User submitted reviews
Review by RockDocRichReviewed 12/7/2013by RockDocRichCycling EnthusiastVancouver, WA3 of 4 customers found this review helpful.Light-weight and works for low tire clearance road bilesPut the Crud Catcher fenders on my wife's Specialized Ruby and even with the minimum clearance between the wheel and frame they fit well and don't rub, much. I found the rubber O-ring attachment system to be easy and effective, especially for bikes that do not have any attaching eyelets or bolt holes for racks or fenders on the front fork or rear triangle and stays (like most of todays carbon fiber road bikes). You need to pay a little more attention to the installation process than for other fenders, but once I had them attached they worked fine and didn't need any further adjustments. The Crud Catchers are very light weight, almost noiseless and you can barely tell they are on the bike.
I like that you don't need to remove the fenders to load the bike on a roof rack or when you need to remove the wheel to change a flat, unlike other more rigid fender systems like the SKS Racer long blades. I watched the Utube video of how to install the Crud Catchers, and then put them on. Took about 30 minutes to get them on, about the same as other fenders that I have on other bikes.
Because they are designed for road bikes, the fenders are low profile and narrow, but are still effective at keeping you, your bike, and your riding buddies dry. The way the fenders stay aligned is by small contact brushes that float on each side of the wheel. So even though there is some contact with the brushes, there is minimal detectable friction or audible noise due to that contact. We have three different fender systems on four of our road and mountain bikes, and after using the various fender systems, I am thinking of putting Crud Catchers on my Bianchi Pista ssfixie for those wet days when I want a real workout. And I do recommend them to my friends, especially those with low clearance light weight road bikes.
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Put the Crud Catcher fenders on my wife's Specialized Ruby and even with the minimum clearance between the wheel and frame they fit well and don't rub, much. I found the rubber O-ring attachment system to be easy and effective, especially for bikes that do not have any attaching eyelets or bolt holes for racks or fenders on the front fork or rear triangle and stays (like most of todays carbon fiber road bikes). You need to pay a little more attention to the installation process than for other fenders, but once I had them attached they worked fine and didn't need any further adjustments. The Crud Catchers are very light weight, almost noiseless and you can barely tell they are on the bike.
I like that you don't need to remove the fenders to load the bike on a roof rack or when you need to remove the wheel to change a flat, unlike other more rigid fender systems like the SKS Racer long blades. I watched the Utube video of how to install the Crud Catchers, and then put them on. Took about 30 minutes to get them on, about the same as other fenders that I have on other bikes.
Because they are designed for road bikes, the fenders are low profile and narrow, but are still effective at keeping you, your bike, and your riding buddies dry. The way the fenders stay aligned is by small contact brushes that float on each side of the wheel. So even though there is some contact with the brushes, there is minimal detectable friction or audible noise due to that contact. We have three different fender systems on four of our road and mountain bikes, and after using the various fender systems, I am thinking of putting Crud Catchers on my Bianchi Pista ssfixie for those wet days when I want a real workout. And I do recommend them to my friends, especially those with low clearance light weight road bikes.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 10/30/2014by AnonymousPortland4 of 4 customers found this review helpful.Ok fenders with a mix of very good and poor design decisions. Fits Canti cross framesOk so like I said this mounted very well to my Crux cross frame which is rare for fenders. Also they have a great eyelet free mounting system, and a extra scoop by the rear DR to keep crude from the back wheel off go the crankset. The bad is Flex, it simply isn't rigid enough on the back, this could be fixed worth a second set of struts. The other problem is that these are too short on the back for group rides and and they flex to much to add a mud flap. Finally they broke after only three weeks.
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Ok so like I said this mounted very well to my Crux cross frame which is rare for fenders. Also they have a great eyelet free mounting system, and a extra scoop by the rear DR to keep crude from the back wheel off go the crankset. The bad is Flex, it simply isn't rigid enough on the back, this could be fixed worth a second set of struts. The other problem is that these are too short on the back for group rides and and they flex to much to add a mud flap. Finally they broke after only three weeks.
