I'll start from the bottom.
It's not always rainy/wet in some parts of the world. I might install them for winter and spring when they're needed almost every day, then remove them for summer & fall when they're only needed once in a while, just to help them last longer and to help me ride the commute a tiny bit faster to get some extra minutes each day with my kids.
Many fenders don't come with little nylon washers, they come with metal ones if any at all, for installation between the fender and frame. Even if they did include plastic washers, clamping anything right up against the frame, especially in conditions you're going to want fenders for, is going to wear on it.
It will definitely not look as good as the day you bought it, even if you loosen off the mounting bolt and wash behind the washer after every ride.
That's all. Yes, they look great and subtle when new and unused. But they won't look as great and subtle after use and the frame's paint is damaged. Arguably worse than a tab with worn paint on a frame with good paint, but I guess that's subjective.
Remember, I'm not saying they don't look good as is. Not even that it's a form over function trade-off, they'll work just fine. Just that utilizing the function will eventually reduce the quality of the form: In other words, they will get uglier and less subtle with use, perhaps more so than a less subtle design. Something to note. That's all.
Aug. 1, 2023, 1:20 p.m. - Justin White
I'll start from the bottom. It's not always rainy/wet in some parts of the world. I might install them for winter and spring when they're needed almost every day, then remove them for summer & fall when they're only needed once in a while, just to help them last longer and to help me ride the commute a tiny bit faster to get some extra minutes each day with my kids. Many fenders don't come with little nylon washers, they come with metal ones if any at all, for installation between the fender and frame. Even if they did include plastic washers, clamping anything right up against the frame, especially in conditions you're going to want fenders for, is going to wear on it. It will definitely not look as good as the day you bought it, even if you loosen off the mounting bolt and wash behind the washer after every ride. That's all. Yes, they look great and subtle when new and unused. But they won't look as great and subtle after use and the frame's paint is damaged. Arguably worse than a tab with worn paint on a frame with good paint, but I guess that's subjective. Remember, I'm not saying they don't look good as is. Not even that it's a form over function trade-off, they'll work just fine. Just that utilizing the function will eventually reduce the quality of the form: In other words, they will get uglier and less subtle with use, perhaps more so than a less subtle design. Something to note. That's all.