I can generally get by without fenders because I despise riding in the rain. I know, I'm a sissy! If you get fenders, make sure they have adequate clearance. Once when touring I was forced to go down a short section of road that had just been oiled & chipped (midwestern talk for sticky black oil and small rocks). After only a few hundred yards I picked up enough gunk between by fenders and tires to almost bind the bike. And cleaning that stuff off? Argggghhhh! Well, at least I had fenders! :-)