I ride in most weather, as stated above, cold is ok, wet is ok, cold and wet is tough. In the summer I don't carry rain gear, I just get wet,m everything I carry is in it's own plastic bag then put in the pannier, so what I carry stays dry. Bike maintnencae is the key, when you get where you're going you need to wipe the bike down and lube things up. When you buy parts for the commuter you need to buy quality parts, things like cable end seals, hub abd bottom bracket seal must be in good shape and in my case, make sure you use plenty of proof hide on the brooks. I ride a bike to get where I go no matter what the weather. Up here in new england I use Nokian studded tires fron November through the end of March, I have a large inventory of cycling clothes that I've learned to mix and match over years to allow me relative comfort in all kinds of weather. For me, every day and everywhere I go turns into an adventure.