FedericoMena

Up to now, my only experience with fenders was that they were plastic, fragile, rattly, and they sucked. I always removed them.

During the holiday visit to Mexico City, I found a small bike shop that carries proper fenders - metal, chromed, rugged enough, and with more than one anchor point so they don't wobble. I got them two weeks ago and installed them last weekend.

What a difference! They don't rattle, they feel robust, AND MY ASS IS DRY.

Let me state the most important thing again: MY ASS IS DRY.

Did I mention that my ass is DRY? And that I rode through puddles and I'm DRY DRY DRY?

It's a shame that such an obvious thing is not ubiquitous here.

ThermionicScott 

Full-coverage fenders are great! They keep your toes dry, too.

rumrunn6

LOL, yeah amazing. umbrellas are pretty cool too

WalksOn2Wheels

I thought I was a pretty tough guy without them, but recently started building my "old man" bike and put on full fenders. I remember my first wet ride back home. Drizzling outside, but the roads were soaked from earlier. I was pretty darn dry after 6+ miles of that.

Giant Doofus

They were also a revelation to me about four months ago. No more do I fear the mighty puddle!

Murray Missile 

Fenders are also pretty handy for keeping hot road tar off places you don't want it. I like my plastic ones though, they aren't fragile and they don't rattle but just as important..... they don't rust, don't dent and will spring back into shape if hit.

Bike Gremlin

+1 OP

Proper metal ones, with 2+ anchor points are the only ones that really work for me.

Murray Missile 

I'm not suggesting plastic is better than metal or vice versa, each to his own preference. I also realize both you and the OP are outside the US (and that life DOES exist beyond our borders ) so you may not have the choices we do and I also realize there are some REALLY crappy plastic fenders on the market but there are also some pretty nice plastic fenders.

Planet Bike Cascadias:



3 attachment points in front, 4 in the rear, radius adjustable (to a point) for even fit around tires, flexible enough to resist damage and spring back to shape, stiff enough to not rattle against bike frame or tires and reasonably priced. If you're happy with metal that's all that really matters, just letting you know there ARE some decent plastic fenders.

Walter S

Glad you're no longer a "wet back". One of my best fender moments is riding right after a rain. A wet road can soak you without fenders. A condition that might last a few hours. With fenders, you don't just avoid mud up your ass, you actually stay dry too. Nice.

JReade

When summer rolls around here, it rains for 2 hours every afternoon, then stops. It'll evaporate pretty quick, but you can't control when you're riding sometimes. Amazing when it just wrapped up and you can not get soaked.

jowilson

I have SKS plastic fenders and they don't rattle or dent and do the job. I took them off recently, considering how often it rains here in Arizona.

noglider 

I discovered them when no self-respecting roadie would be seen with them. When the rain is heavy enough or when you're out there long enough, you will get wet. You could even get completely soaked. But there are many times you ride in marginal conditions where they make a big difference. Most of my too-many bikes have them!

NOS88

This summer I was being passed by a group of riders in the rain. One rider to another, "How's he keep his back side so clean?" Response from second rider, "He's riding with mudguards." First rider, "Maybe I should think about getting some." Me, "Don't think. Just do it." Chuckles from the rest in the group passing me.

I've six bikes that get regular miles. Four of them sport fenders. So, I guess you could say I see the value of them.

WalksOn2Wheels

Just today I rode to school and back in light drizzle. I did indeed get a little wet, but a good jacket helps that in these temps. But when I got home and hung my bike up, I saw all that black water dripping from the wheels and tires with a nearly spotless frame and clean legs, back, feet, etc.

noglider 

Oh yeah, you better believe it. Your bike will run better now as a result of adding fenders. Less gunk in the BB, on the brakes, the chain, and many other places. I'd like to know how they even went out of style! I guess there was a big racer wannabe sentiment in the bike boom. I know I was caught up in it.

spare_wheel

i ran full coverage fenders for years and my bikes still got all gunked up. my biggest problem with chromoplastic sks and pb cascadias were that they were too stiff and fragile. biff and they crack. hit them with your toe and they get sucked up the wheel well. i've actually switched to race blades and could not be happier. i use both the original and the full coverage. i prefer the original except for the very wet days.

dynaryder

I had the rear part of an SKS break off on me,but never even cracked any of my PB's. I even had the rear PB get folded up under itself in 30-something degree weather when I got rear ended in polo. Popped the fender back in place,tweaked the stays,and kept playing. That same fender is still on this bike many years later.