Review by Burke GilmanReviewed 4/14/2014by Burke GilmanCycling EnthusiastSeattle2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Nice Fenders, but make sure you have enough clearanceI've been looking for a good set of light racing fenders, and the Crud Catchers seemed to fit the bill. They are light and well constructed and stay put once you mount them. However, there are two issues (1) They hang from a zip tie attached to the brake mount bolt. While the zip tie is two-way (that is, you can un-do them) they are pretty small and hard to get to once mounting, making mounting and dismounting the fenders a pain. (2) My Orbea Orca has very little clearance between the front tire and the top of the fork. I think that's true of most carbon frames. The end result is that the front fender won't go on at all. I made due with the rear only, which did a pretty good job of keeping the crud off my backside. So, as long as you like to put fenders on and leave them , and you have about 3/4 of an inch of clearance between the front wheel and the top of the fork, these are excellent fenders.
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I've been looking for a good set of light racing fenders, and the Crud Catchers seemed to fit the bill. They are light and well constructed and stay put once you mount them. However, there are two issues (1) They hang from a zip tie attached to the brake mount bolt. While the zip tie is two-way (that is, you can un-do them) they are pretty small and hard to get to once mounting, making mounting and dismounting the fenders a pain. (2) My Orbea Orca has very little clearance between the front tire and the top of the fork. I think that's true of most carbon frames. The end result is that the front fender won't go on at all. I made due with the rear only, which did a pretty good job of keeping the crud off my backside. So, as long as you like to put fenders on and leave them , and you have about 3/4 of an inch of clearance between the front wheel and the top of the fork, these are excellent fenders.
Review by sbsimpsReviewed 1/11/2014by sbsimpsCycling EnthusiastVancouver, WA2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Light and great coverageI have been using these this winter in rainy Portland and they are great! They are very light and keep the rain off. You can watch how to install though they took a little work. They are working great. You can buy replacement parts though I haven't needed any.
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I have been using these this winter in rainy Portland and they are great! They are very light and keep the rain off. You can watch how to install though they took a little work. They are working great. You can buy replacement parts though I haven't needed any.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 11/11/2013by AnonymousCycling EnthusiastPuget Sound2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Effective, protects front derailleur, fragileThis is the third set I've bought. The first two ended up broken due to dropping the bike or encountering twigs on the road. The polypropylene material isn't very stong.
The reason I bought the fenders again is that they do work quite well. I ride in the rain quite often during Nov-May in the Seattle-Tacoma area. They are far superior to the partial clip-on fenders that I have used. The rear fender has a wide extension at the front that protects the front derailleur. I have 700x28 tires on and I can manage to get the fenders installed. The fenders have long tips that provide good spray containment. If you can't install real fenders then these are a good alternative.
I just wish that they were made of polycarbonate rather than polypropylene.
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This is the third set I've bought. The first two ended up broken due to dropping the bike or encountering twigs on the road. The polypropylene material isn't very stong.
The reason I bought the fenders again is that they do work quite well. I ride in the rain quite often during Nov-May in the Seattle-Tacoma area. They are far superior to the partial clip-on fenders that I have used. The rear fender has a wide extension at the front that protects the front derailleur. I have 700x28 tires on and I can manage to get the fenders installed. The fenders have long tips that provide good spray containment. If you can't install real fenders then these are a good alternative.
I just wish that they were made of polycarbonate rather than polypropylene.
Review by roddygReviewed 10/15/2014by roddygCompetitive RacerMorgan Hill, CA2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Super light!Only millimeters on my rear spacing!
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Only millimeters on my rear spacing!
Review by AnonymousReviewed 9/25/2013by AnonymousCompetitive RacerPA0 of 1 customers found this review helpful.It's okThese fenders are really hard to put together and I think the manual was a little bit hard to follow.
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These fenders are really hard to put together and I think the manual was a little bit hard to follow.
Review by VelobeckReviewed 4/11/2013by Velobeck1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Good but fragileI have but zero tolerance under brakes but these still fit. Nice design. But first time I pulled the bike onto back wheel in process of turning it over to work on chain, the back piece breaks off. Just be careful.
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I have but zero tolerance under brakes but these still fit. Nice design. But first time I pulled the bike onto back wheel in process of turning it over to work on chain, the back piece breaks off. Just be careful.
Review by xanthopticaReviewed 1/21/2013by xanthopticaCycling EnthusiastPortland, OR2 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Great way to enjoy your best bike all winterThe Crud Catcher fenders are worlds apart from anything else out there. They will fit your tight-clearance road bike, and if you use all the fitted extensions, provide as much coverage as literally any other fender out there. They are pretty easy to install, and you can get multiple seasons out of them. Also super-light.
