79pmooney

The real secret to keeping espicially the bottom bracket area stuff much, much cleaner is a real flap on the front fender. Not this with its front fender that stops relatively high and has no flap at all.

Or the better below but with what I call a toy flap. Where the crankset still gets direct spray from the front wheel (and your shoes are not shielded at the bottom of the pedal stroke).

I routinely remove flaps like that and pop rivet deep flaps I make from sheet plastic (which changes over the years with availability. Now it is cut from large plastic cups I found at Ace Hardware.) The flaps go down to within 2 or three inches of the road.

I've been saying for years that those flaps stop roughly the same amount of road crap as the entire rest of both fenders. Not quite true but close. One drawback is that large flaps especially ones of stiffish material that have some of the "cup" of the fender cross-section create whirlpools of air. If the fender plus stays is not stiff enough, the fender will oscillate back and forth at speed. Plastic fender with only one set of stays are the worst. (I'm looking at you, Planet Bike. Your flaps are toys and I have to structurally modify your fenders to use real ones. SKS fenders are far better.)

Good fenders are not rocket science. The English made ones that worked very well with deep flaps 60 years ago. They didn't yet have the new plastics and sun, etc. took its toll so they didn't last forever but they offered a good, dry ride with no modification needed not found in the vast majority of the fenders out there now.

MikeDeason

These are the salt stains on my commuter IGH belt drive frame after a 12 minute ride home in bike lanes. I had forgot my snap on fender.

it’s hardly scientific but I believe the snap-on fender I usually use would have kept the hub and frame much cleaner.

IcySwan1 

Mudguards help in other ways, too, on components. It reduces water going onto the bottom headset bearing, an issue that used to be addressed with Lizard Skins. Also helps keep water from entering the seat post adjustment slot on older steel frame bikes where the water could potentially pool in the BB. The use of Frame Saver spray helps.

I have one “rain bike” with fenders, a Bianchi Campione D’Italia. Although I prefer not to have fenders that bike rides well and the black fenders look good with Celeste.

Mike

zandoval 

Fenders have been around a long time. Long before electronic component were ever around. I think the amount of over all protection modern fenders provide far out weighs the over all weight of them...

veganbikes

When I got my first touring bike I said I don't need fenders and after one ride on some frequently muddy gravel I said "I wish I had fenders" and immediately bought some when I got to work the next day.

They keep everything a bit cleaner and while yes there is a little bit of weight added the benefits far outweigh the slight negatives. You can get some aerodynamic benefits but really the cleanliness is key.

Arrowana

If you live where road salt in the winter accelerates the corrosion of parts, full coverage fenders make a significant difference.

crankythunder

Ok, I have six bikes that I ride regularly, four are completely fendered, and the other two have partial fenders that provide excellent coverage but not total in heavy weather. One is OEM Aluminum, the rest are aftermarket plastic with mudflaps and other accoutrements fashioned from plastic jugs and zip ties. (Hint: Laundry detergent jugs last longer then milk jugs and I have purchased specific brands of laundry detergent to get the jug it came in for fender construction).

Start thinking about what is on the roads and paths that you bicycle on. People walk dogs, dead animals, oil, chemical spills, bird droppings, fertilizers and pesticides, unknown dust that who knows what its from. I used to commute in a moderately large city where vomit, urine, and feces were on the street.

You want that stuff on you?

You will forget the $180.00 you spent a couple years down the road when you are appreciating the fenders on your bike when you were forced to run through that dog pile.

Regards,
Crankster

Get the best fenders you can.

Groasters

My take, based on over 50 years of cycling in a rainy climate:

1. Fenders protect you and your bike from 60% of road grime but your transmission will get virtually 0% protection.

2. Fenders plus a home made front mudflap extending to within 2 inches of the road protects you, bike and transmission/chain/BB/mechs 95%+

Using option 2 I can ride my bike for several wet rides without needing to clean it, and my transmission components last a very long time.

If you ride on wet roads and want to not have to clean your bike after every ride, it's a no brainer.

Koyote

This.

A front fender that only extends partway down the front wheel’s rear arc and lacks a mud flap (like chaadster ’s) is only slightly better than nothing. A mud flap that extends down to within an inch or two of the pavement will actually offer much protection to the feet, bb, fd, and chain.