Touring - What are some good touring/communting fenders?

So it's beginning to rain and I need some good fenders for commuting (about 200 miles a week) that I will also use on tours. I have a '99 Trek 520 and I've been looking at SKS fenders, Freddy Hardcore touring fenders, and some Bontrager fenders. Since I am really inexperienced,what would be good? What do you guy's personally like? I also don't want to spend more than $100 on them.

Thank you guys,
-Jai

I liked the Hardcores, but haven't used anything else so I can't compare.

SKS are ideal, they are pretty indestructable and survive a lot of abuse.
The front stay safety release really works.
You can drill them for mounting rear reflectors, (small) front dynamo lamps or zip ties and splash guards.
Some even have a conductive metal strip for routing dynamo power.

I use SKS on my Fuji touring bike and they are great!

My '98 520 came used with PLanet Bike fenders over 28mm tires. But, I don't really endorse any brand of fender because they all seem so lacking in the real world. I'm talking about flaps. If you don't have a good long front flap in front that goes almost to the ground, you and your bike will soon be coated with whatever crap is in the road spray. Brand of fender notwithstanding.

I removed the little toy flairs that they stuck on the things and installed some cut stair tread with a drill and pop riveter. It looks like it belongs there and does a great job of keeping the crud to a minimum. Remember: it's the front that counts for you and the bike, the rear is for your friends, if you care to keep them. :D

I have about 4 different brands of fenders on my bikes along with factory installations on a few more. I can recommend the Freddy's or the SKS. I also have some Zefal's but they don't seem as durable. I also second the idea to add/replace the stock mud flaps with something a bit more substantial.

Aaron:)

+1 jcm

My experience is with the planet bike fenders. They do the job and are cheap. Like jcm I riveted a bigger mud flap and also an extra set of struts at the front. I would never spend 100$ for fenders: I guess they all perform the same as long as you don't put them too close to the tire.

Check out those at velo-orange for a classy look.

All the plastic ones are nearly identical (tough plastic with an aluminum laminate), varying only in mounting hardware. SKS come in several widths to match your range of tires.

If you have a choice, pick the set that includes a front breakaway mount. Its a little plastic bit that snaps in two if you pick up a stick, beverage container or squirrel with the front tire.

Patience and a nashbar.com "sell" will get you a 35 or 60mm fender set for ~12-20 USD.

A relative newcomer into the fender market is SOMA and they make a range of sizes to fit your wheel. They outsource them from the same guys who make fenders for KOGA and other European makers, and they include the break-away mounts for safety. They are reasonably priced but the finish makes them look like they are worth quite a bit more.

Additionally, they have this nifty fork attachment piece that slides in and out to give you up to 2cm of adjustability to dial in the fit. A nice advantage compared to all the other plastic fenders out there.

Visit their site (www.somafab.com) and look for the Eurotrip Fender link in the Accessories menu.

Good luck!

Visit their site (www.somafab.com) and look for the Eurotrip Fender link in the Accessories menu.

those Eurotrip fenders look pretty sweet! one thing, they only have one connector on the back unlike the SKS/freddy's which have two... how stable are they when you're on bumpy roads?

I'm not sure I understand - the SOMA EuroTrip Fenders have two stays per side on both the front and rear fenders (see pic). I believe the Freddy fenders only have one on the front. They have always been sturdy for my riding - half paved surface and half unpaved railroad bed trail (packed dirt and gravel).

Let me know if I misunderstood your reference!

Velo Orange is now offering an extra-long version of the Honjo aluminum fenders, in both smooth and hammered finishes. If you are concerned about front-wheel gunge spray, these should fit the bill - add a flap and you are money!

My '98 520 came used with PLanet Bike fenders over 28mm tires. But, I don't really endorse any brand of fender because they all seem so lacking in the real world. I'm talking about flaps. If you don't have a good long front flap in front that goes almost to the ground, you and your bike will soon be coated with whatever crap is in the road spray. Brand of fender notwithstanding.

Check out the PB Cascadias (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7027.html)! Very useful, functional flap, even though it is not a street-sweeper. They sell the flaps separately (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7027_1.html)but I'm not sure how useful that would be if you need to drill matching holes in your existing fender...

I just ordered Berthoud's stainless. I don't dig the way the struts adjust on the laminate fenders (outside radius), thats why I went with the Berthouds. Have I made a mistake? Are they ridiculously heavy? I do know they look good (I'm going to be a bit vain w/the bike they're destined to go on). Anyone have them on their own rig?

Check out the PB Cascadias (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7027.html)! Very useful, functional flap, even though it is not a street-sweeper. They sell the flaps separately (http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7027_1.html)but I'm not sure how useful that would be if you need to drill matching holes in your existing fender...

You can make a flap from a milk jug. Yes, you need a low front flap to keep most the crap off.
Here's some homemade stuff from Alex Wetmore, being in Seattle, I'm sure he knows a bit about rain. :)

http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html

You can make a flap from a milk jug. Yes, you need a low front flap to keep most the crap off.
Here's some homemade stuff from Alex Wetmore, being in Seattle, I'm sure he knows a bit about rain. :)

http://phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html

I used an approximation of his plans to make a street sweeping stair-step flap, it had pluses and minuses, but I do prefer the cascadias. Haven't taken them through a full winter yet though, so who knows...

I have Honjo aluminum fenders. They nice & long, so I get by fine without a mud flap, but you could attach a flap if you like. They don't rattle at all, unlike the plastic fenders I originally had.

Downside is that they are pricey, but Velo-Orange sells a house brand aluminum fender for half the price if you don't want to splurge on the Honjos.

Now if I could only find the eurotrip fenders!! the soma site is sold out of them...

re: honjo's and other aluminums: they need to be drilled, which seems like an extra step i dont need...

I've used Zefal's for the last 10 years. They're permanent, which is fine, but hard to get them adjusted just right. Perhaps all fenders are like that, don't know. I have gone on 3 tours with them, and commute with them.

It's not the fender, so much as what you put on it keep the spray and debris to a minimum. My preference is these extenders (http://www.buddyflaps.com), because:

1) The flex out of the way when I roll the bike in hallways on the back tire (don't try that with your long honjo's!)

2) They flex out of the way when I mount the bike on a fork-down roof rack.

3) They don't move too much in the wind and stay put.

4) The hardware doesn't rust and is well thought-out. Nice serated nuts bites into the rubber, and doesn't come loose.

Don't get distracted by the aesthetic-centric tourer/country bikes/rando setups - function over fashion, I say. I don't care if you fenders are made from tortoise shells or mahogany...do the work? For me, the basic plastic full coverage fenders with extenders can't be beat...