Originally Posted by
SlimRider
Quite frankly, I think it's a good idea for newbies to approach commuting with the idea that they're gonna need their main commuter steed and a possible beater for a spare. They don't have to focus on the beater, spare, or N+1 project, immediately. However, it's quite a healthy idea, just to keep that extra bike, on the back burner of their minds.
Even two beaters are better than just one!
PS.
'Tis better to have and not need, than to need and not have...
I really do think a spare is nice, I just do not think it should ever be called a need. The last time I had a bike broken beyond repair was about 8 years ago when I was hit by a car. Even when I had no car and a 40 mile RT commute I only had 1 bike I would want to make the trip on and never once felt like I would be screwed if the bike broke because I knew it would almost always be fixable.