drafting

[VamP]

The problem with drafting someone you don't know on a commute is that it is unlikely they are going to be indicating hazards to you. This is important as if you are genuinely drafting (not sitting 3 metres back, for example) you are going to have a limited view of the road conditions ahead. What's more, you are also obscuring the view of the cyclist giving you a tow when he shoulder checks. In a chaing-gang, club ride etc cyclists are used to riding in close order and use hand signals and calls to keep eath other safe. On a commute in the rush hour, I don't want my focus to be distracted by someone who might plough into the back of me because he cannot see a problem developing. If people just sit on my wheel, I either speed up or slow down and wave them through. That said, I will draft and give people tows if I know them or they introduce themselves and seem savvy.

This /\

 

[Globalti]

My regular buddy and I do it when we are out for a blast; we ride quite fast and tend to take it in turns on the front. You need to keep your wits about you and always know where the other bloke is. Cornering can be dicey if you're close.

 

[zacklaws]

Riders who want to draft you and not do their turn at the front are just parasites and ignorant twat's.

Last year I was pushing hard into the wind on one of my training runs and eventually overtook someone really struggling hard against the wind with a briefcase held on their bars and as I passed I said "good morning". About 200 yards further down the road, I twigged they was on my back wheel and when I turned to look proper, they just had a big grin on their face smiling at me. That really wound me up, so as it was clear behind I turned very sharply to the right and hit my brakes to just pull up slightly behind. All of a sudden they was struggling against the wind again and as I rode along side, I smiled and said "bit windy today", the smile had gone from his face and he just grunted and at that I pulled away fast so they could not get my wheel again. Eventually I turned off and when I looked back I had to smile as the other rider who was now well behind carried straight on struggling.

I suppose another cure for an unwanted parasite on your back wheel would be to just stop pedalling and slow down if your not in a rush and see what their reactions would be. As it rarely happens to me, I have not had the opportunity to try it

Club rides, its all part of is draughting and if some riders are struggling then I see no problem with them not going to the front, some rides I struggle, but if I can I will do my turn when I recover.

 

[wiggydiggy]

There definately seems to be 2 main reasons why people may find it annoying

1) When its not suitable e.g. commuting
2) When the favour isn't returned

Lack of experience on good drafting etiquette to blame in most of those cases?

 

[CopperCyclist]

On a ride on an open road I'd have no problem with drafting, and being drafted. On a commute I wouldn't accept an invitation to draft, nor give one, as it's a lot more stop start with little warning, and isn't the place for it.

 

[trustysteed]

There definately seems to be 2 main reasons why people may find it annoying

1) When its not suitable e.g. commuting
2) When the favour isn't returned

Lack of experience on good drafting etiquette to blame in most of those cases?

the main reason it's annoying is because someone you don't know is using you without your knowledge or consent. you wouldn't want someone using your home wireless network without your permission or knowledge, would you?

it's taking the piss and shows a lack of manners, common courtesy and respect.

 

[HLaB]

Actually thinking about it I have drafted with folk I don't know. When folk have chained passed me, I've tagged on the back (like last month to the ToB Peebles start), I do like to take my turn at the front though after I recover. Slightly OT, I don't know what it is about chain gangs and me though, constant chaingangs tire me out easily but longer turns on the front don't as much.

 

[Arsen Gere]

Does no one offer to draft for strangers? If I over take someone who is moving at a reasonable rate, I usually say hi and then 'sit-in' offering to take the lead for them.
What's wrong with helping less able cyclists?
Show them how to identify potholes and negotiate obstacles, indicate when you need to brake, they'll catch on really quickly. Invite them in to cycling. so you can work togther.

I did this with one younger lad recently and he thought it was great to have his own peleton, he'd never done this before.

If you are drafting a stranger of unknown ability sit off to one side so you can watch the road ahead, you still get a chunk of benefit without so much risk.

I only compete with people who have numbers on their backs not their lunch.

 

[mickle]

Why all the handwringing? If you don't like people drafting you ride simply away from them. Simples non?

 

[Little yellow Brompton]

Why does everybody call it drafting instead of slipstreaming or at least draughting?

