Classic & Vintage - Fender aesthetic advice needed

I want to add some fenders to my Voyageur for a tour later this month and would like some good old C&V aesthetic advice on what I'm thinking of getting for it. My current leaning is toward the SKS Longboards in the tan color but I would like some input on whether the silver or black may look better. I did a rattle can finish on the bike and will likely powdercoat or paint it at some point but I would like to stay close to the original color.

I ride the bike for pleasure rides but I'm rural so few people see it. I'm more interested in function for loaded touring. In other words I want the bike to look nice but it isn't going to be a garage queen and I may well remove them at times between tours.

Although they look great on many bikes I've seen here but I'm not really interested in metal fenders. I don't want to take the time and effort needed to fit them right now and I may want the flexibilty to use the same fenders on my Univega hybrid at times. It is a similar red color but with a silver fade. I have an old set of SKS chromoplastic fenders on another bike and they have held up very well over the years. That plus the long coverage of the longboards is why I'm thinking of sticking with SKS.

You folks have some beautiful bikes so I'd appreciate any input on color.

BTW- the bike now has lowriders in front and 1 1/4 Conti Gatorskins so I'll be using 45mm fenders.

For a rattlecan finish, you did a fantastic job! It looks like the factory finish in those pics.

I think the SKS longboards in tan would look fine on your bike. Tan or brown bar tape may compliment them nicely. I also like the idea of the longboard version because longer coverage really makes a huge difference, IMHO.

My Fuji tourer has SKS plastic in silver with Planet Bike mudflaps (from their spare parts store online, $5):

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/tsv/tsvmods.jpg

If coverage is your issue, there you go...

45mm fenders, 27 x 1 1/4" tires. I did have to relieve the fenders to fit the fork.

I'm very fond of Velo Orange fenders. I think shiny is always better personally.

For a rattlecan finish, you did a fantastic job! It looks like the factory finish in those pics.

I think the SKS longboards in tan would look fine on your bike. Tan or brown bar tape may compliment them nicely. I also like the idea of the longboard version because longer coverage really makes a huge difference, IMHO.

Thanks southpaw. I had to go take another look at your Voyageur pics - that bike is superb! I appreciate and value your vote of confidence on the tan. Good idea on the bar tape since I do have a honey B17 on order for it too.

I would say black first, then silver.

My Fuji tourer has SKS plastic in silver with Planet Bike mudflaps (from their spare parts store online, $5):

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/tsv/tsvmods.jpg

If coverage is your issue, there you go...

45mm fenders, 27 x 1 1/4" tires. I did have to relieve the fenders to fit the fork.

Keith - thanks for another post of your beautiful V - one of my all time favorite color schemes. I have the same set up on my Expedition and yes it gets down as low as the longboards. I've never had a problem with the length. I thought of moving those over to the Voyageur but the Expedition has a threaded mount on the underside of the rear brake bridge so I'd have a hole and I'm a little nervous about jostling around 28 year old plastic fenders.

I'd vote silver, then tan, then black. I had a couple of sets of black plastic fenders, they look sharp when new, but I thought that they got crummier looking more quickly than other colors, seemed to show scratches and dirt more prominently.

I'd vote silver, then tan, then black. I had a couple of sets of black plastic fenders, they look sharp when new, but I thought that they got crummier looking more quickly than other colors, seemed to show scratches and dirt more prominently.

I had originally thought black because they would stand out less but you make a great point about how they show wear. The civia's on your Trek 620 got me thinking about color - great job on that bike BTW!

I prefer white fenders on most bikes. Too bad they're hard to find, but you could paint them.

I prefer white fenders on most bikes. Too bad they're hard to find, but you could paint them.

Fenders....the things on the bike that are designed to catch grime and dirt. Hey, I know, let's make them white! :)

I think you should stick with your gut. I haven't seen the tan fenders in person, but they'd probably look great against that maroon. And SKS plastic fenders have proven themselves sturdy in my experience. Much moreso than the Planet Bike fenders I've dealt with, and I've heard the same from others.

Also,


My Fuji tourer has SKS plastic in silver with Planet Bike mudflaps (from their spare parts store online, $5):

http://home.comcast.net/~khatfull/images/tsv/tsvmods.jpg

If coverage is your issue, there you go...

45mm fenders, 27 x 1 1/4" tires. I did have to relieve the fenders to fit the fork.

Nice!

