Originally Posted by
mdilthey
I think it's a case of coming up with a crisis where there is none. I've done three tours and about 4,000 miles with no fenders on my bike. A quick rinse after I get into camp is all I do, and I can hear when my chain needs more lube.
Everyone puts fenders on, and fiddles with them for ages, and replaces them when they break, and buys new sets when they wear out. How many people actually try taking them off and going without them?
Even with full-coverage fenders, I still got sandy and dirty in a rainstorm. So did the bike. Now, I just accept it and plan accordingly, and I can't think of a single deleterious effect.
I ride my bikes in all weather, fenders go a long ways towards keeping the chain, bottom bracket, brakes, pedals, headset and me clean and minimize maintenance. FWIW I also use chain guards and chain cases
In nearly 40 years of riding I can only recall having to replace one fender, and that one got broken while the bike was on a car rack. I do have a couple of bikes without fenders, but those are the exception rather than rule. One is an MTB that gets used for aggressive trail riding, the other a go fast road bike.
Aaron
