Unfriendly Cyclists?

Clever Pun

As I was battling against the wind on my way in this morning I noticed another road bike in the distance that I was catching up… I thought great I can grab his wheel for a bit of a rest before heading on. As I got closer he noticed my and made an effort to get away obviously he was taking the brunt of the wind so I kept with him easily enough (I’d admit 20mph into that wind was good work) when he realised he wouldn’t be able to shake me he starts cycling through puddles and trying to flick the spray onto me

What was this a challenge?
Or was he just being a kn0b jockey?

After a while I was starting to get angry and thought about having a word but decided I couldn’t be doing with hassle so I overtook him and powered on into the wind… a while later he overtakes me and starts with the fu<king puddle flicking again.. I overtook him once more and he turned off

So am I missing something here or was he just being a prize pri<k?

Anyone else had any trouble from what should be your colleagues on the road?

homercles

Sounds like the prize pri<k option to me.

Shame as it's good fun when you get a decent companion on the way home. It was only brief (I'm not trying to make this sound like a summer romance, honest) but I had a guy drafting me through Vauxhall last night and he thanked me at the first set of lights we stopped at and then returned the favour until the next lot where we went our separate ways. Good lad!

tricitybendix

Some people don't like other people sitting on their back wheel. I find it pretty annoying.

misterben

If he was annoyed at you, he should have just waved you past or similar. But to spray you, and then overtake you to spray you again - not nice....

Stupid question here - if you have someone drafting you, does it actually affect your performance compared with being on your own?

Clever Pun

homercles wrote:

Sounds like the prize pri<k option to me.

Shame as it's good fun when you get a decent companion on the way home. It was only brief (I'm not trying to make this sound like a summer romance, honest) but I had a guy drafting me through Vauxhall last night and he thanked me at the first set of lights we stopped at and then returned the favour until the next lot where we went our separate ways. Good lad!

see that's how I play it... I'm happy for someone to draft me it's like a help me help you kinda thing

sometimes I'm really tired so drafting someone gets me there quicker without my legs feeling like they're going to fall off

I can't see how someone cycling behind you can affect your speed unless you spend a lot of time looking for the other person.. head forward and get on with your own cycling and it's all good

BentMikey

There's little that I enjoy as much as a turn and turn about drafting sess with another cooperative cyclist!! That guy was being an arse though.

Sailing7

Once you caught him up and recovered your breath why not pull level, say hello then pull ahead to return favour rather than sticking on. If he sticks then you can let up after a while and let him take the strain - seems more polite? Still some people get into their own little zone when they're commuting - best left alone......

xio

well you didn't have to follow him through the puddles did you?

I wouldn't worry about it - sometimes you get a good drafting buddy somedays you don't. He probably just thought you were freeloading.

bossman13

how much difference does drafting actually make (having never done it) ??

Pagem

bossman13 wrote:

how much difference does drafting actually make (having never done it) ??

more than you'd think.

OrbitRider

I don't mind someone drafting, provided they take a turn doing the hard work. I remember on one occasion I was cycling home and overtook a guy who was going steadily. I left him behind, but a few minutes later I noticed he'd caught up and was drafting me. "Fine", I thought, "we can get home quicker if we cooperate". I put the pedal down & put some extra effort in. After a while, I felt I needed a rest, so gestured for the other guy to take the lead. He refused to do so, so I slowed down. He slowed down and kept behind. I thought, "well if he can't be bothered to help, I'm not going to do all the work myself", so I chose my moment and made a break for it. I hacked on hard, but the guy slowly caught me and drafted again. This time I slowed down more & more, until we were doing under 10 mph, but he still refused to take the lead. In the end, I slammed on the brakes, causing him to swerve round me. I drafted him for a bit, but he was doing nothing like the speed I knew he was capable of. In the end I lost him in town traffic.
I don't mind drafting when the other person helps out. I don't mind it when a faster cyclist takes a temporary breather by drafting me. Some people really are the limit though!

---

BentMikey

Wheel sucking is contemptible, it's only fair if you do your fair share of work. Assuming you can and aren't too broken of course!

Massimo

The guy sounds like a total to$$er. Hopefully he'll read this and learn something

mbukfan

bossman13 wrote:

how much difference does drafting actually make (having never done it) ??

you can say about 30% I think (though that may be the extra drag a tandom has over a standard bike)

hangsheadinshame

I wouldn't want some stranger sat on my wheel. It is scary enough on the roads with out someone sat on my wheel. How do I know that they are competent? Never happened to me yet though.

