Originally Posted by tjspiel

I should probably clarify my position since it's been a long thread. I have no trouble with the idea of somebody getting a 2nd bike for winter especially since that's what in fact I have done myself.

I do question the idea that a dedicated bike commuter needs to keep a spare bike around "just in case". I think most of us could manage without a bike the one or two days each year that their bike might out of commission for whatever reason.

To take it a step further, I personally would prefer owning single a bike that was equally well suited for the things I use two bikes for now. I have a monthly "bike budget" and since I put a fair amount of miles on both bikes, I have two bikes worth of upkeep rather than one. I have two sets of fenders, I have two sets of lights, two sets of tools, two pumps, two sets of spare tubes, two patch kits, etc. If I only had one bike, I'd go through consumables for that bike quicker, but it would be much easier keeping spare parts and I'd have more money for the things I'd rather spend money on.

The two bikes I have are intended for very different purposes and I doubt there is a single bike that could do what both of these do equally as well.

So I have two bikes.