Rode my beater Trek 800 mtb with newly installed Freddy Fenders and Lake MXZ 301 boots today for the first time! During the 15-mile ride my feet were warm the whole way and the fenders worked great in the three inches of new powder we got last night despite the 29-degree temp and 16 mph wind. (FWIW, last snowfall I tried riding without fenders on this slop bike. The bike and myself got hosed with salt, slush, and grit, before I turned around to call it quits) On the ride home into a headwind, since the return route was clear of snow, I didn't have to work as hard and got a bit chilly even though I was wearing a wicking base layer. IMHO, pedaling in snow is somewhat similar to riding in sand. All in all, a great workout and a great day for a ride!

Hey, you have the same bike as I do! LURV the Trek 800.

You're right about it being a lot like sand. It reminded me of my least favorite wreck I've ever had with my mountain bike...I was hauling @ss down a big hill on a gravel road, and I hit the bottom of the hill, into this HUGE sandy washout and just *floomph* fell right the heck over. I did that a couple of times Wednesday night (my first ever snow ride) but since have gotten better control of my steed. Putting the knobby tires back on made a world of difference for me.

Yep, steering does take some getting used to. I had to dab a few times today.

I'm considering getting some Moose Mitts, and I'm concerned about being able to get my hands out if I take a fall...

Hey, you have the same bike as I do! LURV the Trek 800.

You're right about it being a lot like sand. It reminded me of my least favorite wreck I've ever had with my mountain bike...I was hauling @ss down a big hill on a gravel road, and I hit the bottom of the hill, into this HUGE sandy washout and just *floomph* fell right the heck over. I did that a couple of times Wednesday night (my first ever snow ride) but since have gotten better control of my steed. Putting the knobby tires back on made a world of difference for me.