full fenders – CYCLINGABOUT.com

A set of full fenders is essential for anyone who wants to stay comfortable when the roads are wet. On longer rides, the morale boost of staying dryer and warmer can make all the difference.

Fenders (or mudguards) keep both you and your bike much cleaner, cutting down on bike maintenance and helping your components last longer. They’re also a courtesy to anyone riding behind you, since longer mudguards dramatically reduce the amount of grit and spray you kick up.

The challenge is that few modern bikes are designed for full-coverage fenders. So I spent a day scouring the internet to identify nearly every lightweight road and gravel bike (with photographic evidence) of full-fender compatibility, and came up with 69 models in total.

For this list, I focused on carbon and aluminium frames, which are lighter and help offset the added weight of a fender set. Bikes made from these materials also tend to emphasise performance, allowing you to use a single versatile bike year-round. You can simply remove the fenders for dry-season road or gravel rides, and reattach them when the weather turns wet.

Before looking at bikes that fit full fenders, let’s go over the basics of fenders, and I’ll show you the most popular models on the market.

Considerations When Running Full Fenders

The Ridley Kanzo Fast gravel bike will fit up to 38mm tyres with full fenders.

Even on bikes with dedicated fender mounts, the maximum tyre clearance usually shrinks once the fenders are installed. A good rule of thumb is that you’ll lose about 5–10mm of usable tyre width. So if your frame clears a 47mm tyre without fenders, you can normally expect to run something in the 37 to 42mm range with full fenders fitted.

There’s also a small weight penalty to consider. Full-coverage fenders usually add 400 to 700 grams, which can take a little edge off a bike’s snappy feel. But for most winter or wet-weather rides, it’s a very reasonable trade-off.

Installing full fenders properly can take time and patience. You’ll often need to trim the fender stays, and in some cases, you may even have to bend or drill the fenders themselves to achieve the right fit and adequate clearance. Bike shops will be your friend if you don’t have the tools to do this yourself.

Popular Full Fender Models

SKS Bluemels

The SKS Bluemels are easily among the most popular fenders on the market. They use a thin metal core sandwiched between two plastic layers, resulting in a durable, stiff, and lightweight design (just 476 grams) at a very reasonable price.

Available in almost every size you could need, these Bluemels mudguards are the default choice for many bike shops, and SKS backs them up with an extensive range of spare parts.

SKS Bluemels Sizes:
35 mm Model: 23 – 28 mm wide tyres – $62 on Amazon
45 mm Model: 28 – 37 mm wide tyres – $62 on Amazon
53 mm Model: 30 – 45 mm wide tyres – $72 on Amazon
55 mm Model: 32 – 47 mm wide tyres – $72 on Amazon
60 mm Model: 40 – 54 mm wide tyres – $79 on Amazon
65 mm Model: 54 – 61 mm wide tyres – $79 on Amazon
69 mm Model: 59 – 63 mm wide tyres – $84 on Amazon

SKS Edge AL Fenders

If you prefer the look of black aluminium fenders, the SKS Edge AL are the better pick. They’re slightly heavier (540 to 570 grams) and slightly more expensive than the Bluemels, but have a much sleeker look with fewer rear struts. They will be suitable for almost all road and gravel tyres.

SKS Edge AL Sizes:
46mm Model: 23 – 37 mm wide tyres – $72 on Amazon
56mm Model: 38 – 50 mm wide tyres – $78 on Amazon

Portland Design Works Full Metal Fenders

PDW Full Metal Fenders on a Breadwinner gravel bike.

The PDW Full Metal Fenders are some seriously good-looking anodised aluminium mudguards. The matte black finish gives them a sleek, understated look that blends seamlessly with most bikes.

Once installed, they’re exceptionally stiff, eliminating tyre buzz even when you’re rocking the bike on steep climbs. They come in at an impressive 446 grams, so they should ultimately disappear into the background once mounted to your bike.

Ultimately, the Full Metal Fenders are a premium option with a higher price tag than many others on this list, but their durability, stiffness, and overall performance make them well worth considering.

PDW Full Metal Fender Sizes:
700×37 Model: 23 – 30 mm wide tyres – $135 at Performance Bicycle
700×45 Model: 31 – 37 mm wide tyres – $135 at Performance Bicycle
700×55 Model: 38 – 47 mm wide tyres – $155 at Performance Bicycle
700×65 Model: 48 – 55 mm wide tyres – $175 at Performance Bicycle

Kinesis Fend Off

The Kinesis Fend Off aluminium fenders are hard-wearing, easy to fit, and made for all weather conditions. They also have a neat range of mounts for lights and accessories that connect to the fenders.

Kinesis Fend Off Sizes:
40mm model: 23 – 34 mm wide tyres
50mm model: 35 – 45 mm wide tyres

Planet Bike Cascadia

The Planet Bike Cascadia fenders deliver excellent coverage, whether you’re commuting or logging long miles on your road bike. Their extra-long mudflaps provide full wraparound protection in all conditions, and the pre-installed stainless V-stays make setup straightforward. The clean, simple design also looks great on nearly any bike.

They’re a little heavier and more affordable than some premium options, but they remain impressively quiet, durable, and dependable.

Planet Bike Cascadia Sizes:
700×35 Model: 23 – 25 mm wide tyres – $91 on Amazon
700×45 Model: 26 – 35 mm wide tyres – $91 on Amazon
700×55 Model: 36 – 45 mm wide tyres – $91 on Amazon
700×65 Model: 46 – 55 mm wide tyres – $91 on Amazon

Clip-On Full Fenders and Mudguards

This gravel bike is fitted with SKS SpeedRocker clip-on fenders.

If your bike doesn’t have eyelets, then clip-on mudguards are your next best option. They provide respectable protection, though they can’t quite match the full coverage of proper full-length fenders.

The SKS SpeedRocker ($85 on Amazon) is the go-to choice thanks to its stability and impressive coverage. The standard model will fit up to 40mm tyres, and the SKS SpeedRocker XL ($89 on Amazon) will fit up to 52mm tyres.

If you’re dealing with tighter clearances and narrower tyres, the SKS Raceblade Pro XL ($74 on Amazon) will be a better fit, suiting tyres in the 25 to 32mm range.