i throw cross tires on for the winter weather (ritchey speedmax's) and they work great. obviously they aren't going to grip as well on ice as studded tires, but they are a good balance if you live somewhere like me where sometimes it's snow and sometimes it's just asphalt. i'm too lazy to have 2 wheelsets that i swap out. by this winter i'll just have 2 bikes, a weather beater and a nice one.