What's a Good Clip on Fender?

[redir]

For race bikes. I've got a Moots Compact if that matters. I'd like something easy. I don't want permanent mount points because I have so many bikes it would be nice to just clip on when needed.

If permanent points are the only way to go that's ok too I guess. I've had a set of Race Blades and never like how they worked. Something that fits over the brakes seems like a better idea. Also it's not just for me but for the riders behind so it would have to wrap around the wheel pretty good.

[FlashUNC]

Race Blades are the best option I've used. They're not perfect but any non-bolt-on fender will have it's own problems.

[oldpotatoe]

For race bikes. I've got a Moots Compact if that matters. I'd like something easy. I don't want permanent mount points because I have so many bikes it would be nice to just clip on when needed.

If permanent points are the only way to go that's ok too I guess. I've had a set of Race Blades and never like how they worked. Something that fits over the brakes seems like a better idea. Also it's not just for me but for the riders behind so it would have to wrap around the wheel pretty good.

Planet bike clipons, better than SKS as they adjust in height. Use them on my Moots Vamoots rain bike.

[11.4]

One thing is that to make any of these work well, you do have to customize them. For me, that's putting helicopter tape on the frame where they mount -- it both keeps them from slipping around and it prevents chafing on the frame finish. And get a pair of buddy flaps (and they make a pair of extra-long ones for use with Raceblades). Those extend the Raceblades so they're long enough to protect both your feet (in front) and the wheel sucker on your tail (in the rear).

In terms of mounting, they all work in slight variations of the same method, at least if you want ones that give any protection to the feet (in front) and the wheel sucker (in the rear). I skip the elastic straps that Raceblades come with and use some high quality heavy duty o-rings (neoprene, I think) from a hardware store. If I'm going to be using them on a bike for any extended amount of time I'll just attach them with zip ties -- I can clip them off in seconds and reattach in a couple minutes if I need to, but the zip ties hold better than anything.

Second, most people try to fit a 25 or 28 mm tire under the smaller size of Raceblade. You really want to get the bigger one that takes tires up to about 35 mm. Raceblades are a completely different experience if you allow enough room under the fender -- by using the right size fender. This is really the big issue that solves problems for most riders.

The other part of Raceblades is to remember that you ARE riding in the muck and wet. I always have a bucket with some concentrated auto wash solution and a long-handled soft car-wash brush. A capful of the auto wash solution and a half gallon of hot water and the brush cleans everything off nicely in a minute or two. It all dries off if you let it sit, or use a couple paper towels. Wet riding is so much more tolerable if you don't have to come out to an encrusted bike when you start your ride.

[Scooper]

I've been using the Raceblade Longs for two rainy seasons and find them hard to fault. With 23mm tires the coverage is good, and it only takes a few seconds to mount and dismount the fenders. I've experienced very little splash-through at the brakes.

YMMV.

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d7/k4drd/Bicycles/Waterford%20B07014/cimg7829sm.jpg

[cash05458]

I have been using the Sks ones for years...love em...

[redir]

Thanks for the input.

I think I like the looks of the Planet Bike ones like these:

https://ecom1.planetbike.com/planetbike/media/7017.jpg

I've had to constantly fuss with my race blades to get them right. I used zip ties and tape and nothing worked for me. And when grit gets under there it makes a scratching a chalk board sound that drives me nuts.

[tv_vt]

^^^ I recently bought a set of these. They mount easily, but seem to rattle a lot. Haven't had them on the road yet, but just moving the bike around in the garage made a racket. Not too excited to have to listen to them for many miles.

[11.4]

I haven't found that the Planet Bike clipons do any better than the Raceblades, and with a different mounting for the struts, they tend to work loose and make noise, just as someone mentioned above. The Raceblades are simple but bulletproof.

It's not quite clear what you don't like about Raceblades. Can you clarify? It might be more about the installation than about the fenders themselves.

[one60]

I have these on two different road bikes; a LOOK KG381i & an old school steel frame. They work great. They are silent. They are FULL coverage. They are light. I run 25c & 28c tires under them

This review from a Seattle based coach/ year round rider says it better than I could...


http://tomsbicycleblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/coachs-tipcrud-roadracer-mkii-fenders.html

[redir]

I haven't found that the Planet Bike clipons do any better than the Raceblades, and with a different mounting for the struts, they tend to work loose and make noise, just as someone mentioned above. The Raceblades are simple but bulletproof.

It's not quite clear what you don't like about Raceblades. Can you clarify? It might be more about the installation than about the fenders themselves.

They are like 1mm above the tire and that eventually gets moved around in time and so just a tiny bit of gravel gets up and stuck and scrapes and then maybe finally gets spit out. They rub the tire and have to be adjusted. I just don't like the little brushes to keep everything alined, just align it properly in the first place and so on...

