The last time I really commuted every day on a bike, I rode a Schwinn Breeze One-speed with chrome fenders. I lowered the stock gearing on it quite a bit by replacing the chainwheel with a smaller one (a BMX bike part) and the rear cog with a bigger one. I think it was 45 gear-inches as compared to the original 66 gear-inches, which made it quite pleasant, though slow to ride, but it did fine in nasty headwinds. I also put cute plastic toeclips on it so I could spin along in the lower gear. I never had to worry about it being stolen and it was extremely reliable.