SIMWORKS Short Fender
Size: Turtle 44 / Turtle 35 / Smooth 41 / Smooth 35
Color: Silver / Black
Price: ¥8,580–¥12,100 (incl. tax)
A new Short Fender has been released from our very own SimWorks by HONJO line.
At first, the question, "Is this actually a thing?" fluttered around in my head.
So, I racked my cicada-sized brain to think through the details.
Short Fender vs. Full Fender Showdown! (Please note that the results heavily reflect my own personal bias)
1. Appearance
In terms of visual beauty, the full fender is undoubtedly the winner.
It might just be that I’m not used to the look of a short fender, but while full fenders offer a beauty that extends even to the angle of their stays, the short fender plays by a different set of rules.
2. Size (Length)
There is a threefold difference in ratio, so naturally, the full fender takes the lead in coverage. However, when it comes to installation and removal, the short fender wins out since it only requires a single screw.
The randonneur crowd, who pursue the aesthetics of folding bikes, might get angry at me for saying this, but packing a bike with full fenders for transit is just exhausting.
In that respect, with a short fender, you can just pop the front one off quickly and be done with it.
3. Weight
As cyclists, we can't ignore weight.
Naturally, this round goes to the short fender.
Lightness is justice, after all.
Let’s not even get into the argument that "the lightest option is having no fenders at all."
4. Price
Even among other Honjo products, the short fender is a bargain.
Again, I’m not interested in hearing about how "plastic ones are cheaper..."
5. Functionality
Now, for the all-important mud-guarding performance.
Of course, a full fender that covers most of the tire is the obvious choice.
However, that doesn't mean the short fender is non-functional. Some motorcycle manufacturers purposefully use short fenders, and there are plenty of third-party versions available. In the world of mountain biking, short fenders are the only choice to avoid mud clogging, and in a racing context, they serve their purpose perfectly well.
Let’s consider the trajectory of water when riding on a wet road.
If the lines I drew in the photo represent the trajectory of flying water, then the short fender provides more than enough functionality. Since your back gets dirty partly because you are riding into the spray kicked up by your own front wheel, you get the benefit of reduced grime just by having one. It also significantly blocks spray from hitting your face.
Wonderful.
So, that covers the avoidance of water spray, but I found an interesting article during my research that I'd like to share.
This fender style is advocated by Jan Heine, a legend in the cycling world at Rene Herse. It looks like a short fender.
The mounting position for the rear is a bit unique, but surprisingly, this fender isn't meant for keeping off water. Its purpose is aerodynamics.
Apparently, adopting this fender reduces losses from air resistance, which is why they went with this style. It's interesting that they explicitly state it's not for avoiding water.
Well, setting those tangents aside, the all-important...
My Personal Conclusion
By category, I’d say it’s a 2-2-1 draw (though I am quite biased toward the short fender).
Is that good enough?
It goes without saying, but fenders have their pros and cons. Depending on how you use them, they could be worth their weight in gold.
In any case, I intend to use them for a while.
So, stay tuned for my long-term impression in the future.
