I’ve been suffering a seemingly solvable problem when mountain biking during the wetter parts of the year in Seattle. Every single fender I’ve tried that attaches to the saddle or the seatpost can’t keep clear of the rear wheel. As a result, I decided to give a try to the Topeak TetraFender M2. This is a rear wheel fender that straps to the seatstays and so moves up and down with the rear wheel.
The Topeak TetraFender is one of a small number of mountain bike fenders that attaches to the to a mountain bike’s seatstays, in this case via four hook-and-loop straps. This gives the rider substantial adjustability and it works with mountain bikes with 26-, 27.5- or 29-inch wheels. According to Topeak, it can handle tires as wide as 2.8 inches. I’m running a 2.4-in.-wide tire and it has plenty of coverage.
The fender has a two-piece design so that you can use it either full length, or, after removing one bolt and the rear set of hook-and-loop straps, it converts into a shorter version. I can’t come up with a reason why I’d use the shorter version.
There was one ride in particular I did that really sold me on this fender’s abilities. It was a very wet ride in fog, mist and rain at Tiger Mountain—the wettest conditions I’ve ever seen there, and that’s saying something.
Here’s the thing: When you’re riding in the wet, you’re going to get wet, right? There’s no staying completely dry. For me, the difference between comfort and misery comes down to whether or not my chamois is wet. I can be wet anywhere else and still feel relatively comfortable, provided I’ve dressed correctly. However. Nothing can make me question a ride as quickly as a wet ass.
By the time I’d finished that ride on Tiger, I was wet in multiple places, damp with sweat everywhere, and yet, my butt was relatively dry. Let me frame this a different way: When I took my hydration pack off, I was shocked at how splattered it was with muddy water—I can’t say it was actually mud-covered, but it dripped with dirty, brown water. I was wearing a jacket that resisted all the repellant runoff, but my bibs were quite breathable, so any splashy-splashy below my waist would have been just the sort of discomfort that would have caused me to consider a shorter route, something I did not do.
Suggested retail for the Topeak TetraFender M2 is $49.95. I did not weigh it before installing it, in part because whatever the penalty is, I just don’t care so long as my butt is dry and it never comes in contact with the rear wheel.
Final thought: Riding in the rain just became more attractive—not attractive per se, but more attractive.