is it me or are the roads super slippy at the mo?

had some brand new tyres on Sunday, NOT A GOOD IDEA!!!!! i didn't go down, somehow. But some of the corners, i might as well have been riding on ice. dropped the tyre pressures to silly low for tomorrows commute in the vain hope that i can find a bit more traction.

I said the same thing to my wife this morning, be even worse if they freeze as well.

Yes! I've been thinking the same thing and desperately wondering if I'm losing my nerve or imagining it. I'm riding gatorskins at 90psi and feel like I'm drifting off the camber. Rain forecast for the morning here in Oxford.

Also, knowing it's slippery makes me feel very scared for (and of) cars flying around bends in ignorance.

I came off the bike on the commute yesterday, and I'm just the latest in a long line of my friends (I know of five who have come off in the last two weeks).

Mine was a relatively slow speed on a bend whilst cycling in traffic, luckily the car behind me was switched on. The bottom of my bike just went from me, no warning and I wasn't doing anything massively different to how I usually take that corner. I wasn't leaning too much, inside pedal was up, wasn't braking etc...

I've noticed on a few roads in the last week that when climbing - even whilst still in the saddle - the rear wheel is slipping slightly.

Add to this chatting to friends who are all agreeing that the roads are super slippy at the moment, no, it's not just you going crazy

muddy shit on the roads round here from farmers gathering beet. when it freezs the only thing that works is ice stud tyres. a bit slow and a bit noisy, but fantastic if you want to stay upright

I'm using Gatorskins on both of my bikes (running 25 on one, 28 on the other). Anyone else thinking of switching to more "winteresque" tyres?

And if so, Schwalbe Durano Plus or Conti GP 4 seasons? Or any other suggestions to throw into the mix?

Schwalbe Durano's are not designed as winter tyres, specifically. The only thing different from an Ultremo is durability.
GP 4 season's have a different, softer compound for lower temps and wet roads. They are specifically designed winter tyres. However, they are quite heavy and have poor sidewall protection.
So I'd say Conti.
YMMV.

I came off yesterday morning for the first time in years. It's not just damp, that's for sure. It took me about a tenth of a millisecond ....

I found gatorskins get hard and waxy when they get cold. Tried marathons but they collect grit and glass in the tread and are a nightmare to take off at the roadside so I stuck with the continentals and take it easy on the bends

This is always a bad time for road grip though, nothing unusual. Spilt fuel doesn't evaporate as quickly, fallen leaves get pulped and spread around etc

I can't find any studded tyres for road bikes - are there any that don't cost over £40 each?

Yep, totally agree. Bit of rain today might clean the roads a bit. They're a nightmare at the moment.

Phew!!!! - I thought it was just me!!!! Had my first "unforced" crash in years just the other day.

Wrote this earlier on another post about winter tyres, but I too have "suffered" a totally unexpected fall...

Was a massive fan of Gatorskins ... until I got dumped the other day!!

It wasn't a particularly wet day. Damp, but with v little surface water and mostly dry. Hump backed bridge with keen right hander was a bit wet so I rode gingerly having had a backend slither on farmer's mud a little earlier, but I went down heavily - and suddenly - ripping my Asos gloves (yet again!) - thank god for Goretex repair patches!! - holing my leggings and ripping my bootee & hi viz (sorry guys, I want to live!!) over jacket.

Odd. I've ridden Gatorskins in winter for years, but I do have to question their grip in the wet. I skinned my elbow and hip, even though I was completely covered with kit, but I'm a bit wary now of riding again in the wet, damp days of winter.

May now look seriously at something with a bit of tread...

I came off yesterday on an innocuous left-hand bend. Road seemed very slippery on inspection. I reckon the damp conditions combined with diesel fumes is creating a layer of layer of oil which, once you hit it, is akin to riding on black ice.

It's OK though... I broke the fall with my face

I broke mine with my elbow fracturing it

Nothing's going to help on smoth tarmac with a bit of damp and a film of oily gak from motor vehicles. Had one wobble at very low speed (I'd almost stopped, was accelerating) whilst turning tight on a busy road. Spphincter tightening.

Some Local Authorities use a molasses coated salt to grit the roads and this seems to leave a slippery surface, particularly as spilt diesel then sits on it. I drove from Hexham to Gateshead the other day and it was noticeable that when I got to Gateshead the roads were black and moist and slippery, unlike Northumberland.

Interesting this, I had numerous rear slides cornering yesterday for the first time in ages. Was ready to bin my gatorskins but seemed much better today. Combination of dust/dirt and light rain was my guess.

Broke my thumb last year after slipping on greasy roads... ok it was combined with excess speed but it was like going down on ice - no warning whatsoever.

http://road.cc/content/blog/69805-binning-it-never-nice

Also came off on the first icy day this year "luckily" at 4mph so no damage done.

I'm no longer interested in trying to train before work if the roads are dodgy and either run to work or have the bike in the office on a turbo.

Hell. I was off last week. First time in years (except on ice in Jan 2012). Just thought it was me rather than it being a trend.

I feel a bit better now (or is it wrong to say that?)

I came off two weeks ago and got a concussion. I remember cycling through some puddles and then bang so not sure if it was surface water or black ice. As with many here, I had gatorskins on.