tyrion

Are there fenders that are easier to take on and off? I mean after the initial set up. I'm attracted to traditional metal fenders (like VO, Gilles Berthoud) and I know they can be tricky to set up, which I think I can handle, but after setup can they just be unbolted/rebolted?

I-Like-To-Bike

Why do you want to take them on and off after setup?

tyrion

They wouldn't be needed very often because it doesn't rain much here. I'm looking at 700x60mm+ full coverage fenders, so that's not an insignificant weight to carry around when they're not needed, and they're only needed a few days out of the year.

Maybe it's not feasible to change add/remove them easily, maybe I should go for less coverage - that's what I'm trying to figure out.

hsuBM

Yes they can. Don’t bother with less than full coverage, you’ll still feel like you maybe should’ve worn swim trunks on the ride if you do.

The only potential issue arises with the seatstay mounting bracket if the frame has canti/V/drum brakes and you're trying to be classy and put the bracket on the front side of the bridge. In that silly instance you have to wrestle with it a bit to get it out and back in again.

Grease your threads and you’re good to mount/dismount as many times as you please.

———

It is nice to have both your fair weather bike and a fender’d and racked bike ready to go.

delbiker1 

I will agree with hsuBM regarding the full coverage. I think whether or not you can easily mount and remove the fenders depends on both your bike and the fenders. I have a Soma Smoothie from which I can easily mount and remove a set of SKS fenders, cannot remember which model. The other 2 bikes I have had fenders on, a Schwinn SS DBX and a Lemond Poprad, took some modification, and or, some tinkering to get them to a workable fit. They are a bit easier to deal with after the initial install, but still a bit of a pain. The Poprad I will probably just leave the fenders on all the time, the Schwinn will probably never get fenders again.

biker128pedal

SKS has removable fenders. Not sure which ones fit wider tires. I think I have the Pros for 23mm tires. Good coverage. The front goes from the fork crown back down pretty far. Rear from brakes.

downtube42

I've never seen any kind of full coverage fender quick-disconnects. That would be nice for airline travel and bike shipping.

There are a couple tips that can make it easier to remove/replace normal full coverage fenders. First is isolating front brakes/headlight mounting from the fender mount. Get some Sheldon Brown problem solver nuts. Next, mark the fender stays, showing where they are clamped once set up. Same with adjustable brackets. Other than that, practice makes perfect. It's a little fiddly, but not too bad. One other tip, just go ahead and take the wheels off despite what you think you can do with the wheels on.

Pop N Wood

I have SKS plastic fenders on multiple bikes. they are super easy to remove. Front requires 3 bolts, rear has 4. Leave the stays on the fender and unscrew the allen bolt at the dropouts. They roll right out without removing the wheels.

The plastic fenders are also pretty light.

SalsaShark

Once everything is fit and installed, i would imagine i could take the Velo Orange style fenders off a bike in less than 5 minutes, and have it ready to ride again without fenders. I would think about 10 minutes to reinstall and have ready to ride again. Just store them with the stays installed on the fenders and leave the mounting hardware on the bike to speed up reinstallation (and make sure things do not get lost).

rollagain

If it's easy for them to come off, they will--against your wishes. BTDT.

JohnDThompson 

+1 this. Effective full-coverage mudguards require multiple anchor points for stability and safety (and noise reduction). Multiple anchor points make installation and removal more difficult.

If you live in an area where full coverage mudguards are important, either leave them on the bike all the time or get a second bike so you can have one with mudguards to ride in wet conditions and one without to ride in dry conditions.

Koyote

Potentially. The bigger issue is that, if the fenders are easily removed, they are more likely the type that rattle around and also don't give full coverage.

This is good advice. My commuter bike must be ridden in the rain quite often, so it's had fenders from day one. I also have a training bike dedicated to rainy weather - it's fitted with Rene Herse (i.e., Honjo) fenders, and a Brooks leather mudflap on the front fender. They are quiet, stable, secure - and when I get home from a rainy ride, I just spend a couple minutes wiping the clean rainwater from the bike and head in for a hot bath.