I have an old hybrid Univega with 700C wheels, allowing me to install fenders and studded snow tires. I don't worry about rust: I merely replace rusted fasteners with stainless as needed. The soft angles of the hybrid absorb ice bumps on the roads of Iowa and the bike is both stable and reliable. I do have some Suntour shifters on my straight bar that work fine: they came with the bike and are large enough to use with gloves in the winter. I put a front fender extension to keep salt off the bottom bracket. Otherwise, the bike is stock. Cheap and effective; if it rusts into nothing, so be it.