Originally Posted by
hagen2456
To me, 12 miles wouldn't be nice on a dark winter morning, with sleet, icy patches etc.
On the contrary, that's when it's the most fun.
All you need is the right gear, and that does not necessarily mean bike-specific gear. Wool sweaters, long underwear under jeans, wool hiking socks, off the shelf flashlights, etc., work fine for me. And my winter bike is a hybrid I got for $95 through craigslist.