US Patent 7377534 Bicycle frames and bicycles with permanent rear wheel fenders

A bicycle frame includes a head tube, a top tube, a down tube, a pair of chainstays, a pair of seatstays, and a rear wheel fender providing structural support to the bicycle frame. A seat tube is provided that does not extend to a bottom bracket of the bicycle. For example, the seat tube can be attached only to the top tube. The bottom bracket can be an integral component of the down tube. Bicycles are also described that include the present bicycle frames.