MikeDeason

My new bike has fender mounts and I see that I can get an OEM $180 full-coverage fender set. On my current commuter, I just use a snap-on Velox which does a good job of keeping my jacket and shoes dry. The new bike has an electronic groupset and wondering if there's value in full-coverage fenders for protection of the components or just use the trusty snap-ons ?

chaadster

I suppose the answer is more to do with your cleaning habits than the fenders, because the components can take getting dirty if they get cleaned and maintained.

That said, I always prefer full coverage fenders because it makes cleaning easier, particularly around the FD and BB.

Other than that, fixed, full coverage fenders look good to me, too, so given the option, I’d definitely say to take the OE fender set over the Velox clip-ons for a commuter rig.

MikeDeason

Cleaning in winter is a challenge as I don’t have access to the outdoor hose at home. I rely on a self serve car wash which is kind of like a gym. You know you should go but never seem to make the time or effort.

chaadster

Yeah, I know how that is! I’m sometimes lazy about it, for sure; just today I was adding sealant to one of my bikes which I put up wet for a month or more this winter, letting the chain get corroded; it’s a quality, stainless chain, but I probably need to replace it.

I do have a garage to work in, and my usual custom in the winter is to keep a hand pressurized garden sprayer out there with a little Salt X concentrate in it which I use to spray down the bikes. I’m usually pretty good at giving frequent, full washes, though; my recently sold Novara commuter made it through 14 Michigan winters and looked and ran great on mostly original components, so I take some pride in that I’m doing something right.

Funny story: I sold that bike for $500 to a guy heading to DC for grad school, and he felt he was getting a great deal. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I paid like $650 14 years earlier! I mean, it was hooked up with everything, from a Garmin Edge 500 to Monkey Lights wheel lights, purple Velocity summer wheels, spare winter wheels/tires…lots of goodies, and it was a cool bike. I do kinda miss it still.

Rick

Fenders not only keep the bicycle cleaner but keep allot of the crud of of you also.

Aubergine 

Living in Seattle fenders are a must for a bike that is used all year round.

Edited to add: Mike, 180 bucks seems very high for fenders. You can find good ones for $50 or so, and superb ones for $100. I'd love to know why they would charge such a premium.

slow rollin

Works for me. Now I was riding single speed as my commuter but my butt,shirt, and backpack appreciate it.
Oh, and my face. When descending my local hill I would go fast enough the water would splash back into my eyes. Not good. Didn't rain much here, but the fenders were back on in the winter when it did.

Logically a full fender would protect your brake calipers, front derailleur, help protect your crank, and probably rear derailleur too.

base2 

Fenders do a fantastic job of guiding all the road muck back down to the road. Absolutely it does help with general cleanliness.

I have a wide triangular extension hanging from my front fender that goes nearly to the ground. My feet are 100% shielded from any road derived water. So my feet, shoes, lower pants legs are also kept free of detritus.

Having fenders doesn't excuse you from basic chain maintenance. Nothing does, really. But not getting grit thrown into the front derailleur linkage or into the chain/chainring mesh certainly is the preferable option if given the choice.

rsbob 

Do they actually protect components? The answer is ‘somewhat’. Certainly better than no fenders but you will inevitably get crud on everything. I used to commute on a full fendered bike rain and shine. Still have one which I take out for occasional spins when it is raining and the fenders do a so-so job. They do a better job of keeping spray and mud off your bum.

delbiker1 

IMO, with the proper fender coverage, they keep a lot of crud off the drive train. That is the main reason I have one bike with fenders, my errands and chores bike. No fenders will keep the bike and body dry in precipitation.

MikeDeason

They are alloy. The plastic version is $100 less. Bike shop says the alloy look better and vibrate less.

indyfabz

You might be surprised at how many people in the touring forum have sworn that fenders keep their feet dry, among other things. If you’re riding in heavy rain and are on the road long enough, your feet are going to get wet even with fenders.

Smaug1

Yes, full coverage fenders are worth it if you will ever ride on a wet road. Even riding on gravel trails they are nice, as the little stones don’t get kicked up and chip away at your paint or get in the chain.

