Wet weather

[D&T]

I would like to know if any one can suggest any type of fenders for a Santana Sovereign with a carbon front fork? Got soaked this past weekend in Solvang. Also we ride a lot in the early morning and my wife takes the brunt of sprinkler run off etc. thank you for any help and have enjoyed reading past suport comments to other members.

[TandemGeek]

We use SKS Racer Blades on our road tandems (Best price I've found is at ExcelSports.com). http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=RaceBlade+Road+Fenders&vendorCode=SKS&major=3&minor=3

They're about 85% effective compared to full-coverage fenders... knocking down the rooster tail thrown at the captain's feet/legs/downtube and most of the rooster tail that falls on trailing riders and the back of your stoker. The weak-spot is the back of the stoker's seat tube/bottom bracket/stoker's feet. I also use these on my 1/2 bike and, again, they are a very good solution for intermittent mudguard protection.


If you want to use full-coverage mudguards SKS also offers some really nice ones. Again, ExcelSports.com has very good pricing: http://www.excelsports.com/new.asp?page=8&description=Fender+Bolt%2Don+Full+Road&vendorCode=SKS&major=3&minor=3

If you don't have eyelets on the fork tips you can "add" them using mounting zip ties. This is what I did with Debbie's custom Ritchey Road Logic which was built without any braze-ons or screw-eyes for fenders/racks. Individually, they are pretty flimsy. However, once you have all of the attachment hardware tighted-up it makes for a pretty durable installation. Debbie's had hers on full-time going on 10 months and 2,500 miles without a hiccup.

To protect the paint finish and to give more "bite", I put a strip of vinyl electrician's tape on the painted surfaces before mounting the zip ties. Some cutting on the plastic fender was necessary to get it to fit between the chainstays and the very low crown required a modification to the front fender/caliper brake post mount. I'm pretty sure that there's a ton of clearance on the Reynolds Ouzo Pro tandem forks so not much to worry about there. Photos below:

Black plastic "mounting" zip tie:
http://static.flickr.com/44/111721026_98f2930514.jpg

SKS Front fender with break-away mounting clips attached to zip tie on fork end.
http://static.flickr.com/38/111721023_77925e7a2c.jpg

SKS Rear fender attached to zip tie on rear stay.
http://static.flickr.com/50/111721024_6385141d4c.jpg

[bike42]

Where are these mounting zip ties available?

[mudmouse]

We have Planet Bike, full fenders on our Arriva (carbon fork). My feet still get soaked on rainy rides. I don't know how the front tire sends the water clear back to where I'm pedaling, but it does. We use the SKS partial fenders on our road bikes. They do a pretty good job too, and they're easy to remove when the weather is good.

kari

[TandemGeek]

Where are these mounting zip ties available?

Home Depot, Lowes, or any other home improvement or home supply store that sells a wide range of electrical wiring products. The packaging calls them "Mounting Ties / UV". They are 7" long, UV damage resistant zip ties with a molded-in screw hole.

Debbie's are still holding up just fine. Individually, they don't appear to be all that strong; however, once you have the fender mounted to a pair of ties and the "third" connecting point at the front crown / rear brake bridge, they make for a very sturdy mount.

[Hermes]

I have a Santana Sovereign with a carbon fork. I bought the SKS clip and tried them on wet roads. The rear is okay but the front is ineffective in keeping the spray from the front tire out of my face at higher speeds. I bought the SKS full fenders and had the LBS install them. They work great. For example, I put them on this weekend in anticipation of wet roads. They are easy to put on and take off. I use the clip on SKS on our road rain bikes.

[stapfam]

Mountain bikes use a Front guard mounted on the Downtube. On the road it is inefective as it is too short.But on a ride about 4 years ago- I came across a Tanden that had mounted 2 on the downtube to cover all of the downtube. It worked. Then again- I do not know if you have the clearance, or a hole in the bottom of the fork- but the one we use offroad definitely works. May look dorky but it is effective.

[bike42]

Thanks for the info. I will go shopping.

[Hermes]

Had the bike on the stand to remove the SKS fenders and I took these pics.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/PICT0002-1-1.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u250/rallen94402/PICT0001-1.jpg