I did not have these installed on my Moots but an old GL frame which I would have thought had plenty of clearance. They seemed to work good at first and then just warp and be impossible to adjust. Maybe they have improved the design I got these 6 or 7 years ago.

I can tolerate it I just don't like it and I'd love to have something that is easy to swap bike to bike.

Thanks.

[redir]

Oh wow I just realized something after looking at one60's post, I'm a dumb arse... It's the crud's that I have and don't like. Some reason I thought they were called race blades... Yikes now I'm confused. :confused:

[11.4]

Sounds like you just need to get some bigger ones. If you go at all small, you get that kind of rubbing with any clip-on fender. Some that have hardware underneath or are smaller than usual will give more problems. Try another brand and/or get big enough. You should have a half inch or more of clearance in every dimension -- more than you might choose with fixed fenders but then these do tend to wiggle and vibrate a little more.

[soulspinner]

One thing is that to make any of these work well, you do have to customize them. For me, that's putting helicopter tape on the frame where they mount -- it both keeps them from slipping around and it prevents chafing on the frame finish. And get a pair of buddy flaps (and they make a pair of extra-long ones for use with Raceblades). Those extend the Raceblades so they're long enough to protect both your feet (in front) and the wheel sucker on your tail (in the rear).

In terms of mounting, they all work in slight variations of the same method, at least if you want ones that give any protection to the feet (in front) and the wheel sucker (in the rear). I skip the elastic straps that Raceblades come with and use some high quality heavy duty o-rings (neoprene, I think) from a hardware store. If I'm going to be using them on a bike for any extended amount of time I'll just attach them with zip ties -- I can clip them off in seconds and reattach in a couple minutes if I need to, but the zip ties hold better than anything.

Second, most people try to fit a 25 or 28 mm tire under the smaller size of Raceblade. You really want to get the bigger one that takes tires up to about 35 mm. Raceblades are a completely different experience if you allow enough room under the fender -- by using the right size fender. This is really the big issue that solves problems for most riders.

The other part of Raceblades is to remember that you ARE riding in the muck and wet. I always have a bucket with some concentrated auto wash solution and a long-handled soft car-wash brush. A capful of the auto wash solution and a half gallon of hot water and the brush cleans everything off nicely in a minute or two. It all dries off if you let it sit, or use a couple paper towels. Wet riding is so much more tolerable if you don't have to come out to an encrusted bike when you start your ride.

Well said.....

[rnhood]

I have the Planet ones and do not like them. They work loose, vibrate, and offer relatively poor coverage.

[oldpotatoe]

I haven't found that the Planet Bike clipons do any better than the Raceblades, and with a different mounting for the struts, they tend to work loose and make noise, just as someone mentioned above. The Raceblades are simple but bulletproof.

It's not quite clear what you don't like about Raceblades. Can you clarify? It might be more about the installation than about the fenders themselves.

Ritchey carbon fork..I had to bend the crap outta the struts to get them to work..why I like the PlanetBike..adjustable struts, height like a bolt on fender system.

[Climb01742]

Planet Bike had good coverage, but for me, they rattled like crazy. I tried various fixes but they were always super noisy.

[redir]

Sounds like you just need to get some bigger ones. If you go at all small, you get that kind of rubbing with any clip-on fender. Some that have hardware underneath or are smaller than usual will give more problems. Try another brand and/or get big enough. You should have a half inch or more of clearance in every dimension -- more than you might choose with fixed fenders but then these do tend to wiggle and vibrate a little more.

Oh really half inch? I wasn't even close to that and I didn't even know they made them in different sizes. Think is though the brake is a pinch point my brakes are really close to the tire.

[bobswire]

Just clamps on seat tube and U R ready to go. :banana:

http://i57.tinypic.com/25p2ujm.jpg

[11.4]

Oh really half inch? I wasn't even close to that and I didn't even know they made them in different sizes. Think is though the brake is a pinch point my brakes are really close to the tire.

Yeah, but your brake isn't going to bounce down or twist sideways so it rubs the tire. Clip-on fenders need more room. If you get the Raceblades that are sized to fit up to about a 35 mm tire, you can ride a 27 mm and have lots of room all around.

One thing about Raceblades that nobody ever seems to notice. They come with a little tiny stainless screw. They're designed so you can slide the ends of the struts back and forth along the plastic fender until they're in the place you want, then you bend the strut to stay in place and put in the screw (not necessary but sometimes helpful) to keep everything from ever slipping. With that adjustment, you can make them take all kinds of interesting shapes to accommodate weird forks, curved seat stays, etc.

[William]

http://ass-savers.com




;)
William

[11.4]

http://ass-savers.com




;)
William

Fine if you want to ride alone. Anyone behind you doesn't benefit from them at all.

[redir]

Yeah we have lots of snow melt and spring rain coming. The fenders are for me but also for the riders behind.