ALLOY fenders worth $100 more? I’m not so sure about that. The main thing is that with full coverage fenders, the rear one comes all the way forward and keeps your seat tube and bottom bracket clean. A nice big front fender will also keep your pants clean. Very few manufacturers make a front fender that actually goes low enough to keep your feet dry or clean; Specialized is one that I can think of who does. Some of us add mudflaps to do this.

hang out in the commuting sub forum for a while and you will see some pictures of guys with nice fender sets with full coverage. They are certainly not using them because they aerodynamic. 😉

Besides dirt and rock chips, full coverage fenders will also keep worms from getting all over your bike after a rain. That’s a pretty nasty one to clean up. Where I live, I would not get a lot of riding in during the early spring, late fall and winter if I didn’t have good full coverage fenders.

chaadster

That may be true, but now I’m wondering if these are really optional OE items for the bike, because it seems very unlikely a manufacturer would spec two different fenders for one bike. I think paying a premium for specially fitted OE stuff can be worth it for stuff like specifically shaped stays and properly sized hardware, but also they need to be properly shaped and sufficiently long to be worth it. For example, years ago Civia had some cool, flat fenders for one of their models that were anodized in the bike’s colorway but which because of their flat shape let spray escape the edges of the fenders and had a front too short to provide toe protection. Not worth the premium, those.

So what brand/bike are we talking about here? It might be worth taking a good look at the fenders before shelling out $180. I assume that’s the price installed at the shop, which is nice: good fender installs aren’t necessarily easy.

As an aside, I had fun getting vinyl wrapping on the fenders on the Breezer and love the result:

shelbyfv

I agree that full fenders will do a better job than clip-ons. In OP's case, I wouldn't bother shopping around, just go with the OEM (assuming they are actually OEM). Especially if they'll install them. Plastic or metal, both have pluses and minuses. May as well go with the shop's advice. Looking forward to the grand reveal, hope we aren't disappointed.

chaadster

For reference (and fun!), here’s my Tern Rally with its OE fenders. Although OE, they’re really just basic fenders, and offer none of the advantages of the Breezer’s OE fenders.

Namely, the Tern’s have individual stays per side, necessitating extra hardware (nuts, bolts) which is far less than ideal from the standpoint of reliability and maintenance, and are aesthetically detrimental, IMO. The clean, oversized monostays on the Breezer, fixed with a neat, brass fitting bolted to the inside of the fender, is a much more elegant execution.

bboy314

Fenders won’t miraculously keep you dry in a heavy rain, but they’re sure helpful for riding on wet roads after the rain. Neither aluminum or plastic should rattle, provided they’re installed well, which can be a pretty involved process.

Smaug1

Replying now to the thread title, yes, fenders can extend the life of your components.

My earlier example of riding on crushed limestone is a good one I think. If the limestone is just a little damp, it sticks to the tires enough to be kicked up into the chain and sprockets. Little chips of crushed limestone grinding away are not good for chain and brackets.

...on dry weather and dry pavement? Not really.

Troul 

imo, fenders provided limited protection to the bicycle, but do more at preventing the rider from tire kick up.

If fenders were instrumental to the bicycle's components, the OEM would likely outfitted it out with such protection.

MikeDeason

The alloy fenders are back ordered until July. I asked about SK fenders that are in stock at slightly lower price. Salesman said OE are with waiting for.

put in the order. Sounds like there’s value over my snap ons. I will ask for the install. Just watched vid and it looks tricky even with the built in mounts.

force10

There are other fenders that are probably just as good but your shop's familiarity with the OEM is probably worth something. Does the $180 include install?

I confess I'm curious who the manufacturer is.

Iride01 

I never imagined fenders to have a remarkable bearing on whether the bike stayed cleaner or the components lasted for notably longer times. I only thought of them as somewhat protecting the cyclist from the debris thrown up by the tires from the road. Especially that streak of dirt up the back.

If there is any difference for components, I'd think it's a small difference.

Troul 

thats how i look at it.

rsbob 

I see an occasional cyclist out riding in the rain with the infamous ‘skunk stripe’ going up their bum and back and ask, why? Most folks in this area, due to the amount of rain we receive, do have a fendered bike. I bought this for my MTB but will occasionally put it on one of my unfendered road bikes if the rain is over but the roads are still wet.



I did crash it once while single tracking so did a repair which works fine. Bought it at REI along with a front fork mount partial fender. Good for MTBing in the wet or across creeks and streams but not a real solution for a commuter road bike - just occasional.

Smaug1

Your statement here reminds me that how the bike is USED determines how useful fenders are. In the USA, cycling is mostly done for sport and fitness. Kids don't even want to ride bikes any more; they want rides everywhere. Parents let it happen often because our cities are no longer built to be bike-able.

Anyway, look at the bikes that are sold as commuters overseas. They ALWAYS seem have fenders. (and chain guards and racks) When a fellow doesn't have the luxury of choosing in which weather he will ride, fenders are a no-brainer.

How about you, Mike? What kind of riding will you do with this bike?



Fender installation is not hard, it just takes some patience and fine-tuning. You want the fenders to fit pretty close to the tires for aero, but not so close that they rub the tires or rattle on bumps or won't let small stones through. Then centered for the best coverage against spray and debris.

If you asked what the installation charge was, I bet it was less than $20. Heck, my local shops install any accessories I buy from them at no extra charge. (accessories are already marked up enough)