P]

Kim

Thanks for the photo, OT from the fenders but it gave me the idea that I could fit a bottle there on top of the true down tube. Appreciate it as this may help years as well. I initilly had it on the seat tube, but that get crowded when you are stepping through. 

[Christopher Wilson]

Bryan

I think you should keep playing with them. You will get there. I watched a number of videos, read and re-read instructions from Rene-Herse and still made several orders before I got the parts I really needed. It took a lot of patience and trial and error fitting before I was satisfied. Still not the best, but I think it is pretty good. Certainly “good enough for who it’s for”.  I will say that my fenders required some careful dimpling and bending and that was tough to work myself up to doing. But in the end I think it turned out ok. Don’t give up. 

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[Kim H.]

B P

You are welcome for the given photo reference. 

Are you using the King Cage 

Universal Support Bolt?

https://kingcage.com/products/universal-support-bolt

I was using one for my Topeak Masterblaster frame pump until recently. I have using the Velo Orange hinged water bottle clamps from their website for my water bottle cages. I asked myself why am I not using one instead of the universal support bolt for a far more cleaner appearance. It replaced it to much satisfaction. 

https://velo-orange.com/products/hinged-water-bottle-cage-clamps?keyword=hinged+water+&_su_rec=6X-ErhXhdXHDH7ntJ55Un-gpO1U-8FEc-wSqj2lysUGkCiC6eR0oe6BcK95qEV54lmwXHYjKTE8rSwAiXeK-Q8GJRB1XnFxG6k5huv_39PQABD05D50bwYKM1V_ewGqZRzWKwVW6JIncGi7H90LAl7AzPeK-cRHmWmeojYFFlEexameaxTD_1vrV3WF-M10jQrQTRUAF_xMAb96DkpitQ2xsf4zsXZ2YdGBfYMrlEZrjoGrekeuPAeNZLxupI0wkTdvU29DlFJTcJMj-DykSUVCUG0eY_Wwchzy0DaAVg2v7pr-nN5gzGs_wNfljJEZhbO-lKDmw3-mGp9ZH6Jy9mgTyPhH7TomzawVy9d4H&_su_rec_id=a4dc2c32-31df-4c76-a224-59e14d36324e-1793391367

If you don't like the black ones, go on Amazon is where I bought my last set of silver clamps. 

Kim.

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[Christopher Wilson]

I’ve used the Rene Herse guide. It came with the fenders I bought from them. It was good in a general way but each bike is unique. In the end I had to use a modified Daruma and some modification (bending) of the fender to get it to clear the brake (Tektro long reach) and have a decent line. When I switched to Paul racers the brake clearance was no longer an issue. 

The rear fender presented different challenges but IMO was easier once I had the correct bracket (didn’t come with the fenders). 

The most useful video I watched was This one: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3WSq1DTvHOI&ra=m

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[Bry]

Getting ready to install them tonight and realized some installations i see online use the leather washers. Are these totally necessary? Or can i get away without it? I got the regular Honjo fender set and it did not come with them. Thanks!

Bryan

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[Chuck in the DMV]

in my experience - two sets of Velo-Orange aluminum fenders - sound- or vibration-deadening material is useful, such as plastic, rubber or leather washers. on one set of fenders, i used squares cut out of an old inner tube, with a hole snipped in the middle, in a couple of places when nothing else was at hand. 

[Brian Turner]

The use of handmade washers out of old tubes is a great suggestion, however they might deform a bit more than some of the other options when you tighten them down... but they still should work. I've used vinyl washers too, but my preference is leather washers. They look classy and work perfectly to dampen vibrations. I don't know if it was helpful, but for good measure I rubbed a bit of beeswax on both sides of my leather washers to protect them and to aid the tightening of the metal-to-leather interface.

Brian

Lexington KY

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[Patrick Moore]

I've used home-made leather washers cut out of scraps of leather 2 or 3 mm thick but I like keeping a stash along with the other metal fender hardware.

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[Jonathan Carmack]

My sheldon nut should be on my stoop as we speak so back to battle tonight with the front fender.  I was reading Riv's guide about fenders and they recommend safety tabs for metal fenders, y'all actually use those?  Or is it more like just a roll of the dice type thing?

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[Jim in Mpls]

On Wednesday, November 4, 2026 at 1:28:20 PM UTC-6 Jonathan Carmack wrote:

 I was reading Riv's guide about fenders and they recommend safety tabs for metal fenders, y'all actually use those?  Or is it more like just a roll of the dice type thing?

I'd call it more of a roll over the handlebars. For $15 (or whatever they are now)it's the cheapest insurance you will buy.

I've had several sticks get caught in my plastic SKS fenders and pop them free.

Jim in Mpls

[Bob Walicki]

Installing Honjos is an absolute pain in the ass. But, when you get the fender line set? Pretty rewarding.

I take my fenders off for the spring and summer, and now, thanks to climate change, most of fall (Chicago) as I have to shower anyways when I get to work due to temps/sweating, so if it is raining, no big deal. Once the temps drop to the 50s and below, different story, and you start working in road salt which I'd like to avoid on the drive train if possible.

I reinstalled mine this past Saturday and it took less than 90 minutes. So, I'm getting better at it.

I think decisions around safety tabs, etc are also related to tire selection. Do you think snoqualmies are gonna suck up a twig big enough to throw you OTB? Can it happen? For sure! But I also know two people who went OTB because squirrels decided to cross a trail and attempt to make it through their front spokes... shit happens. Take a good risk-matrix approach, i.e. probability & severity. Check your gaps, balance aesthetics with safety, etc. That's the Rivendell way as far as I'm concerned.

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[ascpgh]

I get some black neoprene sheets for cutting fender flaps (Amazon: https://a.co/d/0c3bUNuC), and the remnants after cutting have been perfect for forming isolation washers. More dense than inner tube rubber and I'm making use of waste from another project.

Cutting from that waste is easy with a punch (Temu: https://share.temu.com/cxCvpKbr9AC) , I made my own by sharpening a piece of tubing myself.

Andy Cheatham

Pittsburgh