Originally Posted by
jhill44
My thoughts exactly
Thanks for the input all. I didn't realize this was such a big topic. I think I'll start the process of piecing my old steel frame into a single speed commuter. It can double as a rain bike and when all is said and done it will probably only cost around $100, which isn't bad considering a transit pass is $86/mo. here in Chicago.
I think my decision would be different if I didn't have 80% of what I need lying around, meaning that if I only had 1 bike, I wouldn't be worried about getting a second one to ride.
My old winter bikes used to double as my rain bikes but they were far too nice for the brutality that winter brings and this was why I decided to build a dedicated winter bike last year... the mtb geometry makes it easier to pop the front wheel up and over obstacles.
Not that the new winter beast is a crap bike... it's a well made entry level bike with a chromoly frame that rides and handles beautifully and winter here is too long to ride a crappy bike.
My "beater" bike is an old Peugeot that I converted to a coaster bike... it is great for those trips where I would not want to leave other bikes for fear of theft or vandalism and handles the rain pretty nicely as there is no braking loss from the coaster hub when things are soaking wet. What looks like a rear brake is actually a wheel lock... with a shackle around my front wheel and frame my wheels are kept reasonably secure.