Most fenders don't rattle if they're properly installed. Pro tip: use blue Loctite on the bolts.

Bikeforumuser0011

I, too, finally "saw the light", and broke down and installed Velo Orange Hammered Fenders on Lola this past November. I, too, enjoy my ass being dry. Enjoy them!

Hoang

Another nice thing about full fenders is that even when you do get wet, it's usually from clean water that's coming down (rain) and not from dirty water that's being picked up from your tires. That and your ass stays dry.

dennyd

I am still in the NO FENDER camp. I have tried two different tipes of fenders, the problems I have with them are:

1. They are just too fragile. I am carfree, and I park/lean by bike in awkward places, use cable locks, etc.
2. They interfere with rack/pannier mounting. I have front and rear Ortlieb rollers, and the rack mounts must be shared with fenders.
3. The rear fender interferes with removing the rear wheel. I have to deflate the rear tire to get it past the bottom bracket fender mount.
4. The main problem with wet riding (at least here in Dallas) is the wake splashing up from the front tire onto my upper ankle/shin area, and into my shoes. (We have springtime rains that cause 2-3 inches of water on the road). A regular fender does nothing to prevent this.

Because of these limitations, I have gone fenderless. The spots on the back of my rain jacket are a small price to pay.

dennyd

Walter S

My experience is very different on each point.

I too am carefree. Love fenders. None of those issues. Never an issue parking or leaning the bike. Fenders aren't in the way at all. No rack/pannier issue with the Surly LHT. My fenders are using their own mounts. No issue removing the rear wheel fully inflated. Yes, the rear fender won't keep your feet dry. But the front fender will. My front fender has a mud guard and I think that helps some.

Oldsport

I have stainless steel fenders on my bike. Several months ago I installed plastic SKS fenders on my wife's bike. The stainless steel fenders look a little better, but the SKS fenders are so much nicer to work with. I am planning on buying SKS fenders for my bike soon. I am just trying to figure out if I can fit P65 SKS finders on my 700c Bruce Gordan BLT. Does anyone know?

dynaryder

What brand of fenders,and what are you doing to your bike? I've had two polo bikes where I've left the rear PB Freddy on nthe bike during polo play. As I said above,the one got folded up under itself and I popped it back without issue. All I've ever needed to do with any of my fenders is occasionally tighten things and bend struts back into place.

These sound like fit issues with your particular bike. I've had fenders go straight on some bikes,had to MacGuyver them on others,and even had one I just couldn't get them on right.

Mudflap,firm material,down to about 1/2" off the ground. Problem solved.

David_Parry

A fellow commuter had to use a bike one rainy day without fenders. His face is getting sprayed by the front wheel rooster. He says he kept intermittently tasting "chicken". What the heck? He only closed his mouth after he figured it out: bits of road kill!

Fenders? Oh yeah man!

noglider 

dennyd, you have enough reasons not to use fenders. I gather it only rains heavily there and only occasionally. We get frequent light and moderate rain here, which fenders are perfect for. But I also agree with dynaryder that if properly installed, you are not likely to have the mechanical problems you cite. I use plastic or chromoplastic fenders. The stays are bendable steel. When the fender gets pushed to one side, I push and pull the stays until the fender is right. Eventually, the stays get a bit bent up, but I don't care. If I wanted them to stay straight, I would get Wald steel fenders, because the stays have a crescent-shaped cross section, which are bend-resistant. Or wait, am I thinking of Raleigh fenders? I can't remember now.

I didn't know about stainless steel fenders. Nifty!