Finally, the perfect fender for pre-race and training. Photo courtesy.
The holidays are a perfect time to celebrate the gift of cyclocross, and what better way to whoop it up than to share some ’cross love with others? Give a teammate a must-have tool (that you can borrow), introduce a loved one to the sport, drop a hint by leaving this list out for a significant other, or just reward yourself for a great season (or console yourself for a crappy one). Our editors have reviewed, tested and hand-picked a plethora of gift suggestions. Today we bring you Planet Bike’s Cyclocross Fender Set, also called the Spoiler Fender.
Stay Dry
Planet Bike has sponsored national champions Katie Compton and Jonathan Page as well as the Wisconsin stop of the USGP series, so the company should know something about cyclocross. Planet Bike’s Cyclocross Fender Set ($39.95) offers quickly-removable front and rear fenders for wet weather training and pre-race rides.
The rear Planet Bike Cyclocross Fender doesn’t rely on a seat post mount but rather is seat tube mounted with a unique cut-out for rear cantilever straddle cables and a narrow optional extension to cover most of the rear tire. It takes some fiddling with the two adjustment screws to get the rear fender adjusted perfectly for quick installation and removal, but once set, it’s easy. Be sure to tell the recipient to tighten the screw that secures the extension in place—it’s easy to lose or rattle out of its hole.
The front Planet Bike fender is pretty standard and like most mountain bike front fenders. It relies on two rubber straps— it’s effective but doesn’t provide complete coverage. The front fender certainly makes shouldering your bike more challenging, especially for the arm-under-the-down-tube method.
It’s worth noting that some owners of some carbon frames with large, shaped tubes may be out of luck, for the rear or front fender, though.
The Planet Bike Cyclocross / Spoiler fender is ideal accessory for sloppy course pre-rides to keep you and yourr kit cleaner, or the perfect add-on to make messy trail rides or wet commutes from soaking your back and feet. It installs and can be removed in seconds, and although will rotate if you accidentally hit it, there’s nothing to really bend or break.
Planet Bike gives a portion of its profits to bicycle advocacy and sponsors pro Jonathan Page, so your purchase helps you and other fellow cyclists back.
Planet Bike’s Cyclocross / Spoiler Fender Set
MSRP: $39.95/set, rear also available separately
More info: www.planetbike.com
Check your local bike shop or favorite online retailer for availability.
If you can’t find them, try Nashbar, Amazon or eBay and help support CXM a tiny bit with your purchase at no cost to you.
Call it “The 12 days of Crossmas,” “The Festival of Cyclokkah” … or something similarly themed surrounding Kwanza, Saturnalia, Festivus (or your favorite winter holiday of choice) that we’re not witty enough to make sound cyclocross-related, but the gear-heads at Cyclocross Magazine have been busy digging through piles of bike stuff to bring you some great gift ideas. Most recommendations are at the stocking-stuffer-end of the spectrum, so we won’t take away from your entry-fee piggy bank. The one gift that keeps on giving, of course, is a subscription to Cyclocross Magazine! Stay tuned for plenty of gift ideas and product reviews between now and the end of the year. Some of these last-minute gift ideas also appear in Issue 15.
