Sorry to hear it, sbctwin! A bad fall can be really demoralizing, winter clothes or no. Riding in sub-freezing, frosty/snowy weather is a lot easier than on slick ice around freezing.

Hope you make 10K, Geonz, that would be awesome Even getting close is pretty darn awesome.

"Hunting" front wheel: when I get caught in thicker than "just-crunch-through"-snow and have trouble keeping my balance or steering, I usually cope by sitting well back and keeping my hands light on the handlebars. That usually gives me a bit more oomph in my pedalling and a "stronger" back wheel, and makes it possible to correct my steering in front quickly without losing my balance forwards. In general I like to stand and pedal a lot, but in loose snow I try to sit down and back 'cos otherwise I do a face plant if my front wheel goes awry. Not too light gears, I need something to push against.

But I really try to avoid snow that thick. I'm out there to get somewhere, not to have "fun" And I hate hate hate falling. At least forwards. Falling because my back wheel slides out from under me is ok.

I have the 294 tires - they certainly have enough studs but I only need them 5 % of the time. Otherwise they're more a "ok, so I can cut that corner or that little hill"-type of "necessity".

Todays commute was brilliant. More, and photos later, when I'm not at work