How did he "start to lick spray" at you? With his hands? I try and dodge puddles but some are unavoidable. I don't have 'guards so spraying is unavoidable. I think maybe you are a tad over sensitive. I guess this was in central London? The least appropriate place in the world for an impromptu chain gang.

Clever Pun

xio wrote:

well you didn't have to follow him through the puddles did you?

I wouldn't worry about it - sometimes you get a good drafting buddy somedays you don't. He probably just thought you were freeloading.

yes of course that was what I was doing... he went out of our way through the puddles and as the spray started he lent back towards me aiming it...

but I went in front of him and he did it again... that's the bit I really can't understand... anyway

delcol

i had the phantom drafter draft me,. i had not long since started cycling to work around 3 weeks was still trying to find my comfort zone and establish a basic level of fitness.

anyway one morning i am on my way home from work and i see this guy so i think il catch him over take him. so i did chuffed with my self at winning i carry on happy in my own little world, i then hear the sound of a freewheeling bike turn roun he's there an inch off my wheel i did everything spedup slowed but he stayed there i could not shake him, he followed me for 5 miles of my 6 mile commute, then he turned onto the industial estate leaving me...

i was on my mtb he was on a claude butler hybrid.

this was what made me think about getting a more suitable bike to commute on so i got a scott speedster road bike.

i longed to see this guy again as i had got fitter and was better prepared,.

a few weeks later i got my wish sailed past him let him draft me for 100 yards then laid the pedals down hard he couldnt keep up i left him in my wake,..
not seen him since,..

i always try to pull away from the drafter, usually i win but i know its only a matter of time before i meet my match,..
up to now i am undefeated in the commuter race,.. but its hard trying keep my title,.. :P

Bonno

I was rapidly approaching a rider on a long country road, (last year when i was half fit) finally caught him and said 'hi ', he had seen me catching him but acted like he was suprised for some reason.
I carried on as i was going a few mph faster ,then realised he was on my wheel, no problem i carried on at the same pace, matey then decides to attack me and flies past, not being the one to refuse some extra training i jumped on his wheel and stayed for a few hundred yards till he ran out of steam, ok i thought ,he wants a two up, so overtook him allowing him to latch on but instead he started ranting and raving and waving his arms then promply slammed his brakes on, did a u-turn and rode off, very strange, did give me a laugh though

PrettyBoyTim

Clever Pun wrote:

...As I got closer he noticed my and made an effort to get away obviously he was taking the brunt of the wind so I kept with him easily enough (I’d admit 20mph into that wind was good work) when he realised he wouldn’t be able to shake me he starts cycling through puddles and trying to flick the spray onto me

:shock:

If it was obvious he didn't want you drafting him, why didn't you leave him alone? Seems a bit rich to go hanging on his tail when you knew he didn't want you to, and then complain about the water being flicked up from his wheels!

Stig-OT-Dump

Personally, I don't mind if people draft and am quite keen to get ahead and give a tow (but I expect to have room to weave if needed) without expecting someone to take over after.

I commute as part of my fitness/training regime and want to put work in. I don't expect others to give me a pull, although appreciate it on occasion when I'm having a hard week. If its wet and I don't want splashed, I hang back.

The only thing I dislike is being drafted for anything up to 4 miles and then being overtaken and being given a smug "I've beaten you" smirk, although I do enjoy a race. A good one makes my day.

Perhaps I'm perverse, but I also get pleasure from knowing my effort has made someone else's day easier.

Off to read a book of Zen... (and maybe get a pull from Mrs Stig, which I always enjoy)

passout

I'd say hi first, strike up a relationship ad then take turns behind! No, I would relly

adifiddler

Some people dont know about drafting, they just think you are some idiot trying to intimidate them, i remember once drafting someone for a couple of hundred meters but i could see they were really struggling with the wind, as i had caught my breath i shot past him and cut in on his front wheel to give him a bit of a tow. To my surprise he went mental saying i was an idiot and dangerous cutting him up. I dropped back so i was next to him and aplogised and said i was offering my rear wheel for a tow he looked at me with a complete vacant look, i then explained it to him and he said he did not believe it and said show me so i took the position again and towed him for a little while then i snapped of line and drifted back to his side he was amazed with the difference of effort he had to make and what really shocked him was the difference when i changed my line. We cycled from Hayling bridge right down to the West town taking turns in front and he thanked me when he went in his own direction.

