Fender recommendations

[americancyclo]

Those look great. I’m curious as to how they hold up over multiple seasons of riding. Do they need to be removed and cleaned a few times per year?

[Bilsko]

Ed & Mary are your source for VO reviews/info – they’ve recommended the VO equip. to me in the past…although they said that if you do opt for those, you might consider that Hanjo hardware as its a bit sturdier than the stuff that VO uses.

FWIW, I like the looks of the new PDW fenders…

[jrenaut]

I guess I really should have come to Coffee Club this morning. It looks like the hardware comes with the fenders, so I guess I’d have to get separate hardware? Maybe I’ll go check them out in Annapolis once they’ve finished moving.

[jopamora]

Nice! Looks like they are offering 20% off.

I’ve only been using 48mm fluted VO fenders for a couple of weeks. Other than me doing a poor install job the first, um second time, they work great and are pretty quiet with leather washers. Considering a mudflap, but might try some colored duct tape first.

Also, consider ordering the spring thing or making your own depending on your dropout.

[Dirt]

I have many sets of the VO fenders… fluted, hammered, smooth. They are basically flawless. Take your time with the installation and really do it right and you’ll have a set of fenders that will essentially last the life of the bike…. sometimes longer. The set on the Tweed have survived 3 frame failures. This is their 4th bike.

They are not “quick on/quick off” fenders at all. You install them once and leave them. I strongly suggest using the L brackets that you drill and screw to the fender for attaching them to your bike, rather than the crimp-on bracket that bends around the fender. Both come with the kit (Though I think I linked to the Honjo “L” bracket instead of the V-O version). It takes longer to install them, but you get a much cleaner and trouble free installation.

I suggest adding a mud flap for the front fender. It keeps your toes dry. If you ride in a group of people that you like, add one at the back. It keeps your friends dry.

I purchased extra leather washers. It was a few $ extra, but it made it so that I didn’t have to be stingy with them when I installed. They help keep everything quiet.

Let me know if you have more questions.

Pete

[jopamora]

@Dirt 43514 wrote:

I strongly suggest using the L brackets that you drill and screw to the fender for attaching them to your bike, rather than the crimp-on bracket that bends around the fender. Both come with the kit (Though I think I linked to the Honjo “L” bracket instead of the V-O version). It takes longer to install them, but you get a much cleaner and trouble free installation

Pete

Oh great, my third install of the fenders is here!

[Dirt]

Photos:

On my Troll with a “custom” (read ghetto) bracket that I needed to make to get them to fit on the HUGE fork.

Same fenders on the Tweed — Where they currently reside.

Same fenders on the WTF — DANG I MISS THAT BIKE!

Same fenders on the VooDoo before I painted them black.

[Dirt]

Get creative with the front install for the fender. There’s a thing called a “Star Nut” that is used for installing a headset. It is basically a threaded insert that fits into the steer tube of the fork that allows you to bolt directly into the fork. If you can use one of those without interfering with the front brake, the installation is SUPER easy and clean.

V-O makes a fork crown eyelet that also makes that process pretty easy and clean for some forks that have a caliper rim brake. I believe that still comes with the hardware kit along with the fenders, so you don’t have to buy one separately.

Basically when I do a new build with the fenders, I buy extra leather washers (or use some that I have on hand) and add 1 or 2 mud flaps. No extra hardware required. I did one install on a rather odd frame (The WTF shown below) where it helped to have an extra set of stays to hold the fenders still. That was a very unusual frame. Most normal bikes will neither need nor benefit from extra stays…. Though I thought about adding a set of stays to the front of the front fender because it is a little crooked after being hit by a car the third time. (Starting to understand the durability of these things?)

[TwoWheelsDC]

I just have basic PB Hardcore fenders on my Volpe (size 35mm, I think). They work fine and were relatively cheap. I think if I were to do it again, I’d put more effort into finding something else a bit more stylish, but sometimes it’s just easier to walk into REI or Performance and know they’ll have a cheap/functional version of whatever you’re looking for…and that’s what I did when I got fenders. Mine took about 10 minutes to install and didn’t require any extra hardware except a 10mm wrench. They seem to be pretty durable and I’ve banged them around a decent amount without having to readjust, so I’m happy. Been using them for about a year now and I don’t expect them to wear out anytime soon.

[DCAKen]

Very timely. I was just thinking it’s time to replace my Planet Bike fenders. They’ve been good, but front mudflap has fallen off and one of the rear attachment brackets has failed (metal fatigue).

[DismalScientist]

Fenders?… Bah…. Rule # 5. :p

[Riley Casey]

Took my grandsons on a ride up the C&O to Harpers Ferry a few weeks ago. Every few miles the youngest would ask ” is there a stripe up my back yet?”. Grandpa’s fenders are plain jane SKS P45 and have served well on my Jamis Coda commuter. I do secretly covet a set of totally impractical bamboo fenders though.

@DismalScientist 43553 wrote:

Fenders?… Bah…. Rule # 5. :p

[jopamora]

Velo Orange has the Bikeman fender flute in stock. I wish I’d known about it last year, but I still need one.

@Dirt 43519 wrote:

Get creative with the front install for the fender. There’s a thing called a “Star Nut” that is used for installing a headset. It is basically a threaded insert that fits into the steer tube of the fork that allows you to bolt directly into the fork. If you can use one of those without interfering with the front brake, the installation is SUPER easy and clean.

V-O makes a fork crown eyelet that also makes that process pretty easy and clean for some forks that have a caliper rim brake. I believe that still comes with the hardware kit along with the fenders, so you don’t have to buy one separately.

Basically when I do a new build with the fenders, I buy extra leather washers (or use some that I have on hand) and add 1 or 2 mud flaps. No extra hardware required. I did one install on a rather odd frame (The WTF shown below) where it helped to have an extra set of stays to hold the fenders still. That was a very unusual frame. Most normal bikes will neither need nor benefit from extra stays…. Though I thought about adding a set of stays to the front of the front fender because it is a little crooked after being hit by a car the third time. (Starting to understand the durability of these things?)

[bluerider]

I will be installing Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders: City on my Salsa Vaya. They look really nice but time will tell how they work. I have high hopes.

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