When I don't need them, I prefer to ride without fenders. However, my main commuter bikes have fenders and I'm not taking them off. If you commute regularly, you are going to get caught in the rain or at least riding on wet streets. Having fenders on my commuter bikes means that I'm able to ride a lot of days that I would otherwise wimp out and drive. The biggest advantage to me is that they keep my bikes and drive train much cleaner, but it's also nice not having a brown strip up my back. When the weather is nice and there is zero chance of rain, I generally ride one of my bikes without fenders, simply because they are lighter and faster.