Riding at this time of year can be a real challenge. The weather’s lousy, and we’re not even being treated to a spot of snow that makes the festive season feel more Christmas-y.

Instead it’s wet, windy, cold and miserable – making even the shortest ride a bit of a chore. The mornings and afternoons are dark, with poor light, and it’s all a bit gloomy.

Given the conditions it’s no surprise that few riders feel completely at ease in the wet, but there are ways to minimise the dangers so we stay safe and feel  confident. It goes without saying that we need to avoid speeding –  but not ride too slowly as that can lead to us losing traction on wet roads as the wheels turn too slowly.

In high winds, the ‘gyroscopic effect’ is our friend. This means that the quicker the wheels are turning, the more stability we gain as the bike wants to remain upright, helping combat the effects of gusting wind.

Because it’s gloomy make sure our bikes stand out. Check bulbs and lamps before every journey, remembering to give the lenses a quick wipe over before you set off, to get rid of the mud and road muck that will have sprayed up to cover them. Keep yourself well lit with a high-vis jacket and day-glo webbing on your helmet and bike.

It's always important to keep a sharp look-out, but doubly so in the wet. Look forward to the horizon to give yourself time to assess any dangers coming your way – traffic queues, corners or traffic crossing your path.

Here’s a golden rule to remember: Vision is knowledge - and knowledge is confidence.

Watch your road position, especially when cornering.

We need to ride a little wider in our lane whenever possible. There are a number of reasons for this. First, the crown of the road will be the driest part as the camber drains any surface water towards the kerb. Two, because as the water drains away, there are likely to be big puddles lurking next to the pavement. These could be hiding many dangers beneath – potholes, grids, manhole covers or other road debris.

Two, by staying as wide as you can you get a better view of the corner, all the way through it if possible, allowing us to spot dangers early.

When approaching the bend, we need to pick a line that allows us to corner using as little lean as possible, staying as upright as we can. That way we take it in a straighter line with a change of approach angle, rather than sweeping round. In essence, we are essentially ‘squaring the corner off’.

When we hit the corner, stay relaxed. Keep your arms loose and squeeze the bike with our thighs to gain more feedback.

Don’t be tempted to coast through the corner; that costs the rider ‘feel’ of the bike, and control. Rather, keep the throttle open as we enter the bend, ready to open it more once we reach the midpoint and are ready to accelerate out. Stay wide and keep control as we leave the bend behind.