Downsides The biggest one is noise. Because the fit is unavoidably tight, you will get some tire rub from time to time (especially riding through, say, fir needles or other debris on the road). You'll just have to get used to it, knowing that it is only cosmetic (not wearing down a tire or anything). I bet they clog up super-fast in wet snow or sticky mud (haven't done the mud, but got some accumulation in a bit of snow recently). They are not the toughest, because they have to be flexible for small adjustments in radius (for fit), but you should get two seasons out of them. You will probably need to run medium-to-small tires (I do fine with 23mm tires on my Madone, but I doubt I could make 25mm ones work).
In the end, these are a hugely effective solution to a tough problem (keeping clean on a tight-clearance bike). I'm loving staying clean and dry on my best road bike through a Portland winter.
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The Crud Catcher fenders are worlds apart from anything else out there. They will fit your tight-clearance road bike, and if you use all the fitted extensions, provide as much coverage as literally any other fender out there. They are pretty easy to install, and you can get multiple seasons out of them. Also super-light.
Downsides The biggest one is noise. Because the fit is unavoidably tight, you will get some tire rub from time to time (especially riding through, say, fir needles or other debris on the road). You'll just have to get used to it, knowing that it is only cosmetic (not wearing down a tire or anything). I bet they clog up super-fast in wet snow or sticky mud (haven't done the mud, but got some accumulation in a bit of snow recently). They are not the toughest, because they have to be flexible for small adjustments in radius (for fit), but you should get two seasons out of them. You will probably need to run medium-to-small tires (I do fine with 23mm tires on my Madone, but I doubt I could make 25mm ones work).
In the end, these are a hugely effective solution to a tough problem (keeping clean on a tight-clearance bike). I'm loving staying clean and dry on my best road bike through a Portland winter.
Review by DemoncyclistReviewed 8/2/2012by DemoncyclistCycling EnthusiastBoston suburbs3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Fenders for bikes that don't usually take fendersI put a set of these on my Cannondale CAAD8 last year- they kept me relatively splash free even in torrential downpours. Just ordered a set for my wife's brand new Madone. They can be a pain to install, but once they are on and set, they work great.
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I put a set of these on my Cannondale CAAD8 last year- they kept me relatively splash free even in torrential downpours. Just ordered a set for my wife's brand new Madone. They can be a pain to install, but once they are on and set, they work great.
Review by ChrisReviewed 5/21/2012by ChrisCycling EnthusiastChicago, ILNice improvement to the original designI upgraded my original pair to the latest version which has longer front and rear guards for the back fender as well as some new adhesive tape to keep the mounting screws in place. Minimal amount of fine-tuning necessary. I suggest removing the fenders from the packaging and letting them lie on a flat surface for a day or so before mounting. This should eliminate any warps from shipment.
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I upgraded my original pair to the latest version which has longer front and rear guards for the back fender as well as some new adhesive tape to keep the mounting screws in place. Minimal amount of fine-tuning necessary. I suggest removing the fenders from the packaging and letting them lie on a flat surface for a day or so before mounting. This should eliminate any warps from shipment.
Review by McGReviewed 4/24/2012by McGCompetitive RacerZanesville, Ohio3 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Awesome for your road bike in the wet!Unlike others I don't see the difficulty in mountingdismounting these fenders. You have to know if they fit your frame first, however. They will not fit my Bianchi but they fit my Trek and Orbea. All 3 bikes are the same advertized frame size. Bianchi doesn't have fork clearance. Seem to be made for the Trek.
After over-the-winter-storage the brushes were coming loose. Removed them and remounted them using double sided tape.
Have never had the nuts get loose, but I check my tire pressure and condition before each ride - check the fender nuts too.
I am now definitely drier in the wet. Am I wrong to think these are a good looking set of fenders? Fenders for a road bike - who would have thought it? Crud Catcher did! Thanks.
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Unlike others I don't see the difficulty in mountingdismounting these fenders. You have to know if they fit your frame first, however. They will not fit my Bianchi but they fit my Trek and Orbea. All 3 bikes are the same advertized frame size. Bianchi doesn't have fork clearance. Seem to be made for the Trek.
After over-the-winter-storage the brushes were coming loose. Removed them and remounted them using double sided tape.
