Do I need a rear fender if I have a rack?
 

I have a Trek 4000 that I recently bought and will be setting up for my commute to work. (11-12 mi. round trip.) I have a few things in mind, like less knobby tires, panniers, etc.

I've read the stickies and such, and have been lurking the forums for a few weeks. Because of the info I've gathered I've avoided buying a Walmart special and instead found something used that fit in my price range. (I looked into a GMC Denali, but that seems to be a hot button so I won't go into that. ;)) I've done some research but still have some n00b-ish questions. The first of which is, will having a rack and a rear fender be redundant? Do I still need a rear fender if I get a rack setup? Lucikly my bike has rack mounting holes, so I should be good to go in that respect. I definitely don't want to show up to work with a big 'ol stripe on my back, though...

The fender will keep your rack and panniers cleaner. The fender is also nicer to anyone that may be following you... without the fender you'll be throwing mud/dirt/water into their face. :( With a fender most muck hits their tire and shoes. Much nicer. :)

Yes. Not so much to keep stuff off you, but off your bike. No clip ons, go for the full fender treatment. You're bike and your feet will love you...

Definitely not redundant. The rack can block some spray from your back, but the fender covers your legs, drivetrain, and those behind you. Even with a rack (assuming it has a deck plate), spray can get thrown up and over onto you in the right conditions.

I used to skimp on the rear fender for the same reasons. Once I had a full set of fenders, I couldn't imagine going without them.

Unless the back of the rack sticks out further than the rear tire then you will still get a nice racing stripe of mud/gunk up your back. However, the rack alone does provide more protection than not. I wish I had a pic of my icebike to show you, but you can fabricate a simple mudflap for the rear rack using almost anything. Just let you creative juices flow.

I learned that riding w/ a rack and no fender results in skunk stripe, crudded-up back legs, wet ass and dirty t-shirts.

I have a rack with panniers and no fender. My bike and panniers get filthly, but I enjoy the madmax look.

It depends on how much it rains in Wisconsin. Generally the answer is yes. Fenders keep the water where it should be.

However, I used to live in the desert. Rather than a fender, I just kept a newspaper folded on my rack and bungied down. It stopped most of the grit and mud. Considering that I would run into rain there maybe once or twice a year, it was adequate. Now that I live in Arkansas, I love my Freddy Fenders.

Wearing leathers and driving a Ford Falcon with a supercharged Windsor engine?
http://www.smthop.com/images/madmax01.jpg

Some racks have a mud splash plate but even with this, fenders will give much better protection.
I prefer a rack without the plate, it offers much better choice of anchoring points for chord and bungies.
The one feature my rack lacks is a rear bracket for mounting a reflector/LED lamp.

I've seen some folks fashion get-ups where the rack is a part of the overall rear fender system, with extensions fore and aft. Of course this only works if you have a solid bottom to your rack, like the Topeaks.

I went w/ rack and trunk bag for a while on commuting, but I changed clothes at work. It keeps most stuff off you, but your bags and drive train get dirtier. The front tire will also get you, so like most people, I'd recommend fenders as well for commuting. You don't need two eyelets for rack and fenders - they can share one set of holes. You may need some longer bolts.

I'd probably concur with most of what others have said above. Some racks, like the Jandd Expedition I use, will provide excellent splatter protection for your backside. Others are useless. But in all cases, a fender will keep your ride looking prettier and---when it's really nasty out there---will keep your shoes and the ankles of your pants happier, too.

Not to mentioned an iced up front derailer if you ride in snow/ice. I haven't had an iced up derailer since I installed my p.b. fenders.

Absolutely not redundant. All above advice is good, but adding a front fender is the best defense against crap getting on you and your works. Most of the gunk comes off the front tire, and you ride into it. Also, I have never seen a factory mud flap that was worth the name. You have to make your own to be really effective. A fender alone won't do the job because they are not long enough to break the tangent angle of the rooster tail.

There is no defense against road grime getting all over your brakes and BB area, including your chain. Fenders actually deflect the junk onto those parts. Can't be helped, but it's alot better than going without.

Just hose off the bike when you get home, bounce it a couple times to knock off the bigger drops, and put it away. I used to be obsessive about winter grime, but I just use a spray WD-40 type lub with teflon to keep the rust away from the guts. Seems to work fine so far, however, I do still routinely deep clean often. No rust, smooth action.

Forget about looking like a dork. If you ride in the winter, everyone will think you are anyway. Besides, a wet grimy stripe up the backside will convince all doubters. :D

You don't need a rear fender to begin with anyways, its purely a comfort add on.

I got some cheap snap-on fenders last fall. Didn't go back far enough, and flopped around. Backpack got dirty.

Got a rack and panniers a month or so ago. Extended the platform with cardboard and a coat hanger. It keeps my back clean, but the frame, brakes, rack, and front derailer get full of sand and salt.

Got a full fender set this week. Still trying to fit them. Looking forward to easier cleaning.

Right. I have them mounted so the rack's support is against the bike frame, fender strut to the outside, to minimize the offset and keep the weight of the rack from bending/snapping the single bolt.

Ride through some dog poop and you'll have your answer.

Ford Falcon??
I thought it was a Holden.

[EDIT]
Oh yeah, that is a Falcon in the picture

This is EXACTLY what I did on my ice bike.
I have the Topeak Defender fender on the front, and a hacked up one on the back that is attached to my rack. And some sheet metal addons as well... I love working in a metal shop ;)

Thanks for the input everybody. I'm just some fenders and a helmet away from making my first commute. :D

BINGO!

+1 Full Fenders with Mud Flaps front and back!

Once I put full fenders on, I couldn't go back. My only gripe with them is it makes my bike harder to transport, and even harder to chain up.

I have to be careful to lock my bike in a way that a solid object isn't leaning on and bending my SKS Chromoplasts.