I'm very fond of Velo Orange fenders. I think shiny is always better personally.

+1 VO fenders are great value.

BTW, I have longboards on my cannondale and don't care for them. They're too long and sticks and stuff get stuck between the fender and wheel frequently. The other SKS fenders see more to my liking.

I just got silver p45 chromoplastics, happy with them so far, will look into the mud flaps...

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6070860181_f4f232ac5e_z.jpg

Imo, color is a very distant second to a nice clean fenderline-- optimally, it is about 5mm above the gumwall/tread trnsition line-- but YMMV. Also imnsho, it's easier to achieve this with metal fenders than the plastic ones. Heavens, they mount with the exact same hardware; and they look so much nicer.

Fenders....the things on the bike that are designed to catch grime and dirt. Hey, I know, let's make them white! :)

One word.

Bluemels.

Mmmmm....

I have been tucking nice vintage fender sets away for quite a while now. About the nicest I have found, not counting really special items like those on my Motobécane Gran Jubileé (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_France/Motobecane_Gran_Jubilee/MOTOBECANE_GRAND_JUBILEE_1_Start.htm)...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/French_Bicycles/Motobecane_Bicycles/Motobecane_Gran_Jubilee_57/Motobecane_GJ_Fenders/Motobe_GJ_Fenders_Full_Side_2.jpg

The fenders fitted to my Legnano Gran Premio (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Feature_Bicycles_Itlay/Legnano_Tipo_Roma/LEGNANO_GRAN_PREMIO_1_Start.htm)...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/Italian_Bicycles/Legnano_Bicycles/Legnano_Brian/Legnano_Test_Build/Legnano_Build_1/Legnano_Conservatory/Legnano_Consv_Full_TQR_3.jpg

and to this Sekine SHC270 Single Speed (http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Feature_Bicycles/Custom_Built_Bicycles/SEKINE_SS_OPTIONS_1_Start.htm) are original Sekine issue mid seventies alloy fenders. They are very sturdy, light and attractive...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/Canadian_Bicycles/Sekine/Sekine_56_Cream_SS/Sekine_M_Accessory/Sekine_M_Accessory_Full_TQF_6.jpg

And they look just great painted up to match what ever bicycle one wishes to fit them to...
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpeeds_1/Bicycles_Table/Italian_Bicycles/Legnano_Bicycles/Legnano_Brian/Legnano_Test_Build/Legnano_Build_1/Legnano_Conservatory/Legnano_Consv_Triangle_3.jpg

Planet Bike Cascadia fenders can be purchased in white. I really like mine!

+i for Bluemels, but they're so hard to find and pretty fragile to boot. Leave them for some nut who are trying to go period-correct on a 1948 Raleigh Record Ace.:innocent:

+1 for white, but I doubt you're going to find Cascadias in white. I found a different model Planet Bike fender in white a few years ago, and haven't seen another pair since then. Off-white is good too, should you find it. If that tan counts as off-white, it might be good. I can't tell from the photos.

But wait. You did such a nice job on the frame, couldn't you spray paint a pair of fenders? I know painting plastics is an iffy business, but I'd research which kind of fenders take paint best, and go with those. Primed and painted.

I got mine off the shelf in a local outdoor-type shop in a small town in Arkansas.

Stranger things have happened!

I believe Soma also makes some plastic fenders in a variety of colors, too.

I'm also trying to figure out how to best fender a Voyageur (although mine is forest green). If you go with the beige longboards, please post a picture!

Nice paint job; that doesn't look like it needs any further painting to me. In the UK, the thinking appears to be that if you have a light coloured frame, then use dark mudguards and vice-versa. In your case, silver mudguards would do it for me, I think.

Put some black SKS chromoplastics on mine at the weekend.

I'm also trying to figure out how to best fender a Voyageur (although mine is forest green). If you go with the beige longboards, please post a picture!

Well right or wrong the order for the tan SKS fenders has been placed. I will post pics when I get them installed.

Salsa has what looks to be a nice shade of natural tan bar tape that I might add later to complinemt the color. Does anyone have experience with Salsa tape? I'm wondering if the stamped logo they use is too noticable and distracting. I really like the dark brown shade to go with a darker B17N on a different bike I have.

Thanks to all for the good input.

