BattleRabbit

I was thinking today while out for a lonely ride in the drizzle that my fenders might be extraneous. When I commute I wear a jersey and shorts, but I do not work in those clothes. I carry my clothes/lunch/books in one of these:


It has a semi-hard waterproof outer surface, so no stripe up my back fenders or no. If I'm out for a leisurely ride in the rain, I wear a jacket, so no stripe on my back either.

I will confess, I do like the look of fenders, but for the moment they seem like an extra pound and a half of weight rather than a functional addition.

*Note; I do commute on my roadie rig in many weather conditions too, and that definitely does not have fenders.

Loose Chain

I like my fenders, they keep me clean and they keep the bike clean and whatever miniscule amount of weight they add, I don't care.

xray1978

No, of course you don't need them if you are willing to suffer a little filth and being wet. I like having them in the winter because anything that helps keep me dry is something that is also keeping me warm. Honestly, a pound and a half? I would not worry about that, I can lose that much weight taking a $#!+. For me, it is worth it to have fenders. I too like the way they look.

Soma Roark

Love fenders, so yes.

JPprivate

without (front) fenders my feet get really wet even in light rain or on wet roads. That's why fenders are a big plus for me.

fietsbob

I understand the racers in training in Belgium eschew fenders to be like their heros ,
finishing with mud on their face and a big stripe up the backside of their jersey,
.. and not be mistaken for a Tourist.

but for the more sensible , I wouldn't do without them.

LesterOfPuppets

I run a backscratcher mudguard and wear water resistant boots on rain days. Even with a backpack and jacket my butt gets wet thus the backscratcher.

D Boz

Unless you are so weight conscious that you can’t bring yourself to carry basic repair/flat tools and accessories, fenders are useful at keeping yourself and ride a lot cleaner. By the sounds of it you haven’t minded riding without, so if aesthetics are what you’re looking for I generally like the looks of them.
For performance I’ve only used full coverage fenders SKS and currently Civia, both are nice, although the Civia’s are prettier. Simply to keep from riding thru front tire spray, they are well worth it.

BattleRabbit

I've got a set of planet bike cascadias on right now, and they do work well. I was thinking of upgrading to some velo-orange hammered aluminum fenders* this winter when I redid my bike. I'm just tossing back and forth if it was really necessary.

For the curious, the redo basically constitutes stripping the paint, copper plating the frame, artificially aging it a touch, adding a new Schwinn decal set in the style of the old ones(but in colors to compliment the copper finish) and then clear coating the whole shebang. The paint on my Schwinn is kinda rubbish and fragile, and I want to redo it in a cool way before any serious rust sets in.

*The bike was originally 27" and was converted to 700c. Will the Velo Orange parts fit?

SouthFLpix

No, they are not essential. Nothing is essential unless removing it causes the bike to stop functioning properly. So are they needed? No. Are they nice to have? Yes, I think so.

irwin7638

Me too!

Leebo

I like them and they are always on my commuter. They also keep the water off the bike a well as "stuff" that is not water off the rider. I encouter a fair amount of goose poop on the ride. It is also nicer for other nearby bicyclists , no spray for them.

Rob_E

I have to fuss with my fenders more then I'd like, but they do make wet weather biking so much more pleasant. Maybe the wet and grime doesn't bother you, so it doesn't matter, but it seems like whatever amount of grime you can keep off your chain might be worth it. Also, when biking with friends in rain or on wet roads, I always have to stay well back from my fenderless friends as the send up a spray. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's very noticeable and obnoxious. Whenever I consider removing my fenders, realize that would make me one of the people spraying my fellow commuters, so that halts any thoughts about removing them.

Seattle Forrest

No.

Fenders can mess with your toe clearance. They don't keep you dry; they just prolong the inevitable by about five minutes. All in all, they're pretty obnoxious. Depending on your bike and how well they match, they can either be downright ugly, or tastefully aesthetic. In any case, they're far from necessary.

Onions

Fenders make the ride nicer even in hot weather by stopping the dirt and grit from spraying you in the face as you roll across patches of dust and grit on the road. When it's wet, they're even better. I wouldn't commute a day without them now.

tarwheel 

To me, the best reason to run fenders is to keep your bike much cleaner. I don't mind a little water spray on myself so much, but your chain, brakes, derailleurs, frame get totally coated with crud without fenders. Going fenderless also allows more water to get on the seat post, where it seeps down to your bottom bracket. I rode 63 miles last Saturday on my road bike without fenders -- due to another terrible weather forecast -- and literally poured water out of my seat tube after the ride. The entire bike needed cleaning. However, when riding my commuter bike with fenders in the rain, it doesn't get nearly so filthy.

JeremyLC

I like my fenders because they keep my bike from trying to give me an enema when it's wet out.

CliftonGK1

From BSNYC's trove of information: Fenders; because it's probably urine.

Surrealdeal

If you are worried about an extra 24 ounces then fenders are probably not for you.

AltheCyclist

Just get the fenders. They're not very heavy. They help keep water and junk off of you and the bike in all weather conditions.
If you don't like them, you can take them off (I'd bet you leave them on once you try them out).

Kojak

What this guy said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

But then, I have several bikes. If it's not raining, I take one without fenders. If it's raining (or even drizzling) fenders always.

Sixty Fiver

Fenders do more to protect your bike than they do you as humans don't rust... a decent front fender will keep your wheel from firing water and grit into your drivetrain and if you commute in denser environments a full rear fender will keep he people behind you far happier.

It needs to be repeated that the puddles you ride through are probably full of more than water... in some neighbourhoods I ride through patrons of many bars have no reservation about pissing on the street when the need strikes.

cyccommute 

Are you really from Seattle? Or are you actually a Phoenix troll?

I actually agree with everything you say but I'm from Colorado where it doesn't really rain all that much. Personally, I hate 'em! Damn things are always catching my toe or gouging me when I'm holding the bike or getting in the way when I take the wheel off. They are always rubbing and mounting them can be an exercise in frustration and ingenuity. I put them around November and can't wait to take the damned things off in May. This year it was June or even July

I don't care about the weight, I hate the hassle.

By the way, mountain bike through a cow pasture sometime - here in Colorado it's common because cattle are pastured in the the National forests. You won't care about urine any more

randomgear

Since you're in Albany, the water your tires throw up from puddles in the winter and spring contain road salt, sand, oil, brake dust, and more. Having a wet bum isn't as bad as having a gritty bum.
It's fenders for me!

alan s 

Falling rain, snow and ice are clean. Water from the road is dirty. I'd rather stay as clean as possible, even if I am wet. Fenders are a must on my commuter.