Why Don’t Mountain Bikes Have Fenders

Mountain bikes don’t have fenders because they are not needed.

Mountain bikes don’t have fenders because they are not needed. They can be used in a variety of conditions including mud, snow, and rain.

Do you need fenders on a mountain bike?

Putting fenders on a mountain bike is a good way to protect you and your bike from the rain. Riding with fenders will prevent the rain from spraying a streak of muddy water up to your back, over your shoes, and on your face as well as on your cycling mates.^[1]

Can you put fenders on a mountain bike?

Mountain bike fenders are often called mudguards; they provide more tire clearance and are designed to be compatible with suspension mountain bikes. Front mudguards are typically easy to install with zip ties and attached to your front fork.^[2]

Should you put mudguards on a mountain bike?

When it comes to winter mountain biking, using a mudguard is an easy and affordable way to make it much more pleasant. A good mudguard will keep water spray and dirt thrown up by your wheels off you and your bike, meaning you get to see where you’re going and get less wet, cold and mucky.^[3]

Are fenders good on a bike?

Fenders make a tremendous difference when you are riding roads that are wet from drizzle, recent rain, or snowmelt. In a hard rain, you may become wet with clean rain from above, but fenders will protect your body and bicycle from the mud and sand kicked up from dirty puddles and rivulets.^[4]

What’s the point of a bike fender?

A fender is essentially a covering for your bike tires that protects you from the rain. Riding with fenders will prevent the rain from splashing a streak of muddy water up your back, over your shoes and on your face.^[5]

What is purpose of front fender on a bike?

The front fender balances the force between the forks in the front of the bike. Without this support, you can get very bad speed wobble.^[6]

How effective are mud guards?

On wet roads, instead of enduring a constant muddy spray from your tyres, mudguards keep you — and the bike — largely dry. Even when riding through the rain, you’ll only get half as wet because you’re not being showered from below as well as above. What’s more, your expensive clothing stays clean(er).^[7]

Are mudguards necessary on bikes?

A mudguard is a must to stop you getting a big stripe of mud splattered down your back at the slightest hint of rain. If you want to avoid having to change your entire outfit after each journey, you need the right mudguards.^[8]

Do I need a mud guard bike?

In many clubs mudguards are compulsory for wet weather riding because they stop spray being slung up from your tyres and soaking the rider behind. Even if you’re not in a club, anyone you ride with will appreciate you using long mudguards when there’s water on the road.^[9]

Do you really need fenders?

Fenders (or “mudguards” as people outside the U.S. call them) are what will keep you from having a skunk stripe on your backside if you ride in the rain, and a front fender will help protect your feet and ankles from spray if you’re riding in the rain or even through a puddle.^[10]

How much do fenders slow down a bike?

The researchers eventually concluded that there was indeed an observed optimum decrease in drag coefficient – the bike with mudguards had 4.6%, 4.5% and 4.6% less drag than the bike without mudguards at 6 m/s, 8 m/s and 10 m/s respectively.^[11]

Do gravel bikes need mudguards?

Mudguards are one of the best accessories you can add to your gravel bike. The ground might be hard and dusty when it hasn’t rained for days, but those tracks can turn to a sloppy, muddy mess in the winter – and even much of the spring and autumn.^[12]