Fenders: painted to match or not?

[sailorboy]

Not having a lot of experience with fendered bikes, I was wondering if anyone has links or shots of custom bikes--Kirk terraplanes a bonus-- with fenders that were painted to match.

I'm due to get my kirk in July or so and still up in the air if I should ask JB to paint the fenders. I'll use the narrow SKS model if I did that. Another thought is to order some Honjos and keep them un-painted, but I'm leaning toward the SKS b/c I have installed them before, they seem pretty much bullet-proof and pretty cheap. Of course, paint adds $200-250, which is another consideration altogether.

Opinions or pictures?

thx

[rwsaunders]

DBRK's pics...lots of fenders.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbrk/collections

[hansolo758]

Willy in Pacifica posted pics of his Vanilla here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=354347&postcount=10). The painted fenders do a lot for the bike, imho.

[Hardlyrob]

I'm a big fan of the hammered Honjos on a terraplane - I think dirt's bike is kitted out that way. They seem to go on OK - although I have no experience with them myself.

I think this one is fielder's choice.

Rob

[palincss]

Not having a lot of experience with fendered bikes, I was wondering if anyone has links or shots of custom bikes--Kirk terraplanes a bonus-- with fenders that were painted to match.

I'm due to get my kirk in July or so and still up in the air if I should ask JB to paint the fenders. I'll use the narrow SKS model if I did that. Another thought is to order some Honjos and keep them un-painted, but I'm leaning toward the SKS b/c I have installed them before, they seem pretty much bullet-proof and pretty cheap. Of course, paint adds $200-250, which is another consideration altogether.

Opinions or pictures?

thx

Perhaps this will help you make up your mind. It certainly helped me.

[dave1215]

here's a vanilla with painted fenders that i think looks pretty schwing:
http://flickr.com/photos/bikeportland/409168159/

peter weigle once told me that painted fenders can look "heavy" so he put coordinated stripes on my honjos:
http://flickr.com/photos/7845841@N07/462285368/in/set-72157600084585445/

[goonster]

Do not spend $200+ to paint $40 plastic fenders, atmo.

If your components are silver, get Honjos and leave them be. If you have carbon, or otherwise newfangled componentry, then by all means have some smooth metal fenders painted to match the frame or accents.

[vaxn8r]

I had some SKS fenders painted to match. It's pretty cool but I wouldn't do it again. If money were no object, why not?

[willy in pacifi]

Willy in Pacifica posted pics of his Vanilla here (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=354347&postcount=10). The painted fenders do a lot for the bike, imho.

PAINT, PAINT, PAINT, PAINT.

You can always get non-painted fenders but this may be the only time and the best time to get painted since they are painting your bike.

I assume when you asy $200 for the painted fenders you are including the price of the fenders. Also, go with the honjos. I have had three pair and they work great and last a long time. The two pair I had on my Co-Motion were silver because I put them on after I got the bike but would paint them in a minute if I were repainting the frame.

FYI, if you go for painted and honjo fenders be sure to put the leather washers everywhere the fenders meet the frame. Keeps the wiggling down and the fenders will last a lot longer. You want to try to keep down the metal to metal contact as it will fatique the metal and eventually wear thru.

Here are some pics of my Comotion with non-painted fenders. As nice as it looks it would be much nicer with painted fenders IMO.

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=15164&page=2&pp=15&highlight=comotion+willy


willy in pacifica

[sailorboy]

Thanks all, lots of good input and the bike pics are a treat as well. I'm thinking the paint can make the bike look "heavy" depending on the color, but it can also look amazing and really complete the bike (as in the light green metallic vanilla--which is incidentally the bike that inspired the color choice on my vanilla road frame). I am apprehensive about Honjos b/c of stories I heard of them cracking. Its possible those folks didn't set them up with the leather washers as advised...I guess I'm leaning toward keeping them silver with the hammered look since the build will be all silver stuff.

Hey Bob, as an aside, I'll be in the 'burgh around the 15th of June for a week. Let's ride. I'm staying in Sq. Hill so my typical ride is to head over the bridge to fox chapel. PM me your number and we'll hook up.

Sean

[Louis]

Get some wood fenders - no paint questions, and they look way cool.

[goonster]

I am apprehensive about Honjos b/c of stories I heard of them cracking.

It happens to folks who think they can get away with a single eyebolt for the stays. The mechanism is poorly understood but the phenomenon is well documented. It was discussed elsewhere and Jan Heine has cited Mike Barry, which settles it for me. Two eyebolts and you are golden.

[Blue Jays]

"...Perhaps this will help you make up your mind. It certainly helped me..."What brand are those fluted fenders and are they crafted of stainless steel or aluminum?

