True, but it just takes a drop of a few degrees to turn that into slick and/or jagged ice. Winter in places like Montreal can throw anything at you, and that's the worst part about trying to take on this godforsaken season with a bike.

I think a complete winter bike probably needs two sets of wheels, or at least tires (not as quick to switch, obviously): one pair of narrow-ish slicks plus a pair of as-wide-as-possible treaded tires? The sweet spot for snowy conditions if often somewhere in between, but that doesn't give you the same "range".

I'm still building a summer bike, stupid me, but if I had $ for a winter ride I'd consider a BMX fixie with fat ass tires for short haul winter rides. Y'know, to pick up my poutine on -40C days.