Have never had the nuts get loose, but I check my tire pressure and condition before each ride - check the fender nuts too.
I am now definitely drier in the wet. Am I wrong to think these are a good looking set of fenders? Fenders for a road bike - who would have thought it? Crud Catcher did! Thanks.
Review by GrantReviewed 4/2/2012by GrantCycling EnthusiastBothell, WA1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Great option for a year round rider, but these are fragile and require attention to setup.These are a great full coverage fender. Many road bike fenders dont cover enough of the rear tire to prevent spraying the riders behind you, these fenders DO. These fenders work great, but do take some time and patiencecare to properly setup. Make sure you watch this video before you install them httpyoutu.bexrB6DRk2cwE . Once installed be careful not to bump the fenders as they easily get out of alignment. If you do bump them, its a bit of an art to re-align, but not a difficult task.
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These are a great full coverage fender. Many road bike fenders dont cover enough of the rear tire to prevent spraying the riders behind you, these fenders DO. These fenders work great, but do take some time and patiencecare to properly setup. Make sure you watch this video before you install them httpyoutu.bexrB6DRk2cwE . Once installed be careful not to bump the fenders as they easily get out of alignment. If you do bump them, its a bit of an art to re-align, but not a difficult task.
Review by criveraReviewed 3/22/2012by criveraCycling EnthusiastNew York NY1 of 1 customers found this review helpful.Excellent performance, well designed and easy to install, good value, highly recommended. These fenders are on my commute bike. Set-up is solid, no chatter while riding, no slippage. Excellent coverage, water has nowhere to go but down. Extra material on front derrailleur side a good feature as well.
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These fenders are on my commute bike. Set-up is solid, no chatter while riding, no slippage. Excellent coverage, water has nowhere to go but down. Extra material on front derrailleur side a good feature as well.
Review by JlemaireReviewed 3/8/2012by JlemaireCompetitive RacerVancouver, bc2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Like the protection and the lightness but needs constant adjustmentsI'm ok with the fact that I need to re-ajust my fenders regularly. They are small, light and they protect very well on rainy days. If you don't mind the extra 15 seconds to stop the rubbing noise once in a while. I like them!
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I'm ok with the fact that I need to re-ajust my fenders regularly. They are small, light and they protect very well on rainy days. If you don't mind the extra 15 seconds to stop the rubbing noise once in a while. I like them!
Review by Diego Reviewed 1/23/2012by Diego Cycling EnthusiastWestport MA.1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Fenders that fit.These fenders I used for my winter single speed. Easy installation, great adjustability, light weight and even look good. Overall these fenders are better than expected.
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These fenders I used for my winter single speed. Easy installation, great adjustability, light weight and even look good. Overall these fenders are better than expected.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 1/19/2012by AnonymousCompetitive RacerCT2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Not a bad product - better than most road fendersInstall is a snap. Read the instructions and install takes 30 minutes - max. Does not work well with 700x28c or large 25c tires. If you are using a wide rim the fenders may rub - I have a powertap wheel with a HED oversized 700c rim - no go. These are small issues (for me), as this is just on a winter bike anyways...My only real complaint is with the thumb screws - don't overtighten or they will break off at the head.
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Install is a snap. Read the instructions and install takes 30 minutes - max. Does not work well with 700x28c or large 25c tires. If you are using a wide rim the fenders may rub - I have a powertap wheel with a HED oversized 700c rim - no go. These are small issues (for me), as this is just on a winter bike anyways...My only real complaint is with the thumb screws - don't overtighten or they will break off at the head.
Review by AnonymousReviewed 1/19/2012by AnonymousCompetitive RacerSeattle2 of 3 customers found this review helpful.Decent for a tight fit bikeI almost gave them three starts, but then I decided that's just because although we need them around here (Seattle) and they're helpful, they're always annoying one way or another, which is just my bias against all fenders. These work better than raceblades because of the fuller coverage. The fit is tight and although they don't rub, when my tires pick up schmutz, they rub for a few seconds until all the sand, etc comes off. Fenders in general are a little spendy and these are on par-ish. Ideal world is a rainbike with clearance for real fenders, but this comes in a strong second.
