WarrenR

If you have the mount points they are a cleaner installation.
I have the Greenfield on my road bike which also is a more secure design then the ones with the springs that degrade over time.

rollagain

Back in the 90s I bought a set of plastic fenders to put on a road bike and didn't like the color match. I just grabbed a can of Krylon and sprayed 'em. The result was fine and lasted for as long as I had the bike.

Bill in VA

Yes, that is another option.

I have found that over the years with changes in environmental laws and regulations with regard to volatile organic chemicals, paints that used to work for an application may not be as effective now (or might be more effective). The Krylon of the 1990s was most likely different in chemical formulation from the current product, so I would test and if it works go for an admittedly cheaper solution.

I was taking the OPs comments about having custom painted frame into account, and largely dismissed the cheaper DIY solution, which could also yield great results depending on the DIYer's talents. The enemy of many DIY projects and efforts is impatience, so good surface prep and testing is a must. A light surface scuff of the plastic with steel wool and then ensuring it is spotlessly degreased of any oils or fingerprints would go a long way to success. However, some plastic formulations are just not friendly to paint adhesion unless specially prepped or using special paint. I have found that the more flexible and 'unbreakable' the plastic, the more challenging it is to get longevity with an unmarred, unchipped finish.

All that said, I am very tempted to add fenders even though I do not ride in rain. The examples shown look very classy (and in many cases 'classic'). I love this thread.

Batstar

I installed these yesterday along with a set of new winter shoes.

GamblerGORD53

Only oldies are goodies. IMO. Here's my 1973 CCM with new wheels and SA RD3, bought in 2017 already repainted. Best fenders I have ever seen, but I do wish the top end was an inch longer forward. They have a deep dish profile, like around car wheels. This aids wheel removal. Plus they were properly bolt mounted to NOT rattle, unlike Raleigh's. I'm also very proud of the boot flaps, that really protects the chain from both wheels.
The chain guard is also solid and neato, with NO rattle. Others of the era are so thin and flimsy.

And don't laugh, this pic was on my 100.6 mile ride. I wanted to weld nice bottle mounts, but it didn't get done.
My Rohloff14 tour custom has old stainless fenders, also awesome. Homemade brackets though. I cut a rear fender for the front. Damn, I left a 3rd matched one at the co-op.
Last pic is the SA RD5w arrangement. It did 7 century rides, just this year.



Matching tractor wheel. LOL. Original front wheel still on here with 30+ year old tire.






PS: I wish to hell I could find some more of these nice smooth and soft plastic grips, the green sparkle ones. They came on my 1973 Raleigh, in other colors too.

subgrade

Sounds like the unpracticality and noisiness of said fenders has influenced your perception of their looks. I agree, some of them are very ugly, some are not THAT bad. But the same goes for proper full fenders too.

Honestly, there is not a single picture in this thread where the bike would not look better without the fenders.

And just to reiterate, I'm not discussing the practicality of mudgards (which also wasn't the specific point of this thread) - I do use mudguards myself when it's wet/muddy, as I commute the whole year round. However, I still don't particularly like the look of the bike with mudguards mounted.


Can't see much of the fenders, let alone the bike, to form an opinion. But given that I vehemently dislike that color, it's perhaps better so.

HTupolev

I don't think so. The mounting schemes of those fenders tend to look bulky and tacky in and of themselves, and I think that the non-functional dimensions of those fenders also contributes to their poor aesthetics.
For example, a shallow fender with poor side coverage looks like it's crowding the tire if it's mounted low, but if it's mounted high, the visual gap can disrupt the fenderline. So the considerations that allow a fender to be mounted safely high above a tire while still providing good side coverage and water channeling also allow it to visually interface well with the tire.
Similarly, fender blades that terminate in places like the fork crown produce a discontinuous appearance in the fenderline, even if they start up again on the opposite side. These breaks in the fenders also reduce coverage and make it harder for the fender to channel water.

If that's your opinion, that's your opinion. I'd wager it's a minority opinion, though.

Like, I wasn't kidding when I said that people often praise the fenders on the first bike I posted. And I don't mean in the sense of "that looks good, for a fender." I mean in the sense of "wow, those look awesome."

rollagain

That's probably true, and as well, the plastic used in those fenders may have been different from what's used today. I don't recall the make of the fenders, but they were metallic silver and they didn't go well with the Raleigh Technium's peacock-blue paint job. When I was shopping for the paint, I couldn't find a close match to the bike, so I went with contrast--orange. It ended up being a very close match to the Howard Johnson's color scheme. My wife even called it "the Ho-Jo bike".

hsuBM

don’t use them if it’s under 30F outside. They become brittle, even when new.

also, they kinda suck if you ever ride over 15mph. Because their mounting brackets are inside the fenders, they interrupt the water’s movement and drip onto your feet. If you’re not handy with a drill and surface rivets, spend the money on some VO/Honjo fenders.

hsuBM

This is so close to qualifying as “hot”, it bugging me that it’s not quite there. Please obtain and mount a proper matching purple saddle, powder coated purple King cages, and silver hubs and cranks, fill out your HFB-364 form and re-submit for evaluation as soon as possible for consideration. Thank you in advance.

An 1/8-1/4” matching purple stripe down the fenders would not be tacky at all, especially if cocked off to the side rather than perfectly centered.

(joking of course. It definitely looks better than any of mine!)

Koyote

Actually, Silca was selling some purple water bottle cages a while back, but they were ti and very expensive...I would've loved a pair for another of my bikes, but can't justify it when a pair of steel King cages work so well and cost so little.

Ferrouscious 

I store my off-season bike in my room. The alarm clock is across the room so I actually have to get up when it alerts.