Originally Posted by clevernamehere
I'm riding a Marin Larkspur I just bought this past June. I have to admit I cringe (sp?) a little putting it through these conditions, especially the road salt, but the main reason I bought the bike if for commuting. I figure I save enough by bike commuting to more than pay for additional maintenance on the bike.
I'm a strong opponent of the "winter beater bike." You need a good bike in the winter even more than in nice weather. You just need to maintain it. After every messy ride, wipe down the bike. Concentrate on the drive train. Drip (don't spray) chain lube on the links.
Also, get a good bike repair manual. I recommend Zinn and the Art of Mountain Bike Maintenance. I use his road bike book. But you should look at a few other books at the libarary or your local book store before deciding what will work best.
And instead of paying the LBS to do a repair, consider buying the supplies and tools, and then doing it yourself. You will save even more $$$ in the long run, and you will learn self-sufficiency. I am a complete klutz, but I have learned how to do almost every repair I would need to do.