Since acquiring multiple bikes years ago, I would never want to go back to just one bike for daily bike commuting. At a bare minimum, two bikes are nice because one can serve as a back-up if the other is out of commission for some reason.
Additionally, for the climate I commute in, studded tires are a really nice safety precaution to have for winter riding, but there are also a great many winter days when studs are completely unnecessary, particularly in the shoulder seasons. so having a dedicated winter bike that wears studs year round, and a regular commuter that always wears slicks, I can ride the right tires for the conditons without swapping out tires or wheelsets on a daily basis.
Many other bike commuters seem to get along fine with just one bike, and that's great for them, but I've grown too accustomed to the convenience of owning multiple bikes.
My current stable:
1. Aluminum disc brake CX bike that serves as my daily commuter bike.
2. Aluminum disc brake IGH hybrid that serves as my winter beast.
3. Aluminum SS folder that serves as my multi-modal maximum versatility machine.
4. Titanium road bike that serves as my super fun go-fast bike.
Do I need to own all 4 of those bikes? No.
Do I enjoy owning all 4 of those bikes? Yes.
Last edited by Steely Dan; 01-02-17 at 09:54 AM.