Certainly it depends on your climate if winter tires will be good for you. Here in Toronto, it's the ice that gets you. We are lucky to have the bike lanes plowed so snow isn't the biggest problem. One day I fell on some ice and it just plain hurt. I am not getting any younger and the older you are the more it hurts (or it least feels that way). The next week I bought studded tires and never looked back. It was a night and day difference. They worked well on the ice and brought me confidence which made riding the bike more enjoyable. Now I have studded tires for my 349 Brompton, my 650 Rivendell and my 700 road bike.