Drafting Fairies

rhext

Lighten up a bit. You've all been there:

By sheer good fortune, luck with the lights and the traffic, plus the fact that you're sweating blood and going at least .01MPH faster then him, you've finally managed to catch him. You know the one I mean: the guy in front who looks slightly faster than you. Higher FCN, better bike, better kit, that sort of thing.

Now comes the choice: do you overtake, thus condemning yourself to a flat out race all the way home (and there's still miles to go); or do you relax a bit, resign yourself to a slightly slower than normal commute home and make the most of the free windbreak? And if you do decide to overtake and he drafts you all the way home (as you know he will), would you even let him in front of you to repay the favour? Of course not - you'd assume he was getting his own back!

So if someone comes up behind you and starts drafting, take it for the compliment it is: he thinks he can take you, but he doesn't think he can keep it up. And if you overtake someone else...well, you've only yourself to blame.

mwo

OldSkoolKona wrote:

I'll admit I did draft someone through Richmond park on the way home from work this week, they overtook me on the way in as I slowed for a car at the mini-roundabout and then it was clear that if I reovertook I would slow them down. I did say cheers at the end though - I wouldn't have cycled as fast had I not had someone to pace against and there was no headwind.

Somebody did this to me between Kingston and Richmond gates this week. I was behind them on the road into Kingston Gate, and they looked competent, and they said thanks before leaving through Richmond Gate, so I didn't mind. If that was you OldSkoolKona then you're welcome, but you owe me a tow up that hill next time you see me.

Having said that, generally drafting pisses me off. People sit too close so there's a risk of them going into the back of me if I have to brake, especially if I don't hear them approach. Either that or they sit to the right so I can't see the traffic when I check over my shoulder. If you can't overtake somebody, or you don't want to, then just sit a couple of metres off. There's enough going on when commuting in heavy traffic without having to consider the stranger, whose skill level you're completely ignorant of, sitting 2cm off your back wheel.

OldSkoolKona

mwo, guilty as charged :oops:

I did ponder going past to share the load, but wasn't sure if that would make things worse. (ie look at me, I can go faster) plus you had me pretty much beat towards the end, not used to having hills on my commute before I changed offices.

Next time you see me, will pay you back the tow

biondino

I may have revised my thinking. If someone overtakes you, but then just sits there going at your pace, isn't that an invitation to grab a lift?

A few times lately I've appreciated a tow from a dude I assumed was roughly my pace, and then overtaken him to give him the benefit. And I keep dropping them by accident! I try and maintain the same speed, near enough, maybe a little quicker cos obviously I know they'll be able to keep up, but perhaps they just think "oh, there he goes, mr fancypants, well at least I can relax now". What's the etiquette here? Slow down so they can get back on your tail, or is that just patronising? Speed up so as to prove that actually yes, you are a demigod with whom they could never hope to keep up? Or continue riding ten yards in front of them, looking like an ungrateful arse who's just taunting them?

DonDaddyD

biondino wrote:

"oh, there he goes, mr fancypants, well at least I can relax now". What's the etiquette here? Slow down so they can get back on your tail, or is that just patronising? Speed up so as to prove that actually yes, you are a demigod with whom they could never hope to keep up? Or continue riding ten yards in front of them, looking like an ungrateful ars* who's just taunting them?

You're right and I've been faced with this conundrum! I think you're either thinking too much or are bothered far too much about what other commuters think. Well, that was what I concluded about myself.

In the end I found comfort within the ethos of 'The Game that we don't play'. When we bought our bikes and set off on that fateful first commute we all swore the oath: "To scalp every man, women and child that dares to be in front of me on the road!" That is our law of the road and of the commute. The one thing we don't do is slow down for anyone but ourselves, do they slow down in the Tour de France? So why should we whilst we're locked in our fantasies of being the Hoy, Cavendish or Armstrong? Why, at the very least, should we be courteous and slow down on our journey to work when we could end up being late or coming from work when we could miss Hollyoaks, Eastenders or whatever else we're rushing home to see?

If a person can keep up then they've the right to draft. But if they are keeping up its for two reasons:

(i) They are trying to keep up
(ii) They are dreaming about being on my bike

(This is providing they aren't attracted to the person in front and just admiring the view...)

biondino

DonDaddyD wrote:

(This is providing they aren't attracted to the person in front and just admiring the view...)

Perhaps it's my bum that's putting them off

seataltea

Commuting on an unrestricted electric hybrid I'm not trouble by 'draughters' at all, they seem to have a job keeping up.

dav1

COnstant drafting is an annoyance.

I have to admit that if i approach somone going at a decent speed I will draught them until I find a good oppurtunity to overtake. I guess in this case though you do it to get maximum sling shot for the overtake so you can get into a safe position faster.

dav1

COnstant drafting is an annoyance.

I have to admit that if i approach somone going at a decent speed I will draught them until I find a good oppurtunity to overtake. I guess in this case though you do it to get maximum sling shot for the overtake so you can get into a safe position faster.

dafruk

You do realise the TDF (the yardstick by which all people gauge cycling) gives the answer. Most folk think Cadel Evans is a t**t, he has done more miles on peoples back wheels than any other rider. Therefore drafting is bad.

See the proof is always out there, you just need to know how to look for it!

Clever Pun

biondino wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

(This is providing they aren't attracted to the person in front and just admiring the view...)

Perhaps it's my bum that's putting them off

white lycra will do that

Bassjunkieuk

biondino wrote:

I may have revised my thinking. If someone overtakes you, but then just sits there going at your pace, isn't that an invitation to grab a lift?

A few times lately I've appreciated a tow from a dude I assumed was roughly my pace, and then overtaken him to give him the benefit. And I keep dropping them by accident! I try and maintain the same speed, near enough, maybe a little quicker cos obviously I know they'll be able to keep up, but perhaps they just think "oh, there he goes, mr fancypants, well at least I can relax now". What's the etiquette here? Slow down so they can get back on your tail, or is that just patronising? Speed up so as to prove that actually yes, you are a demigod with whom they could never hope to keep up? Or continue riding ten yards in front of them, looking like an ungrateful ars* who's just taunting them?

I've had this a couple of times, I'll be riding behind someone, keeping up a decent pace and then when I pull round to have my turn I end up loosing them!
It happened last Friday after I clocked onto a guy on a nice old skool Pearson roadie at the lights on the north side of Vauxhall Bridge. We parted ways over the bridge and re-joined each other after Vauxhall Cross due to taking different lines through that manic junction. The road towards Stockwell was rather blowy so I tucked in behind and when I got room I went round but he just seemed to be going backwards!