Well, I learned a lot from the Go in Snow thread, and after another family meeting, we have decided next fall I should build a Steamroller dedicated to the worst snow and ice days.
I have complete faith in my ability to commute on a Steamroller with a 72" gear and mega-studded Nokians.
I think I could pull tow trucks out of ditches with a Steamroller.

I have a budget, and I've decided on most of the components except the crankset and the wheels.
I know I have six months to figure this out, but those who know me also know I take a long time thinking these things through.

For the crankset, the Sugino 75 crank with a 48 tooth Sugino chain ring seems like an obvious choice.
I'd just like to hear any other opinions, especially regarding chain rings.
Businesscycles strongly recommends the Blackspire chain rings, and they cost less.
I mean, they all look round and they have the same number of pointy things on them.
Does how much they cost really make a difference in performance, like in roundness or lightness or strength?

Regarding the wheels, Quality Bike Parts makes a reasonable wheelset with Surly hubs for about $300.
However, the thought of building my own wheels appeals to me.
Could I build as good a wheel and save myself some money, or, would I hate myself half way through it and regret not letting the pros do it for me?

Finally, what minimum set of bike-specific tools would I need to assemble my Steamroller from parts?
I have a fairly complete set of regular tools.

I probably should have made this three threads instead of one.