Fenders are....
 

WORTH EVERY PENNY!

Two weeks ago, I splurged on a set of bontraguer (sp?) fenders at the TREK store. The look kinda dorky, and dont help my speed any.....

Then yesterday I was FORCED to ride (probable cracked Cyl head on my $400 saturn) through the puddles from the previous nights storms.... OMG! I arived at school COMPLETLY DRY! :eek:

Definatly a MUST HAVE if it rains where you live!

*For those of you in the desert..... Sorry*

In the desert fenders will help keep dust off the chain.. Yeah. that's the rationale.. ;)

OP, you wouldn't happen to be the same guy that bought the $400 saturn on CZ28.com, would you?

Nope... I got it last summer from a local guy.

95' SL2.
I had to replace the front subframe ($100 from Cal-City Auto Wreckers)
I had to replace the P/S Steering knuckle ($100 from EBAY)
I had to replace the struts ($100 from AZ)
I had to replace the Lower Control Arms and tie rod ends ($100 from Ebay)
I Still need to replace the axles and ABS Sensor ($150 from RockAuto.com)

So less than $1K total.... Now to find out if the head is trashed :(

I found a set of fenders on a bike at a thrift store and purchased the entire bike for $1. The bike had 27" tires so I figured they would work fine, and did. They started out as chrome but time and disuse allowed rust to form. I spent a few days prepping and painting them. Here is the result.
http://i143.photobucket.com/albums/r...crossroads.jpg

devildogmech: I'm with you. I have a 1996 SC2 that has a warped valve cover, a sun roof that doesn't work, and a belt that likes to squeak when it gets wet. It would cost more to fix it than what it's worth. My wife wanted to sell it, but now with the price of gas, she's having second thoughts. And, no, going car-free isn't really an option down here since we are just a month away from the start of hurricane season. However, I am thinking of going car-light so we can save our cars for when the $#!] hits the fan and we need to vacate. Even Lance can't pedal THAT fast. ;) Hopefully, the 2008 season will be fairly benign around here. I'm afraid that another major hurricane hitting us would cause more people to leave and not come back.

Up here in the PNW, fenders are the norm on commuter bikes. I even see a lot of full carbon racer rigs with SpeedEz or RaceBlade fenders. I used to think they looked goofy, now I can't imagine my bike without full fenders and mudflaps.

Even in the desrt there's precip. Especially in Colorado you get the snow, which isn't that much but does a serious number on your cycle in the winter. Worst part is that when it comes it usually stays a little while before melting.

Second worst is the mid-late summer t-storms. Nothing like FL, but a consistent, predictable rain almost every day for about a month and a half. Not nearly as destructive as the snow, but certainly bad.

My problem with fenders was toe overlap...not the fenders fault but the bikes. I had PB Freddy's, and kept kicking them into the tire and putting them through the fork.

At least until next winter I'm happy being anal about my drivetrain and going fenderless!

Well, when I lived in the desert, where I saw it go 15 months without rain, I used a newspaper bungeed to my rack as a fender and it worked adequately.

But since I moved to Arkansas all my main road bikes have fenders including my recumbent!

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/BacchettaSm.jpg

Fenders ne'er keep my feet dry though...even my lower legs get wet, I still have to wear rain pants when it's raining out.

Fenders? Nope. I've never had 'em and not interested in getting them. When it's raining I'm going to get covered in wet grime no matter what, so I don't see the point.
I have a CrudCatcher on my frame to reduce front wheel spray a tad and that's all I need.

I love fenders...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...estnewside.jpg

All the guy needs is a little mud flap as even with the rather low fenders my feet still catch a little spray.

I love the aesthetics of fenders. And they're awesome on those very few days where I have to bike in the rain.

I've realized people think they look dorky until they have some on their bike. Then they realize how useful they are and would never ride without them anymore. :)

Usually, the customers that come in my bike shop to buy a commuting bike and decide not to get them straight away tend to come back a few weeks later.

I don't think they look dorky in the least.

http://blackdaisies.com/photos/algor...addywagon2.jpg

See, its not that bad for me... I'm a Mechanic by trade (ducking all the tomatoes thrown from the car free people :D) and I like working on cars. But since I'm back in school and working at the ER full time (Nursing student) I have 0 time.... I ran a compression test on the car, and they were all equal, so it doesnt look like a bad head.... Just looks like some bad valve seals :(. More work than I want to do :(

Oh well.... it gets 30+ mpg. With leather interior and ONE electric mirror I think its worth saving.... again.

Billy

Quite a few bikes look wonderful with fenders. Not all. My tarmac would look god awful IMHO.

See, my Trek just looks goofy..... I think they ad wind resistance or something, because it does seem harder to keep my speed up.

Fenders are....kind of a pain in the ass sometimes, but they are worth it on a commuter or tourer, which are the two kinds of cycling I mostly do.

Hahahahaha ha ha ha ha he he he hehehehe ho ho < pause, gasp for breath, wipes away tears > ha ha ha ha ha ho ho ho.

Oh, that was a good one.

Really really good.

Wait, that was a joke, right?

I have had to MacGyver mine numerous times, damn disk brake mounts on my frame...

But every time you hear debris bouncing inside, you know it was worth it

And ya done spent MORE than my last 2 bikes together cost.....:eek::D

BTW I don't think I OWN any bikes without fenders.:p

Aaron:)

Considering where I live, if you want to ride for more than once per month, you better get fenders. It rains here. That's pretty much all it's done this year. I'm getting fat.

I spend a lot of time winter riding and without fenders my bikes would be trashed...

This one has seen two winters and looks as good as it did when I got it... a little wipe down with an oiled rag every once in a while has really protected the frame.

It's 21 years old and the only finish issue in on the non drive side stay where a kickstand was attached...I will be fixing that asap since this bike sees use 12 months of the year.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...iefixdrop2.jpg

Just to add to my above attempt at humor: I was once like you, the only problem is that I live in Seattle. Fenders? Nah, I'll get wet anyway!

While you still get wet with fenders, the difference is astounding (also quite a difference between the clip on fenders I was using before and the full fenders I'm using now). Where I would do my 15 minute ride to work while it was raining heavily and be pretty much soaked while wearing water resistant clothing, now with fenders I can do that same ride and I'll be a little damp. Even better, my shoes don't need to be stuffed with newspaper and parked atop my monitor all day to dry out.