The Rize Liberty, shown above, with its front fender removed for a photoshoot and 3/4 fender at the back. Hot or not?
Here at Rize Bikes we recently received a Facebook comment from someone who thought the rear fender on the Rize Liberty was “too short and pointless” and it brings up the age old debate: To fender or not to fender and should the fender be small, big, or always extra large???
Purpose
The fender’s purpose is generally to stop rain and mud from flying up and drenching the rider. Still, what about riders who live in places with minimal rain such as Arizona or California? And the style of e-bike is also up for consideration. For example, unquestionably, a fat tire bike like the Rize Leisure (shown below), should have the biggest fenders imaginable, and they rightfully do. But, is it necessary to have them on electric cruiser bikes like the Rize Liberty or the Rize Blade? And what if the Rize Liberty owner parks it during rain and snow-storms?
Larger Rize Bikes, like the Leisure (shown above), come with oversized fenders on both wheels. But, do all electric bikes need these oversized wheel covers?
Do Bigger Fenders Come with Age?
There was a time when giant fenders were mandatory on cars, motorcycles and bicycles. There was also a time when every truck on the market had rubber mud flaps that acted like fenders to some extent. But, trucks have mainly ditched the mud flaps and bike fenders have become sleeker over the years. Still, many people in the 60+ year old demographic prefer bigger fenders while younger customers often remove their fenders altogether.
Vintage 1959 Harley Davidson Motorcycle (shown above) with massive fenders.
A vintage Harley (shown above) that has been stripped down and rebuilt. No windshield, saddlebags, or front fender, here. Photo: 4Q Conditioning
Our reply
At Rize Bikes, we sometimes like fenders and sometimes we don’t; It just depends on the bike and the conditions. In some cases, we like to trim down the fenders and minimize the bulk and weight of the e-bike, especially when it’s a cruiser e-bike. So, for the record: No, generally, we don’t like fenders. Except for when it’s raining - when it’s raining we love fenders, and there’s the dilemma, lol. Where do you weigh in on this debate? To learn more about Rize Bikes, please check out our website and please follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates, promos, and product info.
