Learn Hardcore Italian: Dopo la pioggia regolo i freni del monopattino, così non scivolo. - After the rain I adjust the scooter’s brakes so I don’t slip.

In Italian, when dopo is followed by a noun, you almost always use a determiner (often the definite article): dopo la pioggia, dopo il lavoro, dopo la scuola. Saying dopo pioggia sounds unnatural. If you want it indefinite, you can say dopo una pioggia (after a rain shower), but here the recent, specific rain is implied, so la pioggia fits best.

Can I say dopo che piove?

Standard Italian prefers a completed action: dopo che è piovuto or dopo che ha piovuto (both auxiliaries occur with weather verbs). Dopo che piove (present) is colloquial/regional and is avoided in careful writing. For a habitual idea, you can also say: Quando piove, regolo i freni or stick with Dopo la pioggia.

Is regolo the best verb here? What about registro, aggiusto, or sistemo?

Regolare (here regolo) = to adjust/set to the right setting. Safe, general, and correct.
Registrare (here registro) is very idiomatic for fine mechanical adjustment: registro i freni is common among cyclists/mechanics.
Aggiustare = to repair something broken.
Sistemare = to sort/put right (broad, a bit vaguer). If you’re tweaking cable tension/pads, registro i freni or regolo i freni are both fine; use aggiusto only if they’re faulty.

Why are i freni plural?

Like English “brakes,” Italian uses the plural i freni for the braking system. You use the singular only when specifying one: il freno anteriore/posteriore.

Why del monopattino and not al monopattino or sul monopattino?

del monopattino = “of the scooter,” expressing a part–whole relationship (the scooter’s brakes). This is the standard choice.
al monopattino (“to the scooter”) is colloquial and regionally heard in the sense of “on/for the scooter,” but it’s less standard for parts.
sul monopattino (“on the scooter”) is wrong here for possession/part-of.

Should I say del mio monopattino to show it’s mine?

If context doesn’t already make that clear, yes: i freni del mio monopattino. Italian normally uses the definite article with possessives: del mio = di + il + mio.

What does monopattino refer to exactly? Is it a Vespa-style scooter?

No. Monopattino is a kick scooter or an e-scooter (the stand-up kind). A Vespa-style scooter is typically uno scooter or un motorino (moped) in everyday Italian.

Why the comma before così?

With a comma, così works like English “so/therefore,” introducing a consequence: …, così non scivolo. Without the comma, così often means “in this way/like this.” The comma clarifies that it’s a result, not a manner.

Could I use quindi, perciò, or allora instead of così?

Yes, all can express consequence:

quindi and perciò are straightforward “therefore/so.”
allora often sounds more conversational/story-like. Example: Dopo la pioggia regolo i freni…, quindi/perciò non scivolo.

Does così ever mean “so that” (purpose), like English “so that I don’t slip”?

Alone, così usually marks a result. For purpose, prefer:

Same subject: per non scivolare or in modo da non scivolare.
Different subject or more formal: affinché
- subjunctive (e.g., affinché non scivoli). You can also use resultive così da + infinitive: Regolo i freni così da non scivolare (so as to not slip).

Why is it non scivolo (present) and not future non scivolerò?

Italian often uses the present to state general truths, habits, or immediate results. …così non scivolo = “so I don’t (won’t) slip” in a general/typical sense. Use non scivolerò to stress a specific future event.

Can I rewrite the sentence with an infinitive of purpose?

Yes: Dopo la pioggia regolo i freni del monopattino per non scivolare. This is concise and very natural when the subject of both actions is the same (I adjust; I avoid slipping).

Is affinché non scivoli correct, and why does it use the subjunctive?

Yes: affinché introduces a purpose clause and requires the subjunctive. With the same subject it’s grammatically fine but rather formal: …regolo i freni, affinché non scivoli (I, subjunctive). It’s more common when subjects differ: …regolo i freni a tua figlia, affinché non scivoli (so that she doesn’t slip).

Could I start with the time phrase or move it later?

Both are fine:

Dopo la pioggia, regolo i freni…
Regolo i freni… dopo la pioggia… Placing it first foregrounds the time frame. A comma after an initial Dopo la pioggia is common and readable.

Is the spelling così with an accent important?

Yes. It must be così (accent on ì). Writing cosi is a spelling error and changes the pronunciation.

Any tip on pronouns here?

Once i freni are known, you can replace them with li: Dopo la pioggia li regolo, così non scivolo. If you’re talking about adjusting someone’s scooter brakes, you can add an indirect object: Gli/le regolo i freni (I adjust his/her brakes).