Roadierookie

I just purchased a bike from EBay for the purpose of riding during the winter and rainy days. I was told to put fenders on it (both front and rear) and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts in it. Is there any advice for winter riding? I live in Toronto, Canada and the winters are fairly moderate and unpredictable.

Thank you in advance,

Jeff

LordOpie

if you need fenders, you need fenders.

halfspeed

Fenders make you look like a dork. Fenders also keep your feet, butt and drivetrain dry in bad whether. Plus anyone riding behind you will thank you for using them. Fashion or function, it's your decision.

trailhead31

I used to live on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State and rode year round, which meant that nearly every rider involved some sort of precipitation (80 to 100 inches per year). I mounted fenders and they made a big difference - simply because I got less wet. Also, it was one less justification to not ride. If you ride in the rain, they're worth it.

531Aussie

A few years ago I put together a serious wet-weather bike, and after trying the "pretendy", clip-on mudguards, to get proper protection, I had to put on full guards.

They worked quite well, but did look geeky

bentbaggerlen

All my touring bikes have fenders, the around town bikes have fenders... fenders dont look geeky, skunk strips and pocket protectors do.

KrisPistofferson

Newer compact frame roadies=good luck squeezin' fenders on it!

Fugazi Dave

I have a nice SKS X-Blade fender for the back and it works really well in addition to being a breeze to take on and off. I have yet to feel compelled to use one up front - the majority of the spray gets caught by the downtube anyway.

whydrive

How about putting one of those seat post mounted racks to keep the water off your back?

robertsdvd

Fenders are sexy, always and forever.

edit: FULL fenders are sexy, always and forever.

operator

Winter riding in Toronto without fenders is like driving a car without the car.

scrantr

Charter member of the Dork Brigade here. My bad weather commuter is a 13 year old hybrid (Yokota Ahwahnee Cross for you trivia buffs) with 35mm street tires, extenders on the straight bars, front and rear racks, and SKS 45mm fenders front and rear. It (and I) look dorky to the cycling elitists, but I arrived at work dry and warm this morning after a 4 mile commute in pouring rain. Check the weather.com maps for the central Ohio area.

LordOpie

Keep your eyes looking ahead and plan for bad road conditions. Never turn while on ice/snow. Pick a path thru the mess that keeps your bike upright (don't lean). Never hesistate to walk thru a bad section. Always wear synthetic material clothes. Never wear cotton on cool/cold days.

Check out neoprene boots to go over your shoes. I can wear shorts to 35°F, but my feet get uncomfortably cold even at 50°F.

Berodesign

Body armour (leather jacket and jeans as outermost layer) is always good to wear during winter. And a ski mask for the wind. Ski googles, motorcycle gloves with wool gloves inside (army leather gloves are the best, tough but still soft to be able to pull the trigger). Winter boots insulated with a newspaper or two. Wool, wool, wool.

Thats about the clothing advice for winter riding. Atleast up here in Sweden

Flaneur

Far be it from me to advise a Canadian about winter clothes............you know that stuff already.

Full guards are a no-brainer, unless you ride in AZ or SoCal. Mudflaps front and rear are good.

Great lights and reflectors will help and impart confidence. Plan your routes carefully; longer and quieter often works in poor weather or light conditions.

Big, puncture resistant tires are another smart move, even on training rides. Getting a flat in the snow is even less welcome than usual.

I break out the MTB when the snow really starts to build up..........it's much dorkier-looking than the ones that spend six months hanging in peoples' garages;-)

powers2b

I hated fenders until I started winter riding.
I started with clip-ons (they only offer partial protection and the brakes would get packed with snow and grit.
Then I tried full fenders and would never go back.
Now I ride in all weather and am fully protected from my own road spray.

On a side note I also switched to fixed gear for winter riding (beter control and much less maintenance)

phantomcow2

if your riding in winter you want fenders. NO questions asked. It keeps you clean and much of the crap on your chain is kicked up from the front wheel, anything you can to prevent that why not?

alanbikehouston

I have full fenders, front and back, on my "rainy day" bike. Not only do the fenders reduce the amount of mud and splatter on me, the fenders greatly reduce the amount of road grit that gets kicked up into the chain.

I remember the times when I was a kid in "Baja Canada" (aka Michigan) delivering newspapers at 5 a.m. during a blizzard. My recollection is that the snow would get packed between the tire and fender, reducing my average speed from "very slow" down to nada. So, when the slushy, wet goop of December turned into the huge snowdrifts of January, the fenders came off.

bentbaggerlen

Drop dead sexy fenders, carbon or stainless steel can be found at Peter White Cycles
https://www.peterwhitecycles.com/berthoud.asp

breggurns

Fenders are a fashion no-no WITH THE EXCEPTION of SKS RaceBlade fenders. Low profile, not very cheap, and aerodynamic. Just got a pair and rode them today. Loved em.

rustychain

Fenders are cool on fixed gear bikes (not track bikes but those old steel junkyard ones with no brakes), full touring bikes, some low riders, and you look much cooler walking into Starbucks without a wet strip up you backside. Fenders are cool if you ride in the city streets as they can get gross (you think movie theater floors are bad). I do not have fenders on my road bike but last summer I was riding in the country, by a farm, by some cows.........................Now after that I made an impression at Starbucks!

JarodArmstrong

I put some planetbike.com Freddy Fenders on my LeMond Big Sky. They look like they should have come on the bike. Everything goes with black. By the way, I love them. The slush doesn't get all over me now.

2manybikes

Winter riding-Icebike web sight.

halfspeed

'Bent riders are disqualified from having an opinion on what looks geeky. Riding a 'bent is prima facie evidence of nerditude.

kf5nd

Do fenders slow you down? How much ?