Speaking just for myself, my collection of inadequate front fenders stemmed from a combination of accepting things as they are and not believing the alternatives were as much better as the enthusiasts claimed. I was aware that my front fenders were only doing half their job, but I just figured that's the way it is, after all they looked like pretty much all the other fenders on the market. When the Cascadias came out I bought a set and didn't see a huge difference.

When I finally got the Longboards (for the reasons described above) I took the bike out for it's first ride on wet roads. When I got home I thought I'd have the usual mess to clean up to get it looking new again. I was genuinely surprised to find the drivetrain mostly clean.

Now I'd like the get some more fenders that have that kind of coverage, I just haven't gotten around to it yet. Besides, I've got a really big collection of shoe covers.