So you want to keep things clean? Thinking about fitting fenders or mudguards to your gravel bike? Often they can make a bike look dorky. The equivalent of hanging “balls” from the back of your car or Instagramming everything you eat. Guilty of the latter.
It’s 2022 and there are gravel bike fender options that speak style and function. Gone are the days of traditional fenders and mudguards. Don’t get me wrong they still serve a real functional purpose in keeping dirt off ya shirt. But they sometimes lack style points, not to mention difficulty and inconvenience in mounting.
If you don’t care about such nonsense and just want some mudguards that work we have them too.
Maybe I’m focusing too much on aesthetics, but I love a nice looking bike setup! More so, maybe you are looking for gravel fenders that are easy to fit and don’t require complexities similar to a Rubik’s cube, you just want to mount them in seconds and go, maybe even remove them when you no longer need them and pack them away easily?
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These fenders by Ass Savers do just that without mentioning their obvious benefit of saving your ass!
1. Ass Savers Fendor Bendor Big
How To Install Fendor Bendor
- Suitable for tire widths between 32-55 mm
- Super lightweight, only 61 grams
- Easy to fit, no tools required
- Fits all frames with standard seat stays. Virtually fits every bike in just a few seconds
- You can also mount it above your caliper brake to avoid interference with the brake
- Made from 1mm PP (Polypropylene) material
- Will not fit if you have have monostay frame or center pull brake
- Comes with small set of transparent 3M polyurethane protection stickers, for the seat stay
- Can be folded in half for easy storage in a backpack or strapped on your bikepacking gear
- Come in a variety of styles
- Ideal for bikepacking and gravel biking
Ass Savers make some innovative and simple fenders for gravel and off road bikes. The rear Fendor Bendor Big is ideal for bikepacking. Strong enough to handle muddy conditions but flexible enough not the break. The width is optimized for tire sizes commonly used by gravel cyclists. Mounted close to the rear tire it will protect your saddle bag as well as the rider from road muck and water. It does not require any tools to mount and you will have it on your bike in no time. They also make other fenders for the front too.
2. Ass Savers Mudder Mini
If you dig the Fendor Bendor mudguards then the Ass Savers Mudder Mini mudguards make the perfect duo. A smaller fender which mounts to the front of your gravel bike. Putting a stop to that “hardcore dog-shit speckle” on the face look! Or maybe that’s exactly what you want, how else will people know you’ve been sending it?
Front gravel fenders are a good idea when the gravel gets wet. The fine sand and water have a passion for destroying bearings, not to mention getting in your eyes. The solution?
- Protects face and headset bearings
- Suitable for tire widths between 32-55 mm
- Super lightweight, only 21 grams
- Fits easy and securely with anti-slip straps
- Fits all cross/gravel forks
- Guarantee an instant and perfect fit on all fork sizes
- Correct position is about 10 mm above the tire
- Make sure that the mudguard doesn’t touch your down tube when turning the handlebar
- Lacks proper coverage compared to a full length fender
- Easy to remove and store until it’s needed
- Ideal for bikepacking and gravel biking
Perfect for a set and forget front mudguard solution. Some complain that it has minimal coverage. If you want full coverage you may want to consider other mudguards listed. But for a total weight of 21 grams you would never know its there. And if you just want something to stop the grim and grit from smashing your face then happy days!
3. SKS Bluemels
- Bluemels 45 mm fenders fit 700 x 28-38 tires (592 grams)
- Or Bluemels 53 mm fenders which fit 700 x 38-47 tires (638 grams)
- Weigh more then Ass Savers
- Made in Germany
- Comes with ASR system for extra protection, the struts are released in case the front wheel is jammed by the mudguard
- Traditional full fender design, extending the life of your bike
- Package includes front and rear fenders, struts kit, a stainless-steel fixed bridge and mounting materials.
These mudguards are very popular with bike tourers. They are a durable option, with increased strength. They can be found on a variety bikes from all over the world. They make a large variety of different options that would be sure to fit your rig. See the full list of Bluemels products here. But if you are after a simple full length fender for your gravel bike, its worth the shot.
4. SKS Speedrocker Gravel Fender Set
- Perfect for gravel, cyclocross, and racing bikes with wider tires
- Fit up to 42 mm wide tires (some users have fit up to 650b x 47 depending on tire design)
- Adjusts to fit a variety of geometries and components
- Composite reinforced with glass particles material
- Weight 408 grams
- Front fender length 500 mm + 210 mm add-on
- Rear fender length 950 mm
- Quickly and easily attaches to fork and frame
- Attaches with a combination of rubberized hook-and-loop straps and rubber straps
- Featuring the ESC Vario Safety System, the fender stays quickly detached should an object become lodged in the spokes.
- Telescoping stays let you precisely adjust and align the rear fender
- Some people have had compatibility issues with some forks, like the Columbus Cross Futura
- Complaints of the fenders having a thin, flimsy plastic build quality
- Perfect if you live in an area that doesn’t require a permanent fender set
- It might not fit perfectly on your bike
- But quick to install and take off (5 mins install once you figure out the first time)
5. Velo Orange Snakeskin Fenders
Maybe your after something thats a bit different? That adds some bling to your bike!
- Made from aluminum alloy for strength while staying lightweight
- Fenders are 50mm wide, designed for 700c and 27″ wheels, and work with tires up to 42mm wide
- Hardware kit included to work with almost any type of mounting, even some suspension forks
- Rear fender is 120cm long and the front is 90cm long
- Pre-drilled for stays and fork crown mount
- Full coverage fenders, meaning full wrap around the width of your tires to eliminate spray in all directions
- Much more sturdy then plastic fenders
- The polished aluminum surface can be too shiny sometimes
6. Ground Keeper Fancy Bicycle Fender
Not strictly gravel only fenders. If you are after something completely different, i’m talking custom even. Grounder Keeper offer some classy choices. Mainly MTB specific fenders they are also recommended for gravel bikes. A unique-looking piece of art staring directly at you every time you look down.
- Basic universal fit for mountain bike and gravel forks
- Made with a flexible, lightweight and extremely durable polyethylene construction
- Comes with black hook and loop velcro for easy installation and removal
- Fits most mountain bike wheel size and fork combinations. Therefore most gravel bikes too. Not compatible with reverse arch forks
- Stylish bit of kit to add to any ride
Should You Get Fenders?
Lets take a honest look at fenders for your gravel/adventure bike and see if they are really worth getting. From my personal experience with fenders, I did use them briefly on a road touring bike, back when I was getting started in this world of bike travel. but I could not really be bothered with the fiddle factor that some talk about. And they do take a little while to get used to mounting on your bike. If you are travelling all over the world and require to make your bike down this can get annoying, trust me. It is just two less things to pack for travel.
But is the benefits that they offer really worth the hassle? Well this can depend on ones opinion, but lets find out. One of the bigger problems I see with the idea of using fenders on a off-road bike is the potential for debris to get caught between the tire and the fender. especially if you are riding on some muddy conditions, there is a great possibility that mud is going to get stuck in the fender and clogging up so much that it can prevent your from riding any further. Requiring you to stop and clean out the debris.
Also depending on how your adventure bike is setup with bike bags and other gear. It might act as a fender in a way of keeping mud off you. Generally rear panniers on touring bikes do a okay job of keeping water from hitting your back. But it comes down to you and if you like the tough look of a mud coated bike. I must say it look pretty badass. But for keeping you dry and mud free I can see the purpose for using fenders, and for off-road it seems even more purposeful.
If you are one for keeping your bike cleaner, then fenders are a great solution. If you have a brand new adventure bike, you probably want it to last. And keeping it clean from mud and other debris fenders help a lot. It seems fenders are better for gravel bikes specifically compared to more adventure bikes and the varied terrain and conditions that will be expected. Such as mud, rocks, roots, sticks, etc. So it is probably best to keep fenders and mudguards off the bike for this type of adventures. This is my opinion and that is what I would do anyway.
It seems fenders have no real purpose when it is raining and you are all ready wet. But they seem to work best and offer the best use when it is not raining and the road surface is wet. Keeping road grime and dirt off your bike. But if you are riding a gravel bike my guess is that you are not worried about a little bit of grime on your bike.
In terms of the looks, the Masi Speciale Randonneur has pulled off a great look in my opinion with nice big fenders. This bike runs 650b x 47c road plus and it manages very well with fenders.
The problem I see with installing fenders on a adventure bike. As they run wider tires is the possibility to get the right match with the fender width that fits in your bike frame and the tire width with the right amount of clearance. For example with my Surly LHT. I am running WTB Riddler 45C tires with the bike being able to fit up to 45 mm without fenders. So fenders would not fit my bike with the current tire size. As the Surly is only capable of housing up to 700c x 42mm tires with fenders. So make sure to look up your bikes recommended tire clearance. The Surly LHT is designed to be a touring bike. Some more modern adventure bikes and gravel bikes are able to accommodate wider tires with fenders.
How much clearance do you need on bike fenders?
Ideally you should have, about 30 mm between the tire and the bridges or fork crown. Even something like 20 mm and above is manageable. Having a nice clearance up to 30 mm will work great for debris like sticks that would fall away rather than jam in the gap.
I hear some people being able to fit fenders with only 5mm of clearance between the tire and frame. This is pushing it to becoming close to unsafe. This about the clearance I currently have on my Surly. Maybe even 4mm if I am correct. Fitting fenders on a setup with this little clearance is not recommended. The worst thing you would want is having your tire running so close to the fender that it contacts.
Maybe you want to get a pair of fenders if you are commuting and you ride a gravel or adventure bike. This seems like the most likely reason for using fenders on such bikes, because who wants to get muddy before work or school? Right?
If you are worried about if fenders will be able to mount on your bike with the lack of eyelets there are options out there that mount simply to your frame with out then need for braze-ons.
They have there place and are purposeful for keeping your bike clean and stopping debris from spreading over you and your bikes parts, like gears. If you still think fender and mudguards are something that you are looking for then below is a list of some of the best gravel bike and adventure bike fenders.
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