[mxmtech]

The SLA took a charge very quickly so that tells me that the battery isn't really discharged when I lose power, it is just that the cold weather is slowing the chemical processes inside the battery to the point that it is unusable.
The Nicad on the other hand completed my 4 kilometer trip to work with hardly any discernable loss of power.
No problem with the snow (less than 1/2 inch), but I'll have to put the studded ice tires on this weekend. The snow is gone now, turned to rain this afternoon.

PS:
3C means dead battery within 20 minutes regardless of what size battery pack or what battery chemistry. For those who don't know.