Holy crap, why are bikes even sold without fenders?

[GuitarStv]

Just put a full length set of Fenders (http://www.mec.ca/AST/ShopMEC/Cycling/Fenders/PRD~5024-720/planet-bike-cascadia-ii-atb-fenders.jsp) on my trusty mountain bike last night and went for a ride.  It was only a few degrees below freezing, but it was snowing and the roads were wet.  First impressions:

Madre de dios . . . my feet are dry!  I'm not constantly trying to avoid the wet patches on the road any more!  After 30 minutes on the snowy roads, my bike is not covered in slush, salt, and grime than needs to be brushed off!  I'm actually looking forward to my wet winter ride.

To this point I've been making do with a bit of cardboard over the front and rear racks to keep some of the spray off my butt and face.  You cannot be told how awesome biking with real fenders is . . . you must experience it for yourself.

If you don't have them on your bike, put them on!

[Matt K]

For years I didn't put fenders on my commuter (an 80s steel road bike at the time) because it woudl spoil the look (of an 80s road bike ... I may have been sick in the head). I eventually caved and put fenders on. Like you, I saw the light instantly. Fenders on a commuter are awesome. Such a minor change makes such a huge difference.

Glad you like your ride even more now :)

[SMC]

Fenders are a must for commuting.  Keeps the spray off your back and face.  Another recommended item: clear lens glasses.  I learned the hard way that snowflakes pelting your eyeballs at 40km/hr is actually quite painful.

[Jamesqf]

Not everyone lives & bikes where rain is a common occurence, thus for us fenders are just excess weight.  Did appreciate them when I was living in Switzerland, though.

[zoltani]

Not everyone lives & bikes where rain is a common occurence, thus for us fenders are just excess weight.  Did appreciate them when I was living in Switzerland, though.

This

There are quite a few commuter specific bikes sold with fenders and racks.

[kendallf]

My commuter: racks, generator hub, lights, fenders.  It weighs 40 pounds but I don't care, I live in flat Florida.  Awesome bike.

[Guitarguy]

Fenders are a must for commuting.  Keeps the spray off your back and face.  Another recommended item: clear lens glasses.  I learned the hard way that snowflakes pelting your eyeballs at 40km/hr is actually quite painful.

+1 on this. Another hard learned lesson was biking through our bike trail around 5-6 p.m. when most of the bugs start coming out. I'm sure you can imagine my horror when I got one in my eye going around a curve.

[galaxie]

I just installed my new Christmas fenders yesterday.  With those and the magnetic-generator lights (no more batteries!), my bike just got a major upgrade.

[sheepstache]

I mean, actual answer to your question is that Americans consider bicycles toys for children or status items for adults rather than legitimate modes of transportation.

But it was probably rhetorical.

[kolorado]

LOL! That is exactly what my dad always says. :D I was sure to buy a bike with fenders when I shopped for one last year. Functional and looks good too.

[kudy]

Bike co-op didnt have any used fenders for me :( At least its rarely wet in CO!