Cornering like a beast

I'm not sure I've ever paid attention to my cornering speed before, not overly anyway. Not that I can re-call.

Just today I rode an errand to my local collect+ petrol station to collect some new tyres (ironically) and it dawned on me that I seem to be hitting round abouts and corners really quite fast.

I don't really know what this is all about, is it the frame, the tyres, confidence, the conditions?

I noticed it the other day too, just on a random commute, really feeling the corners, getting a good lean and carrying some good pace.

So I ride a 2016 Allez, shed with Conti Gatorskins. Nothing out of the ordinary there. The Gators have done over 3000 miles and will be swapped out very shortly. Am I missing a trick here, surely this is false confidence on a heavily warn tyre.

Those two little holes which are tread checkers on Conti's are barely there, I can see them but only just.

I did read an article about the 2016 Allez having the same geometry as the Tarmac, perhaps this is the connection with the road I'm feeling. I've never ridden a Tarmac so can't clarify.

http://www.cyclist.co.uk/specialized/allez-comp/544/specialized-allez-comp-review

I like this comment:

'Although 2mm shorter between the wheels, this bike shares much of its geometry with Specialized’s more readily raced S-Works Tarmac, with identical head tube, chainstay and fork dimensions.'

So a short wheelbase and a racy geometry. I used to ride a Giant TCR and I'm sure I never noticed cornering like this, honestly that bike might actually have been to small for me so potentially not a fair comparison. That said at some point, it was ridden with Gatorskins.

I do recall falling on ice when cornering a few years back which murdered my confidence to the point of slowing for a corner in all but the driest of conditions, perhaps I'm just now finding my cornering nads again.

Anyway, whatever, never cared about the science of things. I'm just really loving this bike and its ability to be thrown into corners at will.

I wonder if changing the tyres will make a difference.....