[Blue Jays]

sailorboy, my thinking is that fenders can lead a somewhat "rough" life, so I'm inclined to keep them unpainted even after drooling over those Vanilla bicycles.
I'm currently working on a cream-colored fendered bike with red decals and red lug cutouts. I'll likely have a red accent stripe placed on the fender to "tie" the elements together.

[stackie]

I put wood fenders on my Rock Lobster commuter. I also had Spectrum powdercoat some of the Velo Orange fenders in case I didn't like the wood. I think it cost only $40 more to do the fenders along with the frame. Cheap.

I'll post pics of the bike one of these days.

Jon

[cody.wms]

BlueJays,

Those fenders are Honjos that Velo Orange is getting in 700c. They are also getting some 650B x 52s made in that style (zeppelin or le peon) that are in transit according to Chris at Velo Orange.

700s are here: http://www.velo-orange.com/ho45lepaorze.html

[Blue Jays]

/\/\ Perfect, thanks.
The fenders look very classy with the "fluted" appearance. I vacillate between smooth, fluted, and hammered fender options on nearly a daily basis! ;)

[RIHans]

I looked down on fenders for the longest time. I admit, I hated fenders.

Then I got a lil' older. Cool looking fenders are very nice. Some are cool looking, some not. My SKS on the commuter bike are the reason I ride in the rain to work. I think they fit well, could be cool. The bike has lights too.

[palincss]

BlueJays,

Those fenders are Honjos that Velo Orange is getting in 700c. They are also getting some 650B x 52s made in that style (zeppelin or le peon) that are in transit according to Chris at Velo Orange.

700s are here: http://www.velo-orange.com/ho45lepaorze.html


Velo Orange has the 700Cs in stock right now. I picked up a pair at their store in Annapolis last Saturday. As Cody.wms says, they're the Honjo LePeon, and they're even prettier in real life than they are in the photo.

[handsomerob]

peter weigle once told me that painted fenders can look "heavy" so he put coordinated stripes on my honjos:
http://flickr.com/photos/7845841@N07/462285368/in/set-72157600084585445/

I really don't think J.P. can do any wrong. Those fenders look perfect and I would have never thought to do that. From everything of his I have seen, I have to assume he absolutely infallible.

[William]

I looked down on fenders for the longest time. I admit, I hated fenders.

Then I got a lil' older. Cool looking fenders are very nice. Some are cool looking, some not. My SKS on the commuter bike are the reason I ride in the rain to work. I think they fit well, could be cool. The bike has lights too.


I felt that way for a short period of time. But after logging thousands of training miles over the PNW rainy winters I learned that fenders are your friend. They can make all the difference between a rainy ride, and a miserable rainy ride. They also make winter pacelines much more tolerable.

Color is cool, but remember, contrast can be your friend. :cool:




William

[willy in pacifi]

sailorboy, my thinking is that fenders can lead a somewhat "rough" life, so I'm inclined to keep them unpainted even after drooling over those Vanilla bicycles.
I'm currently working on a cream-colored fendered bike with red decals and red lug cutouts. I'll likely have a red accent stripe placed on the fender to "tie" the elements together.

My painted fenders are now one year old and do not have a mark on them. I must have put somewhere between 6k-8k miles on them in that time and they look brand new. I didn't think they would hold up that well but that is in a bit of rain at PBP as well.

Folks have said the Honjos are tough to set up but I have done it a few times and it is no big deal. Again, if you go with metal fenders use the leather washers and it will add quite a bit to the life of your fenders. I think they sell the leather washers at Velo Orange but you can also just make some yourself.

willy in pacifica

[Blue Jays]

Willy in Pacifica, that is very heartening news about the paint durability on your fenders!
Agreed about the leather washers as metal-to-metal is unnerving in that kind of application. Nothing drives fellow riders crazier than loud rattling fenders! :D

[willy in pacifi]

Willy in Pacifica, that is very heartening news about the paint durability on your fenders!
Agreed about the leather washers as metal-to-metal is unnerving in that kind of application. Nothing drives fellow riders crazier than loud rattling fenders! :D

I now have hammered Honjos on my Co-Motion. If I were to paint fenders for the Co-Motion I would not use the hammered fenders. Non-hammered painted fenders look a lot cleaner plus I would check with the painter first if you are considering painting hammered fenders. They may be a pain in the butt to prep & paint.

[rwsaunders]

Sean...I don't know if these are great prices or not.

http://www.renehersebicycles.com/Randonneur%20Items.htm

[sailorboy]

Those look to be pretty good Bob, but I think I am leaning toward the narrow honjos with the hammered finish. I know they have them over at velo orange as well as a couple other items I need, so I'll likely start there.

thanks