Because it comes from 'merkin rather than English. I have a feeling that it comes from the "pulling" part of the process ( ie like a draft (sic) horse) rather than the air bit .

 

[400bhp]

If someone pushes past me to get to the front at the lights then they are a self appointed domestique and fair game for drafting, provided they are up to it.

+1

 

[clarion]

Origamist has it on the nail. Drafting with someone you don't know well is foolish at best. Butterfly sometimes takes my wheel when we're riding, but it will only be on a fairly wide and fast bit of road with decent surface and good visibility.

If I don't like someone being on my wheel, I have finally reached a point where I can just up the pace a bit to drop them. Or else just hammer it until I know they've been broken. Although my top speed isn't terribly high compared to the faster guys, and I can see why my wheel might be attractive, I can be very fast away from the lights, so I often drop wheelsuckers when it changes to green. Mind you, several of them just carry on through red lights anyway, so I just need to ensure that they don't latch on when I go past them again. If I'm dealing with that, I'll hang back a bit to catch my breath before passing them, then burst into a sprint.

On the other hand, if someone isn't being a prat, I might help them along, provided they don't get too close. The other night, there was a chap riding quite fast it took me a while to catch up with and pass. In recognition that he'd been doing well, I slowed so he could get close enough for a tow, but he was dropping back very fast. I think he'd been overdoing it to stop the guy in front of me passing (he shot off into the distance), and my going past was the last straw.

Oh, btw, if you can hold Origamist's wheel, you're a stronger (and braver) rider than me!

 

[400bhp]

Riders who want to draft you and not do their turn at the front are just parasites and ignorant twat's.

Last year I was pushing hard into the wind on one of my training runs and eventually overtook someone really struggling hard against the wind with a briefcase held on their bars and as I passed I said "good morning". About 200 yards further down the road, I twigged they was on my back wheel and when I turned to look proper, they just had a big grin on their face smiling at me. That really wound me up, so as it was clear behind I turned very sharply to the right and hit my brakes to just pull up slightly behind. All of a sudden they was struggling against the wind again and as I rode along side, I smiled and said "bit windy today", the smile had gone from his face and he just grunted and at that I pulled away fast so they could not get my wheel again. Eventually I turned off and when I looked back I had to smile as the other rider who was now well behind carried straight on struggling.

I suppose another cure for an unwanted parasite on your back wheel would be to just stop pedalling and slow down if your not in a rush and see what their reactions would be. As it rarely happens to me, I have not had the opportunity to try it

Club rides, its all part of is draughting and if some riders are struggling then I see no problem with them not going to the front, some rides I struggle, but if I can I will do my turn when I recover.

Get a grip

 

[Fran143]

Riders who want to draft you and not do their turn at the front are just parasites and ignorant twat's.

Last year I was pushing hard into the wind on one of my training runs and eventually overtook someone really struggling hard against the wind with a briefcase held on their bars and as I passed I said "good morning". About 200 yards further down the road, I twigged they was on my back wheel and when I turned to look proper, they just had a big grin on their face smiling at me. That really wound me up, so as it was clear behind I turned very sharply to the right and hit my brakes to just pull up slightly behind. All of a sudden they was struggling against the wind again and as I rode along side, I smiled and said "bit windy today", the smile had gone from his face and he just grunted and at that I pulled away fast so they could not get my wheel again. Eventually I turned off and when I looked back I had to smile as the other rider who was now well behind carried straight on struggling.

I suppose another cure for an unwanted parasite on your back wheel would be to just stop pedalling and slow down if your not in a rush and see what their reactions would be. As it rarely happens to me, I have not had the opportunity to try it

Club rides, its all part of is draughting and if some riders are struggling then I see no problem with them not going to the front, some rides I struggle, but if I can I will do my turn when I recover.

Nice to see you show kindness and courtesy to your fellow cyclist! Parasites and ignorant twat....informed decision or reflective approach?

 

[Sittingduck]

I'm not convinced that drafting actually works anyway... at least not for me. Maybe bigger folk make better draftees as opposed to drafters, on account of width! Frankly anybody who does want draft me needs to up their game and push past.