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I almost gave them three starts, but then I decided that's just because although we need them around here (Seattle) and they're helpful, they're always annoying one way or another, which is just my bias against all fenders. These work better than raceblades because of the fuller coverage. The fit is tight and although they don't rub, when my tires pick up schmutz, they rub for a few seconds until all the sand, etc comes off. Fenders in general are a little spendy and these are on par-ish. Ideal world is a rainbike with clearance for real fenders, but this comes in a strong second.
Review by CliffReviewed 1/19/2012by CliffCycling EnthusiastBoston, MA1 of 2 customers found this review helpful.Best fenders imaginableThe fenders fit so closely to the tire that they don't look clunky, they attach without the need of fork or seat stay eyelets, they're light and inexpensive. Since the mounting system employs a brush arrangement to keep the fenders from rubbing, they wipe the black gunk that collects on the rim from wet break pads. Lastly and most important they work flawlessly.
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The fenders fit so closely to the tire that they don't look clunky, they attach without the need of fork or seat stay eyelets, they're light and inexpensive. Since the mounting system employs a brush arrangement to keep the fenders from rubbing, they wipe the black gunk that collects on the rim from wet break pads. Lastly and most important they work flawlessly.
Review by semperfi8Reviewed 1/13/2012by semperfi8Cycling EnthusiastBoston MA5 of 8 customers found this review helpful.These fenders out perform my previous fender, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!These fenders are far better than the Planet bike fenders I had used previously on my Litespeed Ghisallo. They encompass of more of the wheels circumference and prevent sand and road crud from filling up your brakes and derailleur. They do take some time to install and I had to install and remove my rear wheel countless times to get them installed in addition to snipping off several centimeters of the bottom leading edge of the rear fender. As well as using a heat gun to mold the arch to a more uniform radius.
I would like to comment on other reviews before me in a general way. Many reviewers sentiments of installation noted these were more difficult than they initially believed it would be. In response to that, the difficulty encountered installing these fenders are likely directly related to your ability and tools.
Loosening hardware was also noted as a problem. The manufacturer includes double sided taped to secure the only jointed section in these fenders that along with the screw and nut will hold very securely. If transverse movement (the 2 pieces are allowed to slide relative to each other) of the bolted sections of this fender is allowed no matter you tighten the hardware it will not prevent it from loosening. Over tightening hardware in an attempt to secure it more firmly is never a good idea. All that prevents a nut and bolt from loosening is the stretch of the bolt (its stored energy) over tightening can cause plastic deformation (no pun intended) and subsequent hardware failure.
As far as the material being too, frail! The idea that it cant be abused and survive being a manufacturer defect is misinformed the material chosen to make the fenders needs to stop road debris and rain from getting on you and your bike, period. It might be nice that you could have a material that also has high tensile strength though not actually necessary. It like saying, wrenches make poor hammers!
To reviewers who give a negative review because these fenders would not fit their brand of bike tell us your make and model you own so others who own that brand wont make the mistake.
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These fenders are far better than the Planet bike fenders I had used previously on my Litespeed Ghisallo. They encompass of more of the wheels circumference and prevent sand and road crud from filling up your brakes and derailleur. They do take some time to install and I had to install and remove my rear wheel countless times to get them installed in addition to snipping off several centimeters of the bottom leading edge of the rear fender. As well as using a heat gun to mold the arch to a more uniform radius.
I would like to comment on other reviews before me in a general way. Many reviewers sentiments of installation noted these were more difficult than they initially believed it would be. In response to that, the difficulty encountered installing these fenders are likely directly related to your ability and tools.
Loosening hardware was also noted as a problem. The manufacturer includes double sided taped to secure the only jointed section in these fenders that along with the screw and nut will hold very securely. If transverse movement (the 2 pieces are allowed to slide relative to each other) of the bolted sections of this fender is allowed no matter you tighten the hardware it will not prevent it from loosening. Over tightening hardware in an attempt to secure it more firmly is never a good idea. All that prevents a nut and bolt from loosening is the stretch of the bolt (its stored energy) over tightening can cause plastic deformation (no pun intended) and subsequent hardware failure.
As far as the material being too, frail! The idea that it cant be abused and survive being a manufacturer defect is misinformed the material chosen to make the fenders needs to stop road debris and rain from getting on you and your bike, period. It might be nice that you could have a material that also has high tensile strength though not actually necessary. It like saying, wrenches make poor hammers!
To reviewers who give a negative review because these fenders would not fit their brand of bike tell us your make and model you own so others who own that brand wont make the mistake.