Fenders

Back when I was a kid growing up in Southern California, the only folks who had fenders on their bikes were leathery old white guys weaving down the Venice Beach boardwalk on beach cruisers high on airplane glue. That was the '70s, and unless you had a racing-style "ten speed" bike with skinny tires, you weren't shi'ite. Nowadays, utility bikes are becoming more popular, and, as a result, more bikes are sporting fenders. This is a good thing. 

I'm a firm believer in commuting in whatever bike you got. So if you've been meaning to try out the bike commuting thing and all you have in your basement is a carbon fiber time trial bike or a rusty old Huffy, then go ahead and ride it for crying out loud. It'll work for the time being, and then you'll figure out what exactly you need to make bike commuting more of a long-term reality. I commuted for a while in the Midwest without fenders and it worked out fine, but once I installed fenders on my bike, I found that I was able to ride more days and arrive at my destination looking considerably more dignified. Nothing like being drenched from your crotch down with brown street water (even when it's not raining) to make you realize that fenders are required equipment. 

I'm always happy to see other bike commuters out on the road. When I see a commuter riding a bike with fenders, however, I smile. I interpret it as the rider's declaration that his or her bike is a respectable mode of transportation, which it is. Plus, I think fenders look nice. Fenders are cheap and most bike shops carry a good selection of them. They're easy to install if you feel like trying it yourself. Otherwise, the bike shop will do it for you.