Washboard (corrugations, tôle ondulée)

Washboard, also called corrugations, is a series of regular ripples running across a gravel or dirt road, like the surface of an old washboard. It forms as traffic bounces over loose surface material. Rally roadbooks often use the French term tôle ondulée.

Riding over corrugations shakes the bike and rider, loosens bolts and luggage, and reduces grip because the tyres spend part of the time in the air. Braking distances become longer and the front may skip sideways in corners.

Tips: stand on the pegs with relaxed arms, try slightly higher or lower speed to find where the bike skims more smoothly, look for a smoother line at the edge of the road, and brake earlier. Soft suspension settings help. Check bolts and luggage straps after long corrugated stretches.