It taught me, just because someone is on an expensive road bike kitted out in Lycra does not mean they know all the tricks of cycling. He was also a curb hugger until he sat on my wheel but as soon as i dropped of the front he went straight back to the curb. I didn't get into the conversation with him.

ddraver

I just drafted someone for a few kms...god isn't it wonderfull

I was enjoying it so much i never offered him to take turns....feel really guilty now :oops:

to whoever it was between the bottom of HSK and hammersmith raoundabout on the red roadie with a black rucksac (i was the yellow roadie in the courier bag and the blue baggy top)

thanks very much!!!!

PrettyBoyTim

Quick disclaimer: I've never drafted or been drafted, but surely if it causes drag on the person in front isn't it very rude to draft someone without their permission?

thamacdaddy

I got stuck behind some woman on the way home today and took the draft for probably two minutes half way up a hill (its a big climb in length). Anyways I overtook and pushed on at my normal pace . I noticed when I got half way up the climb at the traffic lights where I had to stop she caught me back up. As we went on I wasn't sure if it was the same woman or in fact another cyclist but I noticed as I started getting to the real hard part of the ride I had someone taking my wheel...they did it for like 10 mins and I kept slowing at points to let them take the lead but they didn't.

It really puts me on edge cause for some reason I feel pushed in to putting that effort in and when they don't return the favour I feel a bit pee'd off with them....but it is harder to set the pace on a mountain bike vs these roadies so they should be giving me a hand

Mikey Mouse

I hate wankers drafting me and i never draft anyone else.

doyler78

PrettyBoyTim wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

...As I got closer he noticed my and made an effort to get away obviously he was taking the brunt of the wind so I kept with him easily enough (I’d admit 20mph into that wind was good work) when he realised he wouldn’t be able to shake me he starts cycling through puddles and trying to flick the spray onto me

:shock:

If it was obvious he didn't want you drafting him, why didn't you leave him alone? Seems a bit rich to go hanging on his tail when you knew he didn't want you to, and then complain about the water being flicked up from his wheels!

I find it always best to read a thread in full before commenting. Perhaps if you did so you might find that the OP has provided further info regarding the incident and he done so long before you posted. I do hope that would have perhaps lead to a different reponse from yourself

Jacomus-rides-Gen

PrettyBoyTim wrote:

Quick disclaimer: I've never drafted or been drafted, but surely if it causes drag on the person in front isn't it very rude to draft someone without their permission?

Actually drafting someone increases their efficiency too, though nothing like the 30% or so gains that the parastie will recieve from the host.

As a body moves through the air, it pushes the air out of the way, this creates a vacum behind the body (from now called "host"). The vacum behind the host is filled by the surrounding air, and as it is constantly being created, it is constantly being filled. This creates a moving patch of disturbed air behind the host, which is responsible for around 5-7% of the total drag experienced by the host.

In order to slipstream, a body (the "parasite") must move into this disturbed air and displace the vacum effect. By doing this the vacum resistance experienced by the host is cut by about 1-3% depending on the size and proximity of the parasite (a larger parasite = greater saving through greater displacement)

The vacum "shadow" has now been multiplied by a smaal percentage, increasing the vacum resistence of the parasite by around 2%. However that matters little as they will be saving a total of around 30% of their effort.

Jacomus-rides-Gen

p.s those figures above are for cyclists, and apply only in general terms to other forms of transport.

Gambatte

Jacomus-rides-Gen wrote:

Actually drafting someone increases their efficiency too,
.
Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah, Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah,
Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah,
Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah, Blah, blah blah, blah blah, blah,
.
However that matters little as they will be saving a total of around 30% of their effort.

Trust me, I’m an engineer??

(Sorry Jac. Its Friday?!! )

PrettyBoyTim

doyler78 wrote:

I find it always best to read a thread in full before commenting. Perhaps if you did so you might find that the OP has provided further info regarding the incident and he done so long before you posted.

I did read the thread in full before replying.

I do hope that would have perhaps lead to a different reponse from yourself

I'm afraid that was a vain hope.