RIP front fender

[freeclimbmtb]

Bottomed my front suspension out on a sunken manhole cover the other day.  Upon closer inspection i noticed that the front fender actually cracked when it slammed into the GoPro mount I have on my shock tube.  Oh well, guess its time for the DP Carbon Fiber front fender.   

[MikeZ]

The bikes look great without one.
I ditched mine years ago.
It's a naked bike remember?
Strip all that excess off

[corey]

The bikes look great without one.
I ditched mine years ago.
It's a naked bike remember?
Strip all that excess off

whilst i agree that it does look great, and definitely considered it myself... the investment in my forks made the decision easy. one untimely rock or stone, and kiss your fork seal goodbye.

[OneWheelDrive]

Fork seals are important, but after you take a pebble to the adams apple while going 80 mph+ you'll realize how important fenders really are.

[MikeZ]

Fork seals are important, but after you take a pebble to the adams apple while going 80 mph+ you'll realize how important fenders really are.

I haven't enjoyed the privilege of a stone to the adams apple yet but with a full face helmet I would think that would be difficult to hit and I get more debris coming off of other vehicles then I get coming off my front tire.
I do tend to get a little more water sprayed up from the road without it but since my bike isn't my primary source of transportation it hasn't bothered me to often.

[freeclimbmtb]

I haven't enjoyed the privilege of a stone to the adams apple yet but with a full face helmet I would think that would be difficult to hit and I get more debris coming off of other vehicles then I get coming off my front tire.
I do tend to get a little more water sprayed up from the road without it but since my bike isn't my primary source of transportation it hasn't bothered me to often.

While my bike is my primary means of transportation I will probably retain the fender, however i might consider taking it off until the replacenet arives. Also, I worry a little about leaving my brake line unprotected/secured

[derby]

Also, I worry a little about leaving my brake line unprotected/secured

just make sure your brake lines are routed/secured in such a way that they can't touch the wheel at all.

we once lost the front fender on our endurance racer and subsequently had to deal with the joy of not having any front brakes mid-race.

it was... "exciting"... 

[ducpainter]

just make sure your brake lines are routed/secured in such a way that they can't touch the wheel at all.

we once lost the front fender on our endurance racer and subsequently had to deal with the joy of not having any front brakes mid-race.

it was... "exciting"... 

brakes just slow you down when racing...

better off without them. 

[freeclimbmtb]

Well if I ditch the front brakes all together it would certainly make that front wheel a lot less of a pain in the ass to clean.  Actually took a second look at the fender, its really not too bad at all, I could certainly leave it be, but its just a good excuse for more CF.

[VisceralReaction]

The problem with running without a fender aside from the obvious soaking in the rain you'll get.
The fender protects the chrome or oxide coating on the fork from pitting from road grime, rocks etc.
once your fork is pitted all up, you shred your fork seals in no time and the fix is spendy, new shocks

[MikeZ]

Haven't noticed the forks pitting and I don't wash my bike as often as I should

[fastwin]

I got a rock ding in the stanchion tube on my ZRX1200R a couple of years ago. It has old school "right side up" forks. The nick was a few inches below the bottom triple. It naturally chewed up the fork seal and puked fork oil. Haven't had to change out a fork seal in decades. Last ones were when I raced MX. Pretty common back then.

Managed to get the small ding polished down smooth and turned the tube in the triple clamps. I'm sure that would happen more often on the newer up side down style forks without a front fender that offered lower  stanchion tube protection. Lot more BS going down near the axle than way up high on my ZRX's old school forks.