I'm with wildcard. Afficianados have a tendency to make things difficult because IT'S FUN to study on all that stuff! Me, I just like to ride. I get some good advice here but most I don't need. I ride on the city streets a lot, on trails when it isn't TOO deep, so I don't go for hours like many of you do. I wear normal winter clothing. If anything, I get too warm because I usually pedal pretty hard. But I feel it is prudent to wear enough clothing to stay warm if I do end up having to walk the bike home. (Hasn't happened yet, thank God.) I ride a plain old fashioned mountain bike with moderate knobbies. I would like to get some fenders for those wet winter days. I fall down about once a month, but snow and ice are very forgiving, especially when you have lots of clothing on to pad you. I bruised a rib last winter--painful but not bad enough to slow me down much. I admire those who have the dedication and intelligence to really make a science out of bike riding. As for me--if I thought about it too much, I wouldn't do it!