Bike Forums - Why a beater?

Bike Forums (https://www.bikeforums.net/forum.php)

- Commuting (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/)

- - Why a beater? (https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/634881-why-beater.html)

Quote:

Originally Posted by neil (Post 10637994)

I use a 13 year old mountain bike during the winter. It is old and worn, but still gets its share of TLC, because I need it to stay rideable. I wouldn't take my new bike out in winter because the slush and road salt and crap would gum everything up and wear it down prematurely.

^^^ What he said! I love em all the same, some just shine a little more!

My only bike is a beater. By this I mean it's old, the components are low-end, and the paint/decals are beat up/chipped/ugly.

I ride it because it's my only bike and it works great. If it didn't work, I would go buy something else. It does work, so I'm saved the hassle of finding a replacement.

I'm beginning to think of the potential theft loss not as "I lost $x dollars" but rather "I lost $X time to replacing this". I almost don't care, really, the cost of a replacement bicycle. It's more about how long I'm going to be out of commission and how long it'll take to get everything back configured right.

Quote:

Originally Posted by neil (Post 10637994)

^^^ What he said! I love em all the same, some just shine a little more!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickey85 (Post 10640655)

IMO, a beater isn't a bike that is ill maintained or abused, it's simply a bike that's scratched up, has lower-end components on it, and is a bike that you don't feel bad about taking out in the weather...

Same for me. My "beater" bike is a pretty good Canndale F800 I bought used. I recently posted to another thread:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston (Post 10636110)

I year round commute, and train for centuries according to a rigorous ten week schedule of daily mileage. Last June here in Boston would have been cut in half if I didn't ride in the rain.

I only took up the practice [of riding in the rain] last year inspired by some BF posts. I used to dislike getting the bike grimy, but a good suggestion was just wipe the chain and re-lube. I already had a mountain bike to use as a "beater,"...

Of note to [Ortcutt] the OP who lives near Boston, I did skip Tueday during our historic three day flooding rainstorm last week. :o

Before I rode in the rain, it was a game with me: if I rode and it rained, I lost; or if I didn't ride and it stayed dry I lost. Now I win if I ride the appropriate bike and lose if I don't. :rolleyes:

My "beater" is an old Huffy....about 20 yrs old or more. It rides just fine. I commute on it, because I can't take my bike in the building at the office. If somethng were to happen to the Huffy, it wouldn't be as bad as if something happened to my good bike.