I get a lot of funny looks riding my Rock Mountain Blizzard here in Southern California. No snow, dry and a lot of climbing. But it’s such a blast to ride. My Santa Cruz Tallboy doesn’t even come close. Yes the climbs are brutal and lonely, but when you get going downhill and can monster truck over obstacles it’s just so much fun. I haven’t even tried it in the snow yet. So to answer your question yes it can be practical year round if you aren’t that concerned with keeping up. Or you can just get twice as fast. Good luck.