Drafting other cyclists
- Thread starter cycleJ
- Start date
See the post on my recent crash with my wife (Crashing on a road bike...Uggh!)cycleJ said:
If it had been anyone besides my wife, I would have gotten up and wrapped my bike around their neck
Cheers
You should ask first. Besides, drafting, you're at their mercy. What if their an idiot who jumps out of the saddle with no notice, thus shoving the bike slightly rearward towards you? What if they don't point out potholes, glass, etc., and mearly dodge them, leaving you to crash into the hazard.
Don't do it.
Don't do it.
cycleJ said:
I don't do it. Especially without announcing my presence.
There have been occasions that I have caught up with someone, but either wasn't up to the task or it wasn't part of my training plan that day to do what it takes to pass them and drop them. In that case I would sit 15 feet or so behind. I may ride up beside and and make small talk... depending on how sociable I felt. I will admit that I have often been really suprised at how friendly people can be. I've also been amazed at how unfriendly people can be.
What bugs me to no end is to pass someone and then have them sit right on my wheel with no verbal communication. I will then make a concerted effort to screw with them... slightly easing the pace... slightly forcing the pace... farting... whatever it takes to amuse myself.
There have been occasions that I have caught up with someone, but either wasn't up to the task or it wasn't part of my training plan that day to do what it takes to pass them and drop them. In that case I would sit 15 feet or so behind. I may ride up beside and and make small talk... depending on how sociable I felt. I will admit that I have often been really suprised at how friendly people can be. I've also been amazed at how unfriendly people can be.
What bugs me to no end is to pass someone and then have them sit right on my wheel with no verbal communication. I will then make a concerted effort to screw with them... slightly easing the pace... slightly forcing the pace... farting... whatever it takes to amuse myself.
i personally am of the opinion that you should ask if it's okay with the person you want to draft,
I had an incident some time ago where this whole drafting issue during a race almost turned into a boxing match.
During a 105 km race at about the 40km mark i went to the front of the bunch to do my bit, it was a small bunch +- 8 riders, so at about the 50+ mark i pulled over to let someone else work a bit, so no one comes forward, i go back to the front and keep pulling. At about the 65 km mark i move over for someone else to pull, again no one comes forward, so yours truly again takes up position at the front but highly agitated by this stage. But as im pulling across to join at the front i happen to glance under my arm, and would'nt i notice the 2 clowns directly behind me giving each other the thumbs up. Needless to say i lost it and brake checked them at about 35km/h, 3 riders went down, did'nt see any of the bunch until the end when
one of the brave hearts approached me, but quickly changed his mind to execute the discussion.
So always do your bit, and if you for what ever reason are not able to do so, make it known to the one doing the work.
D
I had an incident some time ago where this whole drafting issue during a race almost turned into a boxing match.
During a 105 km race at about the 40km mark i went to the front of the bunch to do my bit, it was a small bunch +- 8 riders, so at about the 50+ mark i pulled over to let someone else work a bit, so no one comes forward, i go back to the front and keep pulling. At about the 65 km mark i move over for someone else to pull, again no one comes forward, so yours truly again takes up position at the front but highly agitated by this stage. But as im pulling across to join at the front i happen to glance under my arm, and would'nt i notice the 2 clowns directly behind me giving each other the thumbs up. Needless to say i lost it and brake checked them at about 35km/h, 3 riders went down, did'nt see any of the bunch until the end when
one of the brave hearts approached me, but quickly changed his mind to execute the discussion.
So always do your bit, and if you for what ever reason are not able to do so, make it known to the one doing the work.
D
It's different in a race. If a break isn't working then just sit up and find someone who will work with you. Taking it personally is a psychological limiter.DarrylZ said:
In recreational riding or training it's best to ask if you want to sit on a wheel. That person may be doing structured training and not care to have you along, or they may be out for a recovery ride and be grateful for the company.
Either way the right thing is to ask (and be willing to do some of the work as well).
It does lower the overall drag of the pair, but it does a lot more for the person in the back than the one in front. In a team time trial, the riders take turns riding in the drafts of their teammates, so over the course of the race, they have to expend less energy, and thus can go faster._daniel said:
I don't mind people drafting me if they pull up and ask first and are willing to take their turn at the front. If not, squirting your water bottle straight up over your shoulder should hit them in the face.
It wouldn't bother me if someone drafted me, from an effort point of view, as I have also read (like some people above) that being drafted actually reduces the effort required slightly. However to really feel a benefit from drafting you have to be going pretty fast and you have to be quite close to the person in front, so unless you know each other well, I reckon it's best avoided. If you are riding with a friend and you have an agreement to draft each other, you both know what happens if the leader crashes or has to slam the brakes, and you are willing to accept the consequences (which can obviously be very ugly). But I'd never try it with a stranger.
Hadn't thought of it that way... Good point.DarrylZ said:Taking it personally is a psychological limiter.
QUOTE]
Youre right it is psychological limiter, it limited their ability to complete their race, and it will be a deterent to them trying to be smart asses in a bunch in the future.
D
To be sure, there are risks; and the risk never goes to zero regardless of how well you may know those you are following and regardless of the collective skills in the paceline.mjw_byrne said:
It is a skill worth learning, however, because it makes you a better bike handler, which makes you a safer rider for your own self and for others you ride with.
"Pretty fast" and "quite close" are relative terms. In learning to draft in a paceline many riders will likely find that the speed and trailing distance they are comfortable with can yield real benefits in reduced drag.
if you ask me i'll let ya, if you don't and just draft, when i see you back there i'll take off for a quick sprint to put some distance between us, if you catch back up and still don't say anything i'll simply go at a faster pace and lose you
always ask, it's not that hard, but don't expect the otehr person to go at a pace that suits you
a group ride i went on over the summer, a guy wouldn't take a turn pulling, we had a group of 6 of us and this one guy it would come to his turn to pull and he'd immediately go to the back, he didn't explain to anyone why he wouldn't pull and people kept yelling at him to take his turn, he kept refusing and one guy totally blew up at him and then about 4 of us got out of the saddle and sprinted our asses off for a good 2 minutes completely dropping this guy and unfortunately someone else
had this dude told us he had some good reason for not pulling he should had just stayed near the back and told us and no one would have had a problem with it
always ask, it's not that hard, but don't expect the otehr person to go at a pace that suits you
a group ride i went on over the summer, a guy wouldn't take a turn pulling, we had a group of 6 of us and this one guy it would come to his turn to pull and he'd immediately go to the back, he didn't explain to anyone why he wouldn't pull and people kept yelling at him to take his turn, he kept refusing and one guy totally blew up at him and then about 4 of us got out of the saddle and sprinted our asses off for a good 2 minutes completely dropping this guy and unfortunately someone else
had this dude told us he had some good reason for not pulling he should had just stayed near the back and told us and no one would have had a problem with it
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