True Confessions

[tulip]

Kfergos, most accidents in hiking, mountain climbing, and sea kayaking can be traced to errors in judgment. Good expiditioners analyze their expeditions to learn from them. That seems like a good idea here, particularly since you have had so many spills in the last 18 months. Analyze each one to see why it happened and what, if anything, you can learn from it.

You say that it was a tactical error to ride your road bike in the icy conditions--I'd say that's true. Take your studded-tire bike when it's icy. Also, avoid the unknown--puddles, icy patches, anything with undetermined conditions.

Wooden bridges are going to be more likely to be slippery when wet, more so when icy, and we know that they ice faster than other surfaces. So slow down at the very least. Don't hesitate to walk, gingerly if conditions dictate. Metal surfaces I would tend to avoid altogether, particularly in wet and/or icy conditions.

The Icebike site is good for all things winter-cycling: http://www.icebike.org/

The best antidote to fear is knowledge.