If you don't want to abuse the 520, don't use it for winter commuting. Lots of good advice here on how to do it. The 520 will work, but there are better tools for the job at hand. I speak for having used my touring bike (nashbar frame) for 2 winters before switching to a singlespeed disc brake 29er (though I don't have many hills; if I did it would be an igh for me).