Fender Recommendation for Commuter Bike

[oldforester]

Hi,
I have some very nice bikes and was planning to use one for commuting but instead ran across a VGC Raleigh Sportif that has fender eyelets front and rear and have decided to use it. If it were red I'd name it Rudolph but alas its a medium blue color. I'd like to get some nice fenders for it to allow for riding it when the roads are wet. Any recommendations for a good set of fenders. Looking more for function than looks although would like to get something that looks good, won't rust etc. and I know nothing about fenders other than the SKS plastic ones I sometimes use but don't like because they tend to bounce off when crossing rr tracks. Would like to mount some permanently on this bike. Being a blue bike it is not one that glows in the dark so would like to get some fenders that would help drivers be able to see my bike (and me!) on the road. Thanks.

[markie]

Which sks fenders did you not like?

I have these:

http://www.amazon.com/SKS-B45-Alley-Cat-Fenders/dp/B003YPD4SS

They are cheap and easy and I have no problems with them on my commuter

[dhoff]

Berthoud Fenders are solid and mount up beautifully if you take your time. they won't rattle or shake and are available sized for tires up to 28 for road bikes and larger as well. I also love the way hammered and fluted Honjo's look but I haven't used them. I hate the way it feels and looks to have flimsy fenders that rattle when I roll.

[xjoex]

I am a fan of the Zefal paragons:
http://www.zefal.com/zefal/produit.php?key=220&PHPSESSID=b5c5f961d4221e1024c7a89baec3c735

I mounted a Spaniga fender iight on my fender and ran some reflective tape down the fenders for improved visibility: http://www.rei.com/product/543007/jogalite-cutn-peel-stick-on-tape

Also we need to see a picture of this blue beast!

-Joe

[yipsan]

+1 for Berthoud

[Frankwurst]

Another vote for Berthoud. :beer:

[EricEstlund]

Berthoud- Nice SS with low profile hardware
Honjo- light aluminum, long, higher profile hardware and a bit more dent prone
SKS P series- great, but ditch the chain stay metal clamp and through bolt. Metal core for rear light
Planet Bike Cascadia- great coverage, round profile, nice mud flap (actually, buy some of their mud flaps for just about any fender)
SKS longboard- essentially a P series with a PB style mud flap build in.

Good installation is worth the time/ money (if you opt for a shop to do it). All of these should be rattle and virtually maintenance free.

I recommend and use all of the above based on the application.

[etu]

Use to have standard SKS
Going over puddles, water would spray onto feet and chainring
Had to put mudguards
using honjo's which are longer
sks longboards look good too
when it comes to fenders, coverage seems good for the back wheel even with cheap clip on's
it's the front ones that get finnicky

[froze]

I am a fan of the Zefal paragons:
http://www.zefal.com/zefal/produit.php?key=220&PHPSESSID=b5c5f961d4221e1024c7a89baec3c735

I mounted a Spaniga fender iight on my fender and ran some reflective tape down the fenders for improved visibility: http://www.rei.com/product/543007/jogalite-cutn-peel-stick-on-tape

Also we need to see a picture of this blue beast!

-Joe

I could not find your Spaniga fender light on the internet, do you have a link for it?

Also, I'm considering buying better fenders ( I have cheap short clip on ones now) for my touring bike. A weird question, can a light be mounted to a fender? They "seem" they would be too flimsy to handle a light like my Cygolite Mitycross with the battery. But this would be cool if a person can mount to the fender thus getting the light off the bar which is where the handelbar bag needs to be.

Thanks.

[wasfast]

SKS--nope

Planet Bike Cascadia---yes. Polycarbonate lasts much longer than the aluminum center SKS.

[xjoex]

I could not find your Spaniga fender light on the internet, do you have a link for it?

Also, I'm considering buying better fenders ( I have cheap short clip on ones now) for my touring bike. A weird question, can a light be mounted to a fender? They "seem" they would be too flimsy to handle a light like my Cygolite Mitycross with the battery. But this would be cool if a person can mount to the fender thus getting the light off the bar which is where the handelbar bag needs to be.

Thanks.

I purchased mine from Velo Orange.

Mounted on rear Fender: http://robonza.blogspot.com/2009/03/review-spanninga-spxba-fender-mounted.html
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-OjYdNCSZQo8/Sbe4Z2jyJgI/AAAAAAAABmI/vfs2zjOZ6zo/s640/100_3744.JPG

I also mounted a front light on the front fender:
http://robonza.blogspot.com/2008/09/remounting-busch-and-muller-lumotec-iq.html

But the fender shook a bit too much, I have a mixed commute of dirt trails and road. I mounted it on the crown and it worked fine.
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AZNhECtRb-A/Sb2rxAXbFDI/AAAAAAAABm4/eEoCWbquthc/s640/100_3765.jpg


-Joe

[froze]

Good pics, thanks for the reply. I'll have to do that when I get the new fenders.

Once I put a handlebar bag on there's no place for the light, I know they use to make a handlebar bag that had a round light mount on the front but for some reason they either don't make it anymore or I can't find it.

I did mount the front flasher to the stock reflector holder by just unscrewing the reflector and the flasher's holes lined up with those holes then screwed it on, works great there.

But the light is a different story, so when I get the fenders I'll look into what you did.