Go to the local bicycle store and get sized properly. Most important detail right there! I have used mountain bikes and recently a Fat Bike. Do some searching on them, quite popular for cyclists going camping and using their bikes to carry all their gear. I am currently riding a Fat Bike in the middle of winter, the list of accessories available is mind boggling. The biggest difference in riding the different styles is a mind set. On my Fat Bike, I just know I am going to be going slow, 5-6 mph cross country is reasonable, less if loaded. I have used it on an elk hunt in southern Alberta in November, and bike an average of 50 miles per week since then, none of it on roads. Great in snow up to 8" so far, studded tires are like velcro on ice and I have not had a puncture yet while riding game trails. The Fat bike is simpler but heavier than my mountain bike and feels softer to ride, due to the huge tires run at low pressure. A company in Montana makes bow and rifle scabboards for them.
