>>1114259This year will be my 7th winter since I quit driving entirely and switched to cycling everywhere. What works for winter cycling really depends on the conditions:
Fluffy dry snow doesn't really impact your riding unless there's a lot of it. Heavy wet snow will slow you down, and the deeper it gets the more challenging it is to ride through without getting bogged down. Ice isn't really a problem to ride over unless the surface temperature is right around freezing (this creates a layer of liquid water over the ice, then it's really slippery), or if it has been formed into icy ruts that your front wheel can't climb out of. Slush on pavement is the worst thing to deal with - it's dense, slippery, and can be packed into hard ruts when it refreezes.
A coaster brake isn't a good idea when riding on snow because it doesn't offer modulated braking - slamming on your brakes when you have reduced traction is what causes uncontrolled skids. You want both front and rear brakes on a winter bike - the ability to modulate braking effort on both wheels is more important than anything else.
Tire choice depends on ground conditions: Wider tires will help you float over loose snow and rutted surfaces but do nothing to help with small amounts of snow or ice. Studded tires can't be beat for riding on ice but will give you horrific rolling resistance when you're riding on a firm surface that isn't ice.
