SpikedLemon

I got caught in the rain on the way home last night from work and had the obligatory mess on my backside. It was a little inconvenient as I had to change as soon as I was home before going back out.

What are you using for fenders on a road bike?

And, for those that have fenders on their bike in the rain, do you remove them in the dryer months or just leave them on? (maybe that specific question more suited for the touring/commuting sub)

I've got fender mounts on my Synapse - so I figure I could fit just about any style on this bike.

Seattle Forrest

Ironically, there's a thread about rain bikes right now; one reason some people have one is they can leave the fenders on year round and not have to deal with them on nice days. That's been my approach. And race blades because they fit.

RJM

My bike allows for 32mm tires plus full length fenders and I put them on in the winter....well, actually I will install them in the next few weeks. The only reason I don't use them all year is because my bike rack on the car doesn't work with a front fendered tire and going to the various charity and event rides I do all spring through fall would get to be a real hassle. They actually make riding in wet conditions so much less of a hassle.

joejack951

My fendered bikes always have their fenders, plus their lights (at least the mounts) and rear racks installed. I occasionally remove my front fender to put the bike in a car but the rear has never come off. It is far more of a hassle remove, too, especially with the rack on there. I couldn't see myself ever playing the game of 'fenders or not' if it was my only bike, but it rains all year round where I live. If I lived somewhere with a dry season or did rides where keeping weight down was a huge priority, I might be more likely to deal with the hassle. I can be a bit of a weight weenie but I think my practical side would win out in the end. Luckily for me, I have more than one bike with one being my low-weight option when I don't need to carry anything more than flat repair tools and don't plan on being out in the rain or dark.

66Satellite

I have a bike that always has fenders on it.

If you only deal with rain on occasion, there are lots of good and cheap clip on options.

Marcus_Ti

Custom modded fenders, starting with 35mm longboards:

https://i.imgur.com/IGUUDZ5.jpg

2manybikes

I have a few bikes with fenders. I find it easier to just get on a different bike than work on the fenders on the day I want to ride. Most of the dirt on your feet and chain come from the bottom of the front tire. Without a good flexible mud flap that almost hits the ground, fenders don't do what they are capable of. Two layers of tube glued together is flexible enough to go over a curb or even snow. I probably still have photos on the forum from years past. Try searching "fenders" or "mud guard flap".

caloso

I have Race Blades for my Ridley. It's definitely a compromise, but much better than the Cat 6 Stripe.

SpikedLemon

I read through the rain bike thread - I'm not into an n+1 situation for road bikes to have a dedicated bike for it. Though it may make me consider putting fenders onto the MTB rather than the roadbike - I still need to get it running first and it's not as nice to ride as my roadbike when commuting.

Bike Gremlin

Fenders that work well and don't come loose or misaligned are usually those not meant for frequent removal. I prefer full fenders that are always attached - especially for commuting and road riding. Off road, they can be a hazard.

I don't like frames that can't fit at least 32mm tyres along with full fenders and that don't have eyelets for mounting rear rack at least.

wphamilton

I used a carpet seam binder similar to this home depot seam binder but a non-fluted one. Bend around the wheel, and just trim it narrower where it passes under the brakes. Using a thin steel rod for mounting struts.

I'm on my second year with these, no rattling never comes out of alignment.

redlude97

For bikes without fender eyelets, PDW fenders are top of the line. With eyelets I like SKS P35.

LesterOfPuppets

I got some of these used, but they didn't come with a chainstay bridge hook. Anyone know where to get a chainstay bridge hook, or some other attachment method at that point?

redlude97

https://www.cambriabike.com/SKS-Chrom...Parts-7518.asp

LesterOfPuppets

Ahh, thanks. I searched but only found 'em at English and Euro shops.

Hmm, so they just have a 90° fitting, I think I might just cut down an L-bracket and bolt it to the fender myself.

trainsktg

My aluminum Defy is my de facto winter/rain bike so it has fenders on all year round. My carbon TCR is a fair weather bike, so it needs none (and has no provision for eyelet-mounted fenders anyway).

Keith

knobster

Same here. I live in Oregon which it rains about half the year. Because of that, I've got a rain bike. It's a Soma ES and it has proper mounts for a rear rack and fenders along with wider tires. I save my Roubaix for fair weather days. Makes life much simpler.

San Pedro

I have a removable seatpost fender that I can change between my two bikes in about a minute, but I don't really ride my Allez in the rain.

Doctor Morbius

Here's a Fender on a road bike.

slimyfrog

I have this for my bart-station bike. Might be the same one San Pedro mentioned. I really like it. very adjustable, super quick to put on and take off and light.
I believe there's a front fender as well, but I have not used that one.
Amazon.com : SKS S-Blade Rear Fender for 700c wheels : Bike Fenders : Sports & Outdoors

chaadster

Just to reiterate a couple of important points...

You want full coverage fenders if you're going to use fenders, because they work so well at keeping both you and your bike clean. You could totally half-ass it with a clip on rear fender to just prevent "the stripe", but your shoes and pant legs will get f***ed and your bike filthy.

Generally, taking full coverage fenders on/off seasonally ain't bad, but trying to do it as-needed on a daily basis sucks. Best is just to mount and leave them on.

SKS Longboards are great FC fenders, PlanetBike Cascadia also very good full cover. PDW has the Origami fenders if on/off is more important than coverage.

Use shaped fenders, and avoid flat ones; junk just spatters around the edges of flat ones.

My rain/winter bike is a racing frame with no provision for fenders in any sense: no mounts and no clearance. Using Crud Roadracer Mk.II fenders, the thinnest availble, I can mange just barely with 23c tires. They're not as durable as hard-mounted fenders-- Crud use o-rings to mount to bike, plastic screws/nuts to keep bits together, and zip ties to secure around brakes-- but the give good coverage in a tool-free design. Seasonal users may like that, the super low weight, and very trim look. I leave mine on all year round, and they're pretty good, brilliant for what they are. I think they're the sportiest looking, too. The real downside is that they're not as durable as others, so if you're locking up on racks and stuff like that, they're not the best choice.

Not a good pic, but here are my Crud RRs:

2manybikes

He's tipped to one side, so clearly he's rocking and rolling at the same time.