1938 Chrysler, fenders highlighted in red.
Fender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well. In British English, the fender is called the wing (usually only refers to the panels over the front wheel arches, in modern cars, since the rear 'fenders' are more an integral part of the car's body shape). The equivalent component of a bicycle or motorcycle, or the "cycle wing" style of wing fitted to vintage cars which is not integral with the bodywork, is called a mudguard in Britain, as it guards other road users - and in the case of a bicycle or motorcycle, the rider as well - from mud, and spray, thrown up by the wheels.
Most passenger automobiles have four fenders, one over each wheel well. More elaborate designs include fender skirts and stylized pontoon fenders. In the United States, a minor car accident is often called a "fender bender".
Lotus 7 Series 1, 1957 to 1960
Certain types of cars, such as the Lotus Seven, Allard, and Caterham Seven, use what are called cycle fenders in the US or cycle wings in Britain, for their resemblance to those used on bicycles. This was popular on early trials cars because the fenders were light and would not clog the wheelwells with mud. They persist on cars wanting a "vintage" look.
[edit] Bicycles and motorcycles
There are generic fenders for bicycles that can be fitted to most bicycle frames. These catch and redirect road spray thrown up by the tires, allowing the rider to remain relatively clean. They are relatively uncommon on bicycles in the more car dependent English-speaking countries, as bikes in these countries tend to be sports-oriented, with minimal clearance between tires and frame tubes for fenders, or are only ridden in clement conditions, although there are a few fenders that are designed to be attached to the seat post. However, European utility bicycles, traditional "roadsters" used in developing countries, serious touring bicycles, and beach cruisers are nearly always fitted with fenders, universally known in British English as mudguards. They are also fitted to motorcycles.
In the UK it is a legal requirement that a bicycle or motorcycle should be fitted with mudguards[citation needed]. While motorcycles are invariably fitted with mudguards, only touring cycles generally have fully functional mudguards. Some machines can be seen with a stub of a mudguard only a few inches long, which satisfies the legal requirements but does not actually provide any protection from thrown mud and spray. However, the vast majority of cyclists simply do not utilise mudguards at all - the law is almost universally ignored both by the police force and the general public.
[edit] See also