Mountain Biking - are fenders worth the money

hey....im a noew mt biker and my trek 4500 has some things on it, new gears, brakes, and im gettin a seat. I want to know if i should get fenders because they work but im not sure if they are worth the weight that they put on it . So im sure to get them or not. Any of your help would be appreciated. Thanks
michael :thumbup:

If you want to stay dry and comfortable, I'd say yes.

If weight is a major consideration, Topeak do an extremely light pair of vacumn formed fenders:

http://www.topeak.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/store/defender.html?L+scstore+ydql1293ff7aae7a+1016209309


Richard

only if you get decent ones!

If you ride in all weather on the road, then they are vital to keep you clean, dry and comfortable, and to avoid that line of road muck along your back. Close clearance fenders (like SKS) are more effective
If you ride for fun in the mud, they are a useful option. Bikes can gather several pounds of mud, and they help to keep it out of the headset and from under the seat as well as off you. Wide clearance ones are available for off road and better ones are not at all heavy.

Try THE Fenders. That's Toby Henderson Enterprises (THE). Don't have the web address, but I'm sure a simple search will find them out!

Oh yeah, www.pricepoint.com has some closeout deals if you're interested.

L8R

trek dude, fenders hardly weigh anything.....and since your bike is already heavy it wont even make any difference.

FWIW, If we're talking fenders for your MTB, and I would think that, as we're here in the MOUNTAIN BIKING forum !, go without dude, they look stupid !, there was a point in time like 2 years ago that they were "in", every new MTB came with em ,where are they now ??...... One of the truly great experiences with mountain bike riding in the winter/mud ..is getting totally covered in crap !! everything caked in mud !!! ..this experience alone will take you higher..and give you a feeling of "worthyness", and not some prissy wannabe who wanted to stay clean .....

I bet you take your bike to the shop like that too. I don't want to break your bubble but mecahnics hate that. I run a fender while off-road most of the time. If it's not muddy, it keeps the rocks off my downtube and out of my face. If it is muddy, i'd be waiting for you at the bottom. visibility is so important to going fast. The THE XC fender is super light and does a great job.

www.the-products.com

Just for the record Geronimo , I am a mechanic at a bike shop !.:p

Personally, when I was wrenching on bikes for a living, the last thing I wanted to was to come home and clean my own. I leave the mud for someone else. I'm not a priss about it, I just don't go looking for it. If it's too soupy out, I go ride urban, no need the mangle the trails.