The 10 Best Bike Fenders
This wiki has been updated 19 times since it was first published in February of 2019. If you’re fortunate enough to live in a city where immaculate streets and idyllic weather conditions are the norm, congratulations. For the rest of us cyclists, some quality bike fenders are a must. Once you mount a set of these to your bicycle, you won’t have to worry about water, mud and other debris spraying up into your face, dirtying your clothes or blemishing your backpack. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Planet Bike Cascadia
2. Mucky Nutz MugGuard
3. Planet Bike Hardcore
Editor's Notes
September 10, 2020:
Adjusted the listing for the Sunlite Cruiser to show that it’s now only available in chrome, not black. We also noted that rubber padding on the Blackburn Splashboard does a good job protecting the bike frame’s finish. Whereas some fenders may rattle a bit if you take on bumpy terrain on a mountain bike, we point out that this is not the case with the SKS S-Board, which stays in place quite well.
We replaced the Portland Design Mud Shovel with the Mucky Nutz MugGuard, a fender that blends performance and style quite effectively. It looks sharp, doesn’t rattle or shift, and can be installed quickly with a useful Velcro fastener.
All of these models perform the same function, but you may prefer one type over another. The Planet Bike Hardcore, for example, provides coverage for most of the top half of the tire, hugging the wheel closely. The Blackburn Splashboard and Zefal Swan, on the other hand, stick out from the rear of the bike to guard against splatter from the back tire. In terms of size and design, a fender like the Topeak DeFender falls somewhere in the middle, though it’s not the most durable choice.
February 18, 2019:
Noted that the width of the Portland Design Mud Shovel makes it suitable for use with fat tire bikes, which is good information to have given the rise in popularity of that style of biking. The Planet Bike Cascadia is one of the only models I discovered to be offered in a wide variety of sizes, which is one reason for its high ranking. Researched the BlueSunshine Road, but quickly learned through numerous reports that shoddy craftsmanship made it unacceptable for this list.
Special Honors
The Lost Co Ground Keeper If you’re looking for bike accessories that reflect your personal style, the Ground Keeper is available in a plethora of colorful designs, with themes that depict the American flag, animals, trees and space. Each fender is built in Washington State using recycled polyethylene that’s extremely resistant to cracking. thelostco.com
Musguard This innovative fender takes the concept of portability to a new level — when it’s not in use, it rolls up into a compact package that will fit in your pocket. It’s easy to attach to most frames, sitting close to the wheel to stop splatter at its source. You can choose from a variety of colors, too. musguard.com
One Ball Mud Fork Made in the United States by a company that recently expanded from snowboard gear into the biking world, this small but robust fender will work with just about any tire size. It comes with zip ties to keep it secure, and it’s made with the same durable plastic material commonly used for snowboard bases. one-ball.com
4. SKS S-Board
5. Zefal Swan
6. SKS RaceBlade Pro
7. SKS Rowdy
8. Topeak DeFender
9. Blackburn Splashboard
10. Sunlite Cruiser
In addition to his corporate career as a marketing and communications professional in Chicago, Sam runs a popular blog that focuses on the city’s flourishing craft beer and brewery scene. He received his degree in journalism from DePaul University (which spurred his interest in freelance writing) and has since spent years developing expertise in copywriting, digital marketing and public relations. A lifetime of fishing, hiking and camping trips has left him well-versed in just about any outdoors-related topic, and over several years spent working in the trades during his youth, he accumulated a wealth of knowledge about tools and machinery. He’s a travel junkie, a health and fitness enthusiast, and an avid biker.