froze

The SKS's might even be better then the Giles Berthoud fenders due to the fact that the SKS's are a laminated fender meaning their aluminum with a plastic laminate covering them thus the plastic keeps the aluminum from bending thus looking like crap if their wacked, and the aluminum keeps the plastic from cracking. But having said that some still think that the Berthoud fenders will last longer; it's probably a toss up; but I like the plastic laminated idea better because it would probably look better longer.

The Freddie fenders don't have as much coverage as the SKS's but the Freddies are all polycarbonate and eventually would split and crack even though Freddie says theirs are unbreakable.

MrCjolsen

I take the fenders off and on my bike a lot, usually based on the 10 day forcast. Once you do it alot, it's not much of a pain.

I have the Freddy's. It took considerable effort to remove the stock "mudflaps" and drill out the rivits so that I could install real ones. The SKS fenders have no mudflaps, so that job might be easier. You need a mudflap that goes almost to the ground if you are going to ride in anything other than a sprinkle.

jdeane4

The issue of taking the fenders on and off doesn't seem like much of a problem to me. I have v-brakes on my bike which appears to give me plenty of clearance for my fenders. It seems to me all I would have to do is place the fender on, rotate it into position, then tighten the bolts at the brackets. How much harder could it be than this? If it is harder than this, please explain.

Sluggo

If you want the "slick look", get some hammer-finish honjos or some Full Woods, or paint some Berthouts to match your frame.

If you want an excuse not to ride, take your fenders off and on a lot.

For practicality, the SKS fenders can't be beat.

JackJ

Not in my case. My rear SKS cracked for no apparent reason after less than a year of use. I don't recall any impacts, sticks, or stresses that would have contributed. It cracked right at the apex, not next to any mounting hardware, and the mounting didn't require bending the fender in any way. I really was surprised by this, since the plastic/alu laminate sounds like it should work great. Maybe mine was an anomaly, or had some defect that I never noticed.

I've replaced it with a Freddy hardcore, which has been on for less than a month. No rattling. I like the round profile and greater width of the Freddy, but it's far too soon to tell if it will be more durable.

As for removing fenders, Sheldon Brown just announced a replacement nut for centerpull brakes that allows you to mount fenders on the back side of the fork, and on the front of the rear brake bridge when using recessed hardware. Look here: https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/fenders.html. I use older brakes with a through bolt, so haven't needed such a device, but it sounds like just the ticket.

Jack

CigTech

SKS are better

superslomo

SKS seem good, but I'm having a HUGE headache mounting to my cannondale. The chainstays have a box section bar between them, which the SKS's don't seem to want to clamp onto, and since I don't have a conventional brake bolt hole going front to back on the seatstays I have to jury rig the top fastener. I'm not real happy, and might return them and take a look at how the Freddy's attach.

Phantoj

The SKS fenders (at least the silver ones) have two transparent stripes on them. Didn't notice this until last week or so.