Drafting on a climb

iain_j
iain_j Posts: 1,941
edited March 2009 in The bottom bracket
So, you're going up a long, steep hill, and slowly but surely you reel in 2 cyclists who've been ahead of you. You end up sitting on their back wheel, essentially drafting them. Because it's steep and there's a fair distance to go yet to the summit, you don't want to knacker yourself by trying to overtake them (and you might be in the path of fast traffic for too long if you tried), but at the same time, you don't want to break your rhythm to drop back from them, and you'd only end up catching up again.

What do you do?

(it happened to me a few weeks ago, I tried dropping back a few times but failed to stay a decent distance behind, and ended up drafting them most of the way up, and didn't have any spare breath to be sociable :oops: )

Comments

  • Crooky
    Crooky Posts: 604
    You sit on their wheels. I have no problem with someone sitting on my wheel and I have no problem if they overtake, happens so rarely though :D however what I can't stand is people overtaking then slowing down or overtaking then immediately turning off that's totally against the rules.
  • iain_j
    iain_j Posts: 1,941
    Overtaking then slowing down - that's exactly what I would have expected myself to do if I'd tried to overtake them, after the extra exertion!

    I asked because of threads I've seen on here, people getting picky about uninvited drafters.
  • mrushton
    mrushton Posts: 5,182
    Crooky wrote:
    You sit on their wheels. I have no problem with someone sitting on my wheel and I have no problem if they overtake, happens so rarely though :D however what I can't stand is people overtaking then slowing down or overtaking then immediately turning off that's totally against the rules.
    or going past and then slowing down so I have to go around them. What is that about? My girlfriend often gets riders hammering past her the suddeny they go pop and into reverse. Me,I just let them go and then pick them off. If they are faster then me, they should n't be hanging around.
    M.Rushton
  • iain_j
    iain_j Posts: 1,941
    Maybe they had to work so hard to overtake you, they bonked :lol:
  • Crooky
    Crooky Posts: 604
    edited March 2009
    I think drafting on the flat is a different matter I know if someone sat on my wheel for a few miles I might start to get pee'd off however on a climb drafting doesn't help much.

    Personally I would have to attempt to overtake if I'd caught the rider, even if it killed me!
  • Frank the tank
    Frank the tank Posts: 6,553
    Not that it happens very often, but I hate it when I slowly reel someone in 'cos if I'm going only marginally faster when I do overtake it's embarrassing to not just blow them away, 'cos I can't. :( but it would be naughty to just sit on their wheel.
    Tail end Charlie

    The above post may contain traces of sarcasm or/and bullsh*t.
  • bobpzero
    bobpzero Posts: 1,431
    depending where it is on a ride, preferably near the end or close to where you want to stop for a bit. anyways i would do my bit at the front and if they want to they can do a bit at the front. any cyclists ive followed (far behind) is usually not going my way.
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    I think it's more pacing than drafting, so personally I wouldn't feel that you were benefiting from my efforts by doing this as much as if you were drafting me. It'd start to seem a bit odd if you were on somebody's wheel for ages though!

    But I know this problem more from running- slowly catching someone going about the same pace, and not wanting to pass them at a snail's pace but unwilling/unable to either step it up or back off. Doesn't seem to happen often on the bike.
  • ivancarlos
    ivancarlos Posts: 1,034
    Sitting on the wheel is psychological going uphill. There is no drafting advantage to be had.
    I have pain!
  • teagar
    teagar Posts: 2,100
    Could try cycling beside them, or at least, not directly behind them?
    Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.
  • shockedsoshocked
    shockedsoshocked Posts: 4,021
    Go at your own pace, get passed them.
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • jibberjim
    jibberjim Posts: 2,810
    iain_j wrote:
    (it happened to me a few weeks ago, I tried dropping back a few times but failed to stay a decent distance behind, and ended up drafting them most of the way up, and didn't have any spare breath to be sociable :oops: )

    I think drafting strangers is always wrong, the people have no idea of your ability to hold a wheