Touring - Touring bike fenders

Hi, Are there any folks out there that prefer a specific brand of fender for a 700 x 32 tire? I had the LBS install Planet Bike fenders, but they seem so flimsy. Are SKS or Zefal any better? Thanks, Drea

I've tried three different brands and they all have advantages and disadvantages. Zephal for instance don't mount really neatly. On the other hand they don't have those idiot screw attachments that ALWAYS fall off sooner or later that the ESGE use but which are more attractive, can be fit better and are available in wider sizes.

No matter what you buy you'll find something to complain about fenders but when it rains and the streets are wet you'll LOVE them.

Hi, Are there any folks out there that prefer a specific brand of fender for a 700 x 32 tire? I had the LBS install Planet Bike fenders, but they seem so flimsy. Are SKS or Zefal any better? Thanks, Drea
If you want some bullet proof eye candy check out the Carbon Fiber fenders on www.bgcycles.com

SKS is my choice.

Make some of your own. One thing I found with these for 37mm tires is that the fender only needs to be about 1" wide except in a few spots.


http://69.16.211.161/attachment.php?attachmentid=3687&d=1136923474

I use the narrower SKS one and it is fine. The metal clip on the chainstay bridge is POS so I use a single zip-tie through a tiny hole in the fender.
The safety release system really works; mine has released twice.
I managed to crack the f fender with a branch, just above the lower metal bracket. It still works despite being in 2 pieces and is repairable with some glue/rivets and washing-up liquid bottle material.

SKS were originally Esge and give great quality with their stainless steel fittings. If you want narrower fittings in 26" size these are marketed under the old "Bluemels" brand.

If it's not wood....it's not good!
http://static.flickr.com/42/104478037_144bf1f757.jpg

I use the narrower SKS one and it is fine. The metal clip on the chainstay bridge is POS so I use a single zip-tie through a tiny hole in the fender.

Did you get tire rub with the metal clip? I got a lot when installing SKS fenders on my brother's bike, a little bit with mine. Solution? Take a pair of needlenose pliers and give it a squeeze to bend the underside of the clip up against the inside of the fender. Problem solved!

Make some of your own. One thing I found with these for 37mm tires is that the fender only needs to be about 1" wide except in a few spots.


http://69.16.211.161/attachment.php?attachmentid=3687&d=1136923474


That's cool. How do you curve it...laminate it and glue it on a curved form?

SKS were originally Esge and give great quality with their stainless steel fittings. If you want narrower fittings in 26" size these are marketed under the old "Bluemels" brand.
I tend to disagree with you. While SKS are good fenders, I've had both my front and rear fenders break after six months due to the rivets which attach the mounting arms to the fender rusting through. I thought the first was a fluke, but then a week later the other gave out.

"That's cool. How do you curve it...laminate it and glue it on a curved form?"

I'm in Pickering. I just steamed them and bent them till they cooled and dried, basically overnight. I glassed the inside so they would be bombproof. I'd make them thinner next time also.

"If it's not wood....it's not good!"


If it's not grass, no class!

If it's not wood....it's not good!
http://static.flickr.com/42/104478037_144bf1f757.jpg

That's a beautifully set up bike. How does it ride compared to the rest of the fleet?
Regards,
Lee

My 2 cents worth of advice is, do not buy plastic fenders mail-order. I bought two sets through the mail, and they were both warped. Major PITA. Buy them off the shelf so you can make sure they're not warped.

Hi, Are there any folks out there that prefer a specific brand of fender for a 700 x 32 tire? I had the LBS install Planet Bike fenders, but they seem so flimsy.

I've had Planet Bike fenders on my hybrid/comuter/tourer for about 5 years with mixed success. I think they are fine for basic use, but the rear fender always got in the way with my rack and in the end I cut up 2 cheap zephal rear fenders and bolted the pieces to the rack and that worked better for touring and rails to trails rides.

Twice I have had cracks develop in the Planet Bike rear fender at the mounting points. I have repaired it with a piece of white sewer pipe and the abs solvent/cement (methyl ethyl ketone toulene) that is sold for sticking that pipe together. It also dissolves the plastic fenders enough that a carefully shaped piece of the sewer pipe can be glued inside the fender to reinforce the mounting points. Originally a temp repair, it's still going strong 2 -3 years later.

Just take some thin PVC pipe. Cut it down the center. Put on some L shaped brackets and you have instant fenders.

I tend to disagree with you. While SKS are good fenders, I've had both my front and rear fenders break after six months due to the rivets which attach the mounting arms to the fender rusting through. I thought the first was a fluke, but then a week later the other gave out.

In over 35 years of using these mudguards I've never heard of this and I live in Scotland where the wet weather is legendary.

SKS in the 35 or 45

Which width do you recommend, even for narrower tires??

Is bigger better???

Hi, Are there any folks out there that prefer a specific brand of fender for a 700 x 32 tire? I had the LBS install Planet Bike fenders, but they seem so flimsy. Are SKS or Zefal any better? Thanks, Drea

I've always used SKS\ESGE fenders.
The newer design of the Zefals are very similar to the SKS\ESGE's.
Either brand should do you well, however, most cycle tourists I know of prefer the SKS\ESGE's.
I'm just about done putting my new LHT together, and have just installed my tried and true ESGE's today, as a matter of fact.
If you point your browser to: http://saanichbc.net/thebike.html you'll see a few pix of them on my LHT.

That's a beautifully set up bike. How does it ride compared to the rest of the fleet?
Regards,
Lee

Very comfortable ride. The Panaracer 700x37 Tourguard tires at 60 PSI make the bike float over the rough country roads that I ride on.

saanichbc, that is a kick ass bike. What size tyres are you running?

I was going through your reasoning against the wood fenders and that was exactly what I thought. I destroyed 2 pairs of chromoplastic SKS fenders last year commuting. Okay okay, I tend to swing towards the local trails on just a teeny weeny bit of very light offroading. ;-)

The SKS/ESGE fenders you have on your bike looks very good. I think I might have a go at that one.

I have SKS 45 on a bike that wears 32 wide panaracers.....The tires carry enough trash in the treads that I would not want the fenders to be narrower.

Personally I currently use a set of Steel Wald Shorties, however when it comes time to replace them I am getting SKS.

I use Axiom fenders. Finicky to line them up just right, but very light and give full coverage.

Hi, Are there any folks out there that prefer a specific brand of fender for a 700 x 32 tire? I had the LBS install Planet Bike fenders, but they seem so flimsy. Are SKS or Zefal any better? Thanks, Drea

I like the Gilles Berthoud fenders because they are stainless steel. A little heavier perhaps, but you can't beat the look of them. The tires are 700 x 32 Schwalbe Marathon. This pair has about 300 miles and have really not seen much rain. They were not hard to fit but I did have to craft two mounting brackets, one from aluminum on the front fender and one from some scrap stainless steele for the back fender. The look good don't they? The front seemed to be a little close clearance but works fine. I plan to tour on this bike for another year and then rebuild it with drop bars and brifters for a beautiful around town commuter.

Does anybody know where I can get the hardware to make my own fenders, particularly the metal dowels? Thanks, Ty

SKS is my choice.
It's quite noticeable that if you didn't have vertical dropouts that you couldn't get the rear wheel off to fix a flat.