Autumn roads: leaves, dew and cold tyres

In October the asphalt is damp in the morning and cold in the shade, and wet leaves can be as slippery as ice. Grip is lower than it looks, and cold rubber makes it worse.

• Check tyre pressure before you ride, with the tyres cold, and use the figure from the owner's manual: pressure drops in cool weather, and you feel it in corners.
• Take the first few kilometres easy: tyres warm up slowly, so don't lean deep or open the throttle hard on corner exit.
• Go around piles of leaves rather than through them. Moisture, dirt, potholes and slick asphalt can hide underneath. If you can't avoid them, stay upright, with no braking or lean change.
• Brake earlier and more smoothly than in summer. Use front and rear together, and never grab the lever.
• Expect dew or damp in shaded spots, on bridges and in low areas, even when the rest of the road is dry. Slow down before you get there.
• After riding through wet leaves, wipe the wheels and brake discs clean and check that nothing is stuck in the tyre tread. If the brakes feel worse, take the bike to a workshop and don't experiment on them yourself.