# Why Fenders



## myroo (Nov 30, 2008)

Please explain the purpose of fenders on touring bikes for me. I don't seem to understand the purpose. This has caused a slight argument in my house. 

From my point of view I don't see the point in fenders since they claim panniers are waterproof and if you get stuck in the rain you are going to get wet anyways. Please enlighten me.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Ever had a muddy/dirty racing stripe down your back?


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## myroo (Nov 30, 2008)

Many times, but wouldn't the rear rack and panniers kind of keep that from happening?


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I live in LA and it rarely rains. 
I plan on installing fenders on one of my bikes as a fashion accessory, and nothing more. But on the one or two days out of the year when I do ride in wet weather, I'm sure they'll come in handy.....


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

If it rains you'll get wet. If it rained and you ride on the wet roads without fenders, you'll get wet. I rarely ride in constant rain, but I ride in on/off rain all the time. Without fenders, you get a spray up your back that can stain pricey jerseys and you get a steady flow of water into your shoes from the front wheel. I live in the PNW and have fenders with mudflaps. The front mud flap is for me, the rear one prevents spray from hitting a rider behind me. 

Another reason is that I keep my commuter in my office. Fenders keep the bike cleaner.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*No fenders, wet road only:*
- dirty water spray into headset
- dirty water spray into bottom bracket
- dirty water spray into pedal bearings
- dirty water spray onto chain
- dirty water spray onto rear brake
- dirty water spray onto underside of saddle
- dirty water spray onto seat post clamp, with water seeping into seat tube
- dirty water spray onto both feet and into crotch

*No fenders, wet road and rain:*
- dirty water spray into headset
- dirty water spray into bottom bracket
- dirty water spray into pedal bearings
- dirty water spray onto chain
- dirty water spray onto rear brake
- dirty water spray onto underside of saddle
- dirty water spray onto seat post clamp, with water seeping into seat tube
- dirty water spray onto both feet and into crotch
- water falling onto rider from above

*With fenders installed, wet road, or wet road and rain:*
- water falling onto rider from above


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## Val_Garou (Apr 30, 2002)

As wim explains, for me, it's less about being wet than being wet and _filthy_. Also, it saves significant wear on the bike.


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## thinkcooper (Jan 5, 2005)

I love the fendered freedom of being able splash through standing water and stay relatively dry. Lets me be a little kid again.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

myroo said:


> Many times, but wouldn't the rear rack and panniers kind of keep that from happening?


The rack will stop some of the wet from hitting your back, but it won't do anything for your legs and feet, and all the other places both wheels throw water. BOTH wheels throw lots of water, and in real rain you will get a lot wetter without them. Anyone who has used them extensively will testify: you get less wet with fenders


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

just ride fenderless in the rain (+/- rack/panniers) and see for yourself


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## myroo (Nov 30, 2008)

Yes. I understand about riding in the rain and all the downside to it (done it many times). But, this question more or less pertains to how much more protection fenders give you while touring. I guess all of you have fenders also mounted on your mountain bikes.


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## dirtroad (Feb 15, 2009)

it's not just about protection for you, it's protects the bike from excessive wear as well.

how many times do you ride your mountain bike all day every day for a month as your only means of transport?


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## yakky (May 7, 2008)

myroo said:


> Yes. I understand about riding in the rain and all the downside to it (done it many times). But, this question more or less pertains to how much more protection fenders give you while touring. I guess all of you have fenders also mounted on your mountain bikes.


After puting fenders on my commuter, it does have me looking for MTB fenders, problem is there aren't many good full coverage options for a full suspension bike.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I've used SKS RaceBlade clip-on fenders for a while, mainly when the weather was iffy with threat of rain. They didn't seem to accomplish much. However, I just installed some Planet Bike Cascadia full fenders w/ mud flaps on my bike, and I was surprised how much cleaner it was when riding in rain the other day. I still got wet from the rain, but there was much less mud and grit on my bike when I got home. Also a lot less spray from the front wheel to get my feet wet.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

myroo said:


> Yes. I understand about riding in the rain and all the downside to it (done it many times). But, this question more or less pertains to how much more protection fenders give you while touring. I guess all of you have fenders also mounted on your mountain bikes.


With touring, it's even easier to make a compelling point for fenders. Without them, riding in the rain is sheer misery—if for nothing else than your completely soaked shoes and socks 30 minutes into the ride. Plus, anyone behind you gets showered with filthy water. With fenders, you can ride all day in the rain as long as your clothes shed water from above. The difference in your and your partner's comfort level is profound, believe me.


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

*You're right.*



myroo said:


> Please explain the purpose of fenders on touring bikes for me. I don't seem to understand the purpose. This has caused a slight argument in my house.


You don't need fenders.

Unless you ever ride on wet roads.


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Also, lack of fenders will ensure you ride alone. 'Cause if you don't have them you will be cursed when spray and grit hits the person behind you.


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## CurbDestroyer (Mar 6, 2008)

+1 for fenders here. They keep the spray from my tires getting my bags dirty and any riders behind me. There are a lot of times I ride on roads just after it's rained and they keep all the water and dirt off me.


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

rcnute said:


> Also, lack of fenders will ensure you ride alone. 'Cause if you don't have them you will be cursed when spray and grit hits the person behind you.



True. When we did the Chilly Hilly last week I would get a rude awakening whenever someone without fenders would pass us.


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## myroo (Nov 30, 2008)

wim said:


> With touring, it's even easier to make a compelling point for fenders. Without them, riding in the rain is sheer misery—if for nothing else than your completely soaked shoes and socks 30 minutes into the ride. Plus, anyone behind you gets showered with filthy water. With fenders, you can ride all day in the rain as long as your clothes shed water from above. The difference in your and your partner's comfort level is profound, believe me.


Thanks Wim, this was the answer that I was looking for. BTW your first post did give me a good laugh. We are in the final deciding stages on a frame build for my wife and this discussion came up. So from what you guys write the bike will be set up with enough clearance for fenders and will also go with canti mounts. 

My bike will be sans fenders so I guess she will need to be my wind break on those rainy days.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

myroo said:


> BTW your first post did give me a good laugh.


LOL, that fender thing brought back memories for me. Many years ago, almost all the adults in our apartment building got together and forced almost all their kids to go on (often rainy) group Sunday bike tours with them. There was also one annual group 'grand tour.' We all pretty much hated it, but we were too stupid or too timid to find a way out of it.

Anyhow, to at least be able to fantasize about being a pro racer (Fausto!), some of us kids had taken the fenders off our bikes. Needless to say, we were banished to the back of the touring group. We also got no sympathy when we complained about being wet, cold and covered in road filth.

Parent's bikes in the background, and I don't want any snide remarks about those leather pants and those socks I'm wearing!


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## seeborough (Feb 3, 2004)

wim said:


> ..., and I don't want any snide remarks about those leather pants and those socks I'm wearing!


None from me, "mein Bruder in Lederhosen"    !! They made me wear a pair just like yours - flap in the front, Edelweiss across the chest. 

Sweet.


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## Squidward (Dec 18, 2005)

I've read on these forums that water from the sky is clean while water from the ground is not. Having fenders on the bike reduces, greatly, the amount of the dirty water you are getting on yourself. I have fenders on my commuter bike but remove them when it's dry out.

I just installed fenders on my mountain bike. I've actually had the front fender for over a year but, since I ride a Cannondale Prophet with a Lefty fork, it took me a while to get it installed. I had to make a collar to fit it to the oversized steerer tube and I had to cut the fender apart to get it to fit under the lower half crown. I did this because I did a ride about 1.5 years ago with a buddy on a clear, dry day. We took a trip through a mud bog since it had rained a few days before. I did about 20 bunny hops trying to shed the mud that had accumulated on the tires then took a high-speed run down the street to my buddy's house. Let's just say that we were both eating mud on the last part of that ride. We didn't do too many mountain bike rides since, though.


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## majura (Apr 21, 2007)

I know this isn't directly related to touring, but even Pros use fenders.

Levi's 'rain' bike:
- full fenders
- discs
- economical Sram Red w/ SRM power meter


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## m_s (Nov 20, 2007)

Reduced drivetrain maintenance. It's really suprising how much full coverage fenders keep gunk from getting all up in your chain and such.


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## myroo (Nov 30, 2008)

I hope you guys are all happy, you proved my wife right. So after hearing all of this her bike will be built with canti brake posts plus with enough room to mount fenders. 

Thanks for all the input.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

myroo said:


> My bike will be sans fenders so I guess she will need to be my wind break on those rainy days.



You should seriously consider fenders yourself. There is no reason to NOT use them. They work, and they work great.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

88 rex said:


> You should seriously consider fenders yourself. There is no reason to NOT use them. They work, and they work great.


Especially since the weight should be much less of an issue than comfort when touring. Full coverage fenders seem like a touring must to me.


