I know it's a topic that has been discussed in other forms, but most of those arguments just devolve into "if I type out my opinion more than the other guy that makes me right" and I have a hard time extracting useful information.

I want a new a bike, one that's not 40 pounds and has around 20 gears and can get me through a mild Vancouver winter (I think it snowed like, 3 days last winter). I have been reading for weeks and I still can't figure out if disc brakes are worth it; if v-brakes are good I have a lot more options. It seems like they have easier maintenance, even if they need more of it.

I'm still undecided if I want a new shiny bike at all, maybe a beater would be better? I haven't had my bike that long but I will need a better one once the weather starts getting bad - I have some time yet.

okay, specific questions:

1) Does anyone commute in a super rainy area and use v-brakes? I also deal with hills; I don't really ride to work in the mornings I coast.

2) Do you commute with a shiny new bike or an old beater?

Just looking for lots of anecdata here. Feel free to start rambling about any experience you might have.