I know people who made a sport of riding their bikes to work several miles every day of the year through the Minneapolis winter. Maybe there were a small handful of exception days. A little rain isn't a problem.
You don't even have to be a thrill-seeker to ride all year in semi-harsh climates. I did it in Boston this year without a ton of gear - just a warm coat, gloves and skull cap (under the helmet) for the cold, and rain jacket/pants for the wet. Helps that we have indoor bike parking though. I hate leaving a bike in the rain all day.
