You mention aluminum and wooden fenders, BUT… I have Berthoud stainless steel fenders on my Atlantis (to be fair, it's pewter-colored, so stainless isn't a bad match), complete with the Berthoud leather mud flaps, and they are fantastic. I (and Peter White, who knows a hell of a lot more than I do) believe they're the toughest fenders out there, and I think they look great, too – in a non-fussy, elegantly-industrial kind of way. With the thick leather mud flaps, you couldn't ask for better rain and mud protection. Also, despite Peter's caveats below, I didn't find them difficult to install at all. And they're not absurdly expensive – around $75/pair, I think.
I have also installed a pair of Cody's (proprietor of Woody's Fenders) compound wooden fenders on my SimpleOne (now in DC with my youngest son). They were absolutely stunning (best looking fenders I have ever seen, by far), but the rear developed a crack at the brake bridge within a month or two of installation, despite my best efforts to avoid stress in the installation. Don't get me wrong – I love Cody's stuff, and I have sets of his flat fenders on two other bikes, one of which (on my Quickbeam) has been on there for thousands of miles and several years with no issues at all. I think the flat ones are very tough, but of course they provide less protection because of their shape than a curved fender. Here's what Peter White has to say about the Berthoud stainless steels: Gilles BERTHOUD My best fenders are made by Gilles BERTHOUD<http://peterwhitecycles.com/berthoud.asp>, in France. But they may not be for everybody. The stainless steel versions take a bit of work to install. But, once installed, they are very rugged, and give the best protection against spray from the tires, particularly if you use their optional leather mud flap in front. The Berthoud fenders now come pre-drilled for the struts. You will have to drill holes to mount the mud flaps, if you get mud flaps. The stainless fenders come in a variety of sizes; 700c x 40mm, 700c x 50mm, 700 x 60mm, 650 x 40mm, 650 x 50mm, 26" x 40mm, 26" x 50mm and 26 x 60mm. The fenders are sold "a la carte". The optional leather mud flap is only to be used with the Berthoud fenders. People have been asking if the mud flap is suitable for use with Esge/SKS fenders. I don't recommend it, since those fenders aren't as tough as the stainless Berthoud fenders, and the wind acting on the flap may cause the SKS fenders to crack. The Dreaded Fine Print Of course, any fender will eventually crack due to the constant flexing that happens while riding. While I have yet to see a report of a carbon fiber fender breaking, it won't surprise me to see one fail eventually. The Berthoud stainless fenders are clearly the most rugged full coverage fender available that don't weigh as much as a bicycle. We get very few reports of cracks with these. But we do get some, and most are on bikes that get ridden many thousands of miles per year.* And a crack is not considered a defect and is not covered by any warrantee. It's like a tire wearing out. Some tires last longer than others, and some fenders last longer than others. Berthoud stainless fenders are like very durable touring tires. They'll last a long time. But eventually, they will wear out. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Friday, October 09, 2015 2:31 PM To: RBW Owners Bunch Subject: [RBW] Fender pondering..... Asking for help from the tribe....I am starting to think I no longer want plastic fenders gracing my Atlantis. For me they last about two years max, with my fender sadism. Plasticky is icky, (except for Ortliebs) and all that. I am curious to hear peoples reviews of wooden and aluminum fenders. How long should I expect them to last (I ride my Atlantis off road occasionally)? I can get (wide 26") Velo Orange aluminum and powder coat to match my frame, or spend an equal fortune to get the lovely compound wooden ones. I am looking for durability first and foremost. I have a sneaky suspicion that the wood would have a better fatigue life. What says the Riv Tribe? Thanks in advance.... Clayton (Bend) http://creativeopenings.com/CO_Fenders/woodfenders.htm http://www.woodysfenders.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=9 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>. 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