We've seen at least one discreet fender concept before*, and the growing popularity of cycling certainly invites further innovation. Lest we succumb to the likes of the entirely inane (and ill-advised) "Uberhood," London-based designer Mark Windsor has risen to the challenge with a pair of folding polypropylene fenders that might just do the trick.
The attachment mechanism of both the removable Quickfix and more permanent Foldnfix are both rather less complicated than the company's namesake knot: they slot through the seatstays, to which they are fastened, with a third attachment point on the seat tube. The result is invariably described as origami-like, a shorthand that also captures the fact that it packs flat (into a distinctly necktie-like shape) when not in use.
Where the Quickfix attaches with "marine-grade metal snaps," the Foldnfix is geared towards those who require "full-time protection," i.e. during the rainier months of, say, the Pacific Northwest. Indeed, it's no coincidence that Windsor's stateside business partner, Catherine Liu, hails from none other than Portland, Oregon.
Which is a long way of saying: he's looking to Kickstart his U.S. distribution, and considering that he's offering $5 off either model in order to meet a minimum shipment requirement, he should have no problem reaching his modest goal of $5,000. (Video below...)
(more...)