Originally Posted by
Artkansas
That's what the beater bike is all about. You have your nice bike for everyday use, then you have the beater for bad weather, or those times when you come out to find that your bike has a flat, or you need to repair it, but you need to get work now. Usually, a beater is a used bike or one of lower quality that you can afford to get dirty.
See? Different people have different approaches. That approach probably works for you. On the other hand I spent extra money to install corrosion resistant chains, bottom brackets with better seals, self healing tubes and lights that are completely waterproof just so I don't have to worry about driving in bad weather or getting things dirty. Something that's expensive and needs to be treated with kid gloves is on the wrong side of the practical scale for my tastes. YMMV