Fenders
 

I'm looking for some fenders that I could attach to either of my bikes. I want something that is pretty quick and easy to take on and off. I don't plan to leave them on all the time, just when I need them.

SKS S blade seems like it would work. Any reviews?

This link has about 40 reviews on them, averaging about 4 stars out of 5. Complaints were mostly that they looked kind of weird and a few thought they were ill fitting, but most liked them:

wiggle.com | SKS S Blade 28" Rear Guard | Bike Fenders

and this blogger liked them:

https://pigseyecyclist.wordpress.com...fender-review/

I've used the SKS Race Blades and Crud fenders, both of which are removable. They are both fine if you absolutely don't want permanent or semi-permanent fenders on your bikes. They will keep water from spraying up your back and do a fairly decent job keeping it off your feet and drivetrain. However, they do not work nearly as well as fixed or permanent fenders. The main problems I've had is getting them properly adjusted so they don't rub your tires or frame, as well as allowing adequate clearance for tires.

I got rid of my Crud fenders because they lacked clearance for tires larger than 23 mm. I still have the SKS Race Blades but seldom use them, opting instead to install "permanent" fenders on three of my bikes. We've had so much rain in NC the past two years -- as you know -- that I've just resigned myself to expect the roads to be wet much of the time. I removed the fenders from one of my bikes the summer before last and ended up not riding that bike hardly all summer due to all of the rain, and it's my favorite bike. So I put fenders back on it, but I have two other bikes without fenders that I can ride on sunny days, which seem to be more and more of a rarity in NC.

I have a set that used to be sold by Trek under the Bontrager name. They came stock on my 2006 Trek Portland. (And are part of the reason why the market dissed the Portland, because it didn't come with full fenders.) I was delighted to find they're now available on the open market, and that you can buy the front and rear ones separately.

http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/produc...220_1_zoom.jpg
BBB RoadProtector Guards, MUDGUARDS ROAD
(I've been purchasing stuff from Ribble for years now without any trouble at all. Even bought the frameset for my three-seasons commuter there, see the "My Bikes" listing. I have new three-seasons tires for the spring on their way right now.)

The mount is held on by the brake caliper. You need a bit of clearance under the brake for the mount. (No, I don't have a caliper to measure the clearance required, but there's between 1 and 2mm between the mount and the tire now.) The fender itself uses a bayonet QR to attach to the mount. It's a "beavertail" type of fender, which means it's stiff enough to require no other support.

Once the mount is installed, it takes longer to type "mount the fender" than it does to actually mount it.

I prefer full fenders on my commuters, so I use mine on the Litespeed with Dura-Ace 7800 brakes and a 25mm GP4000S tire underneath. Here's the bike showing just the fender QR mount hanging behind the rear caliper. Sorry, no pics with the fender installed.

http://www.brucew.com/images/portrai...ommute-800.jpg

It keeps the spray off my back, but does nothing at all for people behind me, or about splatters on the backs of my legs and shoes from spray hitting the seat tube. Doesn't keep the bike itself any cleaner either. But it goes on and off much, much faster than a Raceblade, doesn't require any fussing to keep from rubbing, and offers about the same coverage.

On the rear I use the platform of the rack. On the front I use a downtube "crud catcher"--if streets are wet, otherwise I don't push it through the wind-it's like a sideways sail.

I use Rule 5 on both ends.

Agreed. And anything less than full coverage fenders is a waste. Besides, bikes look better with full fenders! Once all the hardware is on even full coverage metal fenders are pretty quick to take off and put on, easy enough for seasonal swaps.

Not sure that everyone will agree with you on this. I had them on my CX bike, and I hated how they looked. To me, they were not even that functional, as my feet and the fronts of my legs still got wet/dirty.

It's climate. Here in Sacramento we get ~60 days of rain per year, mostly in the winter.

The part you sit is the most important. As long as that's dry nothing else matters.

If that is the case, then full fenders are not needed, and this should be more than adequate.

http://www.excelsports.com/Gallery/104890-1.jpg

I should have used a little emoticon to show I was being sarcastic.

That fender is all I use on my commuter. :)

http://i.imgur.com/eVuN20M.png

Stickers have since been removed.

Yeah, I put fenders on and leave 'em. On the road bike I ran with nothing for a year or so but I recently put on a rack.

Proper full coverage fenders w/ mudflaps actually keep the rider reasonably dry.
If your bike has fender mounting eyelets install a pair of SKS or Planet bike plastic fenders in the correct size.
Once correctly installed it takes 10 minutes to remove or re-install the set I use to winterize my Rando-ish bike, less hassle than and far better coverage than the kludges designed for race bikes that lack eyelets.

-Bandera

because more than 9 times out of ten I won't need them. I'd rather just put them on when I need to.

It helps if the mounting is separate. My SS has no rack eyelets and so both fender and rack mount to the brake bolt, making it rather fun to get everything lined up when tightening that one bolt.

I use "Sheldon's Fender Nuts", no need to mess up the brake adjustment/centering. 6 bolts, off/on as required for winter/drought seasons.
Last season I just left 'em on w/ construction cr_p on the local roads pinging and whacking off the mudguards.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=428252http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=428253http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=428254

-Bandera

The good thing about quick-attach fenders is that they're easy to put on and take off.

On the other hand, the good thing about full-length fenders is that they work.

Yeah, I've read that for the rider to be dry the mudflap has to reach below a line between the front tire contact point and the pedals at the lowest point. That makes sense to me.

Needed to add a mudflap. Most production fender sets aren't long enough in the front.

I think the right fenders can be sexy. I think mine are sexy and add to the bike.

Looks like there's just enough sexy back fender to prevent the child carrier from being sprayed.

Not quite enough for riders behind me though. I have extended pieces I put on as needed.

If you get a lot of rain and you bike has clearance and mounting points don't futz around with clip-ons, just go straight to a good bolt on set like the Planet Bike Cascadia or SKS Chromoplast. If you don't have eyelets, Planet Bike, SKS, and Crud have strap on models that cover almost as much, or get creative with p-clips and zip ties or split mounting brackets.

Hey, while we're on the topic. I got a pair of SKS chromoplast for Christmas and they are... black. Not chrome. If you look closely there are some strange things going on with the color, it's not just uniform black plastic. It looks like very dark gray with clear coat and there are some subtle coppery colored lines along the crest. But from more than three feet away you'd say black. The package definitely said Chromoplast. What gives?