I would think they would take alot more huffing and puffing but I hear they are a blast. When I get 2-3 inches of snow here, my Nokian studded tires dig in move forward but I can't keep up a decent pace to make a commute viable so I have to wait for the snow plows. This kind of bike though would rock by staying more on top of the snow. Keep us posted how it works and how far you can go in fresh snow. I'm sure it would be perfect for hard packed snowmobile trails etc. It's what they all use up in Alaska.