I jumped on these last week within an hour or so of their appearing on eBay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280732246206

(NOS White Bluemels 'Popular', $49.95 BIN, $12 shipping)

This seemed like a rare opportunity as the company's no longer around and I don't think they were ever imported, in quantity at least, to the US. But course now that I've done that no doubt there will be several others that will pop up, even the more desirable 'Club Specials.' I'll report on how they work out in any case.

218361218362218363218364218365Well I got the longboards mounted and here are some pics. I'm really pleased with the two tone look that reminds me of some of the sweet late 50's Pontiac and Oldsmobile cars.

The were more of a headache to mount that what I remember the last time I did fenders but worked out OK. The front does hang awfully low and I have large 27" wheels with high profile Conti tires. I don't know how these would work on 700c. I want to grind the top down on the fork bracket at some point so I can move it to the front of the bridge. I couldn't get it to slide up enough to get adequate tire clearance so I move it to the back for now.

I like the tan, looks almost off white in the photo. Blumelish at first glance. Good job!

+1, they look great

I like the tan, looks almost off white in the photo. Blumelish at first glance. Good job!

Thanks. They were lighter in color than I was expecting but I'm glad. It looks like they may mar fairly easily since I picked up a couple very slight marks when one slipped and hit my garage floor. I think they should be fine for the use I will give then however.

+1, they look great

Thanks! I'm almost hoping for a little shower on my upcoming trip to see how well they perform.

Thanks! I'm almost hoping for a little shower on my upcoming trip to see how well they perform.

Ha! I remember when I added some DIY mud flaps a while back, I never seemed to get rain while I was on my bike so I ran through as many puddles as I could find.

You shouldn't really get any splashing with fenders like those. The longboards look as long as fenders and mudflap I have on my bike. I do commute though rain, even heavy rain and combined with a cheapie rain cape, myself and the bottom of the bike stay very dry.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6140596630_5eb8839d74_b.jpg

Thanks! I'm almost hoping for a little shower on my upcoming trip to see how well they perform.
Here is a little follow up on my first tour with the fenders.
Well I may have hoped a little too much for a shower - rain on 4 of the 5 days! The fenders worked great when it was just rain on pavement but the front especially sucked up mud like there was no tomorrow on a crushed limestone rail trail. The front got pretty clogged with leaves and mud and managed to throw it on the bags and inner wheels.
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/brapp55/Fall%20Tour%202011/IMG_2518.jpg

As a comparison here is my friends bike sans fenders...
http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n256/brapp55/Fall%20Tour%202011/IMG_2519.jpg

That has been my experience with fenders and mud too. I bet your pants were cleaner that his after that ride. I always assumed a fenders first job was to keep me clean and dry and the bike was second priority.

4 days of rain sure is a test! Do you think the mudflap is what caught most of the mud? Props to you for the muddy, loaded touring bike photo.

But you kept it off the drivetrain, which is my first reason to have fenders, me dry the second.

I need to ride in the rain more and quit being such a wussy :(

That has been my experience with fenders and mud too. I bet your pants were cleaner that his after that ride. I always assumed a fenders first job was to keep me clean and dry and the bike was second priority.

4 days of rain sure is a test! Do you think the mudflap is what caught most of the mud? Props to you for the muddy, loaded touring bike photo.

Funny thing is that my legs and front bags had more mud on them than his. I couldn't figure out why unless the mud was forced out to the sides more and caught my legs.

But you kept it off the drivetrain, which is my first reason to have fenders, me dry the second.

I need to ride in the rain more and quit being such a wussy :(

Keith - hopefully the upcoming Mpls C&V ride you've planned will have dry day but I'm planning on bringing this bike and riding anyway!

I so want to put fenders on my trek I tried velo Orange fenders but had no luck. I wonder if plastic will be easier.

For a rattlecan finish, you did a fantastic job! It looks like the factory finish in those pics.

I think the SKS longboards in tan would look fine on your bike. Tan or brown bar tape may compliment them nicely. I also like the idea of the longboard version because longer coverage really makes a huge difference, IMHO.

Longboards give wonderful coverage, but they can be problematic for two reasons: 1) they are very difficult to deal with if you have to put it on the roof of the car, and 2) if you ride on dirt paths where there are lots of sticks, they WILL catch the bottom of the fender and either lock the rear wheel or rip the front stays off the fork.

For those two reasons alone I suggest the other SKS fenders. (P45 is it?)

Looks fantastic; quite unusual too. I don't think I've ever seen a front 'guard that low, but you're definitely keeping dry on that bike!