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## waldo425 (Sep 22, 2008)

If you like to have the most concentrated and constant source of wet ass then leave the fender off. If your a nudest it will turn your bike into a poor mans bebay.


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## 88 rex (Mar 18, 2008)

nate said:


> Especially since the weight should be much less of an issue than comfort when touring. Full coverage fenders seem like a touring must to me.


I think it's funny that most people hate fenders for their "not so racy" look and refuse to use them on their "race bikes" for training rides. And actual pros who race use fenders on their bikes (because they really do make a lot of sense to use) when they are training.


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## Touch0Gray (May 29, 2003)

I was riding at the tail end of a group one day, it started to rain for the first time in over a month. The rain re-hydrated all the gross stuff on the road. When the person directly in front of me hit some soggy roadkill, I sure wish THEY had fenders.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I think fenders are sexy.


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## Reynolds531 (Nov 8, 2002)

Fenders release my inner self from imagined competition and allow me to reach a metaphysical freedom while I ride. Bizarre but true.


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## Quattro_Assi_07 (Jan 13, 2006)

*After seeing Levi's bike, I don't feel like such a geek anymore...*



majura said:


> I know this isn't directly related to touring, but even Pros use fenders.
> 
> Levi's 'rain' bike:
> - full fenders
> ...


riding my fendered BMC. :thumbsup: Where I ride, fenders are a necessity. One small (teeny tiny) shower and you will be covered in mud without fenders, even when riding on the paved roads. They also work to keep the dirt and dust down, should you need to ride on those kinds of roads.


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## nate (Jun 20, 2004)

88 rex said:


> I think it's funny that most people hate fenders for their "not so racy" look and refuse to use them on their "race bikes" for training rides. And actual pros who race use fenders on their bikes (because they really do make a lot of sense to use) when they are training.


I don't think most cyclists hate fenders. All the riders I know best seem to like them.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

I think this attitude for or against fenders in general varies from region to region depending on their climate. It doesn't rain too often in L.A. so fenders are not common, especially on performance bikes.


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## Richard (Feb 17, 2006)

roadfix said:


> I think this attitude for or against fenders in general varies from region to region depending on their climate. It doesn't rain too often in L.A. so fenders are not common, especially on performance bikes.


I'm just south of you in the "OC". It doesn't rain much and when it does, I do the short drive to work.

But my short commute takes me through a subdivision wherein it seems that most residents' sprinkler systems put as much water on the streets as they do on their lawns. So I put some sexy SKS fenders on the old Raleigh. But even in the dry, it's amazing how much grit and dust the front wheel throws up into the drivetrain. It simply stays cleaner than on my fenderless bikes.

Plus I think, on the right bike, they look really cool.


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## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

Just ordered some SKS fenders after a weekend of rain. It's no fun when you have to be the one cleaning all that gunk from your clothes and (expensive) shoes.


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## Spinfinity (Feb 3, 2004)

People who don't have fenders don't understand what they do. Most every rider I know who has tried them keeps them on at least one bike. Nothing will keep you dry if you ride long enough in the rain, but fenders definitely make the experience a lot less miserable.


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## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

As you are out on your slightly wet winter saturday morning ride on your fender equipped road bike, and you find yourself passing the "look like a racer crowd", _(you know the ones; plastic frame, costume, race wheels on a wet/cold coffee route, fingerless gloves with blue fingers, soggy leather shoes), _fenders are like a slogan on the back of your t-shirt that says to them, 

"don't worry dude, you'll figure it out someday. 

Some day.

We'll still be out here when you do."


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## ksteinhoff (Jan 7, 2009)

Poodle poop slurry.




myroo said:


> Please explain the purpose of fenders on touring bikes for me. I don't seem to understand the purpose. This has caused a slight argument in my house.
> 
> From my point of view I don't see the point in fenders since they claim panniers are waterproof and if you get stuck in the rain you are going to get wet anyways. Please enlighten me.


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## TrekJeff (Mar 14, 2007)

wim said:


> *No fenders, wet road only:*
> - dirty water spray into headset
> - dirty water spray into bottom bracket
> - dirty water spray into pedal bearings
> ...


That pretty much covers it.:idea:


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## exec (Dec 30, 2008)

I have had once ridden over wet snowy roads on my newly-bought bike without fenders. Consequences? I spent the whole evening washing up my bike, and then myself.


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## lancezneighbor (May 4, 2002)

The best reason: http://www.yehudamoon.com/index.php?date=2009-03-22


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