fenders dont do the trick?
02-03-04 | 04:28 PM
#1
Thread Starter
put our Heads Together
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,155
Likes: 1
From: southeast pennsylvania
Bikes: a mountain bike with a cargo box on the back and aero bars on the front. an old well-worn dahon folding bike
fenders dont do the trick?
Grr. My fenders keep the road muck from getting on my back, chest, face... just fine. But when i'm going sorta fast the water comes out the sides of the fenders and gets blown by the wind onto my shoes and the lower-leg part of my pants.
Anybody else have that problem?
Anybody else have that problem?
02-03-04 | 05:38 PM
#2
One less car
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 981
Likes: 0
From: The Berkshires, MA
Bikes: '08 Soma Groove (commuter/long distance tourer), '97 Lemond Zurich (road commuter/tourer),'01 Seven Axiom Ti, '03 Look KG381i, '01 Santa Cruz Superlite X
Road or mountain bike? My mountain bike has that problem, but I typically don't care, I have booties and rain pants that I don't mind getting dirty. I also have wide 2.1" tires on my mountain bike so its hard to get good fenders for MTBs, at least in terms of keeping ones shoes or pants clean. Best bet is to find a full wheel fender that is as close to the tire as possible. This is easier on a road bike than a mountain bike. I think Planet Bike makes some good full fenders for road bikes, I've seen some before on the net but not in person.
Jay
Jay
02-03-04 | 10:08 PM
#3
Year-round cyclist
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 3
From: Montréal (Québec)
You need a mudflap at the base of the front fender. See https://phred.org/~alex/bikes/fendermudflap.html for a good design.
02-03-04 | 10:55 PM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 80
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I second the mudflap. Most of the spray on your lower legs comes from the front wheel.
I happened to put one on my bike last night, and it kept my shoes and pants dry tonight -- it's rained in the Boston area today. I just cut out a rectangular part of a 1-liter bottle, then poked some holes in it and the fender, and used zip ties to hold it together.
I happened to put one on my bike last night, and it kept my shoes and pants dry tonight -- it's rained in the Boston area today. I just cut out a rectangular part of a 1-liter bottle, then poked some holes in it and the fender, and used zip ties to hold it together.
02-04-04 | 03:54 AM
#5
bici accumulatori
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 855
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From: Hamilton, Ottawa, Maberly, Apsley, Ontario
Bikes: 1985 Nishiki International Touring Bike, 1992 Vitus 979 road bike, 1996 Bianchi Premio road bike, 2002 Thin Blue LIne CO2 mountain bike, 2007 Rocky Mountain Sherpa touring bike, 1964 CCM roadster, 1959 CCM Motorbike, 2002 KHS FXT mtb + more to fix!
I agree, the mudflap is the answer. I have 2 similar MTB's for commuting, one with Rhode Gear fenders (no mudflap) and get wet feet and legs, the other with Planet Bike Freddy Fenders (with mudflap) and feet stay nice and dry.
02-04-04 | 04:05 AM
#6
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 12,948
Likes: 9
From: England
SKS fenders used to come with a mudflap. They are still the best fenders around, but dont have the flap any more.
With chromoplastic material, you can drill and rivet on some plastic from a detergent bottle.
Make sure your fenders are close to the tyre. I leave about 5-10mm of space.
With chromoplastic material, you can drill and rivet on some plastic from a detergent bottle.
Make sure your fenders are close to the tyre. I leave about 5-10mm of space.
02-04-04 | 02:50 PM
#7
Thread Starter
put our Heads Together
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 3,155
Likes: 1
From: southeast pennsylvania
Bikes: a mountain bike with a cargo box on the back and aero bars on the front. an old well-worn dahon folding bike
"what kind of bike?"
well, right now, what i actually have is a road bike with mountain bike fenders.
"With chromoplastic material, you can drill and rivet on some plastic from a detergent bottle."
that's pretty much what i've done already. the length of the front fender is not the problem, it's the fact that wind is blowing water off the sides. yes, i'm sure that's it. because i looked while riding.
i suspect i either have to deal with it, or use narrow, close-to-the-tire fenders instead of wider, far-from-the tire fenders as i am now.
well, right now, what i actually have is a road bike with mountain bike fenders.
"With chromoplastic material, you can drill and rivet on some plastic from a detergent bottle."
that's pretty much what i've done already. the length of the front fender is not the problem, it's the fact that wind is blowing water off the sides. yes, i'm sure that's it. because i looked while riding.
i suspect i either have to deal with it, or use narrow, close-to-the-tire fenders instead of wider, far-from-the tire fenders as i am now.
02-06-04 | 01:53 PM
#8
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 80
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Originally Posted by cerewa
have to deal with it, or use narrow, close-to-the-tire fenders instead of wider, far-from-the tire fenders as i am now.
Yeah -- you definitely need fenders that run close to the tire. You won't see anything come out of the sides. Once you have it set up right, you'll wonder how you lived without them for so long.
A note - I have the Freddy Fenders which have a built-in mud flap, as mentioned above. But even that mud flap didn't go low enough to protect my feet, so I extended it a few inches.
