Watch your shadow.

The sun is lower in the sky nowadays. Your shadow is usually around you rather than under you. This is an opportunity to see yourself ride.

Fighters shadow box to check their form. They look for flaws in their stance, movement and technique. You can do the same while riding on a sunny day.

Your shadow knows if you're balanced on the bike with your back at about a 45-degree angle. It knows if your elbows are flexed or locked straight. It knows if your head is steady or bobbing. It knows if your shoulders are relaxed or hunched toward your ears. It knows if you still have knee bend at the bottom of your pedal strokes. It knows if you look as stylish on the bike as you think you do.

Your shadow gives great feedback while climbing, too. Watch your form going in and out of the saddle. Check for a balanced position and a quiet upper body. Work on your smoothness if you see yourself bobbing much while sitting or standing. See if you look as fluid as you feel.

Caution! Don't become so distracted that you ride into something. Alternate checking your form with checking the road and traffic.

Tip: On a rainy day when you're riding inside, get similar form checks by having a large mirror near your trainer.