After lots of measuring, drilling, trial fitting, swearing, etc. I finally managed to finish my new cycle wing stays today, after getting fed up with the previous ones (10-12mm tube + 3mm flat bar on a triangular base plate) breaking and rebreaking even after welding up additional flat bar, jamming bolts inside the tubes, etc.

Materials were:

1 1/8" x 1/4" (c 29mm x 6mm) bright steel bar

reused triangular mounting plates with the old tubing ground off

spacers made from thickwalled steel tubing

bicycle inner tube to sheath the stays under the wings

bolts etc.

I particularly wanted to avoid weak points casued by multiple joins between different types/shapes of material and I was limited in not doing anything involving welding ('cos I can't weld, don't have a welder and wanted to avoid having to pay someone else to weld for me!)

The steel was a bu99er to bend - I managed to lift the top of the old kitchen dresser I am using as a workbench with the metal in a vice. I am hoping this bodes well for the longevity of the stays.

I went out for a 2-3 mile drive this evening after fitting the wings on and they seemed solid as a rock - I am hoping they stay that way!

Pics:

1 and 2. Old and new stays

3. reused original mounting triangles plus new spacers. One spacer on each side is shorter because the top stay goes between the plate and the wheel, whereas the rear stay goes the other side of the plate

4. whole shebang assembled

5. reverse of the mounting plate. The points of the triangle are the original mounting holes, and the central bolt goes through all 3 thicknesses to hold the top stay in place

6. Fitted with wing on... N.B. plain bolt holding the wing on temporarily until I get some dome head bolts.

Fingers crossed... I can assure you I will let you know if I have any problems.
Rescued attachment 2006-11-26 New cycle wing brackets.jpg

nice job. Looks neat and will be an easy fix if they do start to crack in the future

I'm in the process of making a set of stays; and already on 2nd iteration

I asm using 12 mm tube from %Q; it is squashed flat for where it dies under the wings. Atthe other end, I have sleeve on some 14 mm tube, then squeshed flat as the first version (no sleeve) felt to floppy.

Will ley you know how I progress.

In case you a wondering, I have a set of steel wheels for SVA for whcih the original wing/says don't fit.