Winter bike damage?

[dogsdirtbike24]

I am looking at communting a bit to school this winter and am trying to decide if I should get a "beater" or not. I have to go about 5 miles and am already on a single speed, but I really like my bike and dont want it to get destroyed by the salt. How much damage does winter riding do to a bike? Thanks for any info.

[tedsti]

The salt that they put on the roads these days will even corode aluminum. Parts will not only fail, but sieze on so that they cannot be replaced. I would not ride my good bike on the roads in the winter. Start checking the pawn shops for a beater bike for winter commuting.

[funky-funky-chicken]

Megan... go down to Express bike shop on Marshall and Snelling. They have lots of bikes that of reasonable cost, good beaters for winter use. Don't plan on riding a good bike as a serious commuter in the winter unless you plan an overhaul in the spring and lots of replacement parts. Sand, salt, wet, ice... mix in some judicious use of lube here and there and you get a mix that does wonders to wear out perfectly good parts.