【SimWorks by Honjo】Talk of my favorite parts: Fender Edition

As the title suggests, this time I’m going to talk about my favorite bike parts. My favorite part is, without a doubt, fenders.

I’m especially fond of metal fenders, specifically those made from aluminum or brass. I’m not exactly sure when my love affair with fenders began, but my father was a randonneur cyclist, and the garage back home was always hung with several randonneuring bikes sporting polished, gleaming aluminum fenders. Having gazed at them since I was a child, perhaps I was instinctively drawn to the shiny, sparkly look of them.

My personal favorites are plain fenders—the smooth kind without any fluting or lines. In the SimWorks by Honjo lineup, those are the models with "Smooth" in the name.

The way they reflect sunlight or the glow of streetlights at night is as beautiful as any precious metal or work of art.

If you ride a gravel bike with generous tire clearance, you can absolutely run wider tires while still using fenders, so I highly recommend full-coverage fenders to all gravel bike users. Or rather, I personally just really want to see more bikes with fenders out on the street...

Is it actually modern to go full circle?

I’m a huge advocate for fenders, but what does everyone else think of them?

Something you find on old bikes or city commuters?

An essential item for a classic aesthetic?

Or perhaps you think they just don't fit the look of your modern, cool bike...?

None of those are wrong. As I mentioned earlier, I grew up seeing my father’s near-vintage randonneuring bikes, so I also once held prejudices that fenders were "old," "classic," or "not modern."

There are a few bikes that wiped away those biases, but the most memorable one is the Cielo Classic Cross pictured here.

It’s a special build painted to match a limited-edition purple color from Chris King at the time. The fenders are color-matched, complete with purple pinstripes that match the logo. I wasn't just captivated by the beauty of the finish or its exclusivity; I was simply struck by how modern and smart a bike could look, even with full-coverage fenders!

By seeing and touching bikes like this with modern builds and fenders, my prejudices gradually faded, and eventually, I found myself wanting a modern bike with fenders. That desire manifested itself in this Ritchey Outback.

I considered painting the fenders, but since the frame is a fresh "Guacamole" color, I decided to hold off on matching paint for now. As it turns out, I think the contrast between the modern components and the classic look of the polished fenders adds a nice touch. If I ever decide to repaint the frame down the road, I might consider paint-matching them then.

Beauty even in the rain

To delve a little deeper into the appeal of fenders, there’s a situation where you can experience their functionality and beauty at the same time: a rainy day.

As the Japanese name "doro-yoke" (mud guard) implies, they do their job of keeping the mud off, but the raindrops trickling down the fenders catch the light in a unique way—it makes you realize that rainy days aren't actually so bad.

I hope I’ve managed to convey my love for fenders, but if I keep talking, it might start to feel a bit pushy, so please take a look at this archive of fender-equipped bikes that I’ve curated based on my own personal bias. If any of these strike a chord with you, you might just find yourself wanting to install some fenders, too (I hope you do!).

Swipe sideways to take a look.

Fashion requires sacrifice

I realize "fashion requires sacrifice" is a bit of an antiquated sentiment, but I think it holds true for fenders. Even if you love them or think they look cool, there are always drawbacks to using them.

• Tire size is limited.
  Obviously, you have to choose tires that fit under the fenders. Anything wider than the fender clearance is out, and if you want a clean aesthetic, tires that are too narrow won't make the cut, either.

• Transporting the bike becomes more time-consuming.
  If you have fenders, you can't pack your bike into a transport bag just by removing the front wheel. At the very least, you’ll have to remove both the front wheel and the front fender. The same applies if you’re loading it into a car. Even if you use a roof rack, you have to make sure you have one that accommodates bikes with fenders.
  
• They can be a potential cause of trouble.
  This is a matter of probability, but the more parts your bike has, the higher the chance of a mechanical issue. Of course, things like flat tires or wear-and-tear items are much more common in daily use, so this is just a potentiality.

It's not all about sacrifice.

Perhaps people shy away from fenders because of the points I raised above. But if you shift your perspective, for those who don’t transport their bikes via train or car and who ride (or want to ride!) even on rainy days, those constraints become irrelevant.

Yes, I truly want to recommend fenders to so-called city-riding cyclists.

Because you use your bike every day, you ride it a lot and it gets dirty. There’s all sorts of debris on city streets, and streets after the rain are surprisingly full of puddles. If your bike has fenders, the stress of dealing with the urban mess might be a little lighter. And if your fenders catch the light, you can even find your beloved bike in a crowded station parking lot without hesitation.

Fenders are certainly accessories (attachments), but they also contain elements of accessories (adornments) in the fashion sense. Jewelry isn't strictly necessary, but when you look down and see it catch the light on your hand, it lifts your spirits and can sometimes provide a boost of confidence or courage. At least, that’s how I think of accessories. Fenders aren't strictly necessary, but like jewelry, they catch the light. They are also similar in how they lift your mood and make you think that riding in the rain isn't so bad after all.

In closing

For those who have discovered the allure of fenders, here are a few SimWorks articles I’d like to share.

Please take a look at this article, which explains the appeal of Honjo fenders more concisely than I ever could.

Singin’ in the Rain with Honjo☔️

Although I couldn't cover it this time, there are also helpful tips on fender installation, so if you are interested in fenders or want to try installing them yourself, please refer to these guides.

>>> Honjo fitting issue / Compatibility

>>> Honjo smart installation / Assembly

>>> Honjo ideal stay angle / Stay angles

With autumn around the corner making it easier to ride, why not give your bike a change of clothes with some Honjo fenders?