The Bottom Line
Pros
- Attractive appearance
- Buried reflective finish built into fenders
- Nice sleek design
Cons
- No mounting instructions
- Question about durability of Secura-Clip holders
Description
- Full-coverage fender with mud flaps to beat back road moisture and grime that would otherwise splash up on you in wet weather
- Built from durable Techniflex material designed to resist breakage even in sub-zero temperatures
- Built-in 3M reflective technology that looks charcoal grey by day and reflects white at night
Guide Review - Axiom Paceline Deluxe Reflex Bike Fenders
If you're looking for a good pair of commuter fenders, the Paceline Deluxe Reflex Fenders fit the bill. The fenders are priced in line with other decent, upper-end general purpose fenders, which means they aren't the cheapest thing you'll find out there but have more durable construction so they'll last much longer than cheapie, entry-level fenders that crack easily along stress points or which shatter when the temperature gets too cold. And this happens, too, as I experienced firsthand with a pair of cut-rate SKS fenders that I should have taken a pass on.
First what I liked about them, then the downside. The Paceline Deluxe Reflex Fenders have a built in reflective strip that appears a natty charcoal gray in the daytime, but at night bounces back as a bright white reflected light. It's an awesome feature that I haven't seen duplicated anywhere else, and having a reflector that goes the length of the fender in both front and back is incredibly valuable to any cyclist who may ride at night.
The downside? A lack of instructions with the fenders on how to install them. I'm fairly competent with working on bikes and have installed fenders before, but always feel better when using instructions to put components on a bike, particularly when you think you have to do something like cut the struts to fit, something that you get only one chance at. When I asked Axiom about this, the response was that they seemed surprised I was attempting this myself, and wouldn't I naturally be using a bike shop to do this. Well, actually, no, most people will do this themselves, and later they did dig up some instructions for me, which can be found here. One other concern is that the plastic Secura-clip attachments which hold the strut to the fender, can fail if you're not careful. The fact that they are not more durable was a bit surprising to me.
