Ice is one of those road conditions that can say "I'm not riding today." Snow is a lot more negotiable, but ice is bad stuff, especially if you have skinny road tires.

+110 on the recommendation for studded tires, if conditions say you need to ride the ice. If studs aren't an option, it's tire to break out the knobby, low-pressure tired mountain bike. The all-terrain tires are absolutely the way to go in the slippery, slushy stuff.

Drop your tire pressure by about 10 pounds or so, to get better contact and a larger footprint for your tires on the road -- you get better traction.

Slow down. Safe ice biking requires no sudden moves.

Don't lean the bike over, or make sharp turns on the ice or on wet surfaces, to keep your traction.

Easy on the brakes, and lay off the brakes when you're on the slick stuff. Look up ahead, see what's coming, feather your brakes if need be, and gently coast to a stop.

A little nervousness is okay. Being scared means that you're beyond your comfort zone, and either beyond or skirting the edges of your skills and experience. But try it and learn. Accident statistics clearly indicate that cyclists who ride in all sorts of weather, not just the clear sunny days, have an 85% better safety record in avoiding crashes. Experience and confidence counts for a lot!