rck

Fall is my favorite time of the year. The weather is generally dry and cool, the colors beautiful and the apples fresh off of the tree. With the notable exception of it being the harbinger of winter, who can complain. It is a great time of the year to ride....

Of course, it is not without danger! While typically a road rider, the fall does lend itself to riding the local rail trail. Deciding to take of advantage of natures beauty, yesterday I decided on a trail ride. The problem lies in the fact that leaves fall off of trees thereby covering up gopher holes and awareness does not always serve to protect. I hit that hole so hard that with an additional cough I was able to check my own prostate! The upside was that other than being a bit enlarged it felt completely normal and with with a second cough I was able to get it back whence it belonged. The downside was that it had me seeing cross-eyed for a moment or two. Uff-da!

Retro Grouch 

Back in my mountain biking days while riding in the fall I discovered how many of the roots and the rocks and the ruts that I'd been avoiding all summer didn't matter. My bike would roll right over them if I didn't know they were there.

David Bierbaum

Fall + Fall rains = the bicyclist's greatest threat! LEAF SNOT! The slippery sheet sneakily hides all manner of spoke-catching sticks and twigs, in addition to being a sliding hazard.

I hate leaf snot...

BobbyG

Fall is beautiful here in Colorado, but I grew up in Chicago and I think fall in Wisconsin is even more beautiful. However I know two different Coloradans also from the midwest who have traveled to New England to see the leaves turn and they say that is even better than one can imagine.

The struggle is real (as the kids say).

Esteban32696

Soft loose sand is the biggest threat around here . I worked on a racing bike for a friend & needed to take if for a test drive.I carefully rode over the dirt roads to get to the paved road & let her rip !! GOSH what a fast bike ! Got back to the dirt roads & slowed way down. I hit a patch of loose sand, maybe going 2 mph , & fell on my shoulder , dislocating it. Had to push the bike one handed the rest of the way home.

02Giant 

Wet leaves and walnuts are my obsticals this time of year.

Wileyrat

It's going to be 90 today and that's on the cool side for what it's been, usually this time if the year it's in the low 80's. or even cooler.

I wish fall would hurry up and get here.

wphamilton

It's about that time when the deer start chasing around, and some can get a little hyper also instead of placidly watching or trotting off like they usually do. I have to be more cautious since I always encounter at least a few during my morning ride and sometimes 5 or 6 groups of them. That's my biggest peril this time of year.

Alpharetta excels at keeping the paved path clear, but I'm often out before they are and you just gotta run over stuff. The only real issue, if we exercise common sense about it, is that I'll eventually flat by running over some stick or pod. And old wet leaves over wooden boardwalk, watch out for that.

rumrunn6

we might as well slow down. there's no shame in a casual ride that doesn't push for a personal record

reppans

Yup deer scare me the most, particular on the faster downhill sections... I've been hit 7x on motorcycles and in cars, mostly they run into the side of my vehicle, all during the fall (rut season).

Next up are dedicated bike paths - they don't see the vehicular traffic so the leaves collect on the trails - not worried about sliding, just the hidden pot holes, bumps, debris, etc.

berner

I love autumn and the crisp air and of course the colors. From a hiking/backpacking website, post #14; Easy hikes to good foliage views on Wednesday

DaveQ24

Wet leaves and morning frost/ice patches. So far, extremely mild fall here in the lower Great Lakes, more like late September than late October, and leaves are only about 10% down at best. No frost or ice at all yet.

I always change out my tires on bikes I will continue to ride for something with more tread, better grip and handling. The slicks or near-slicks come up early-mid April after the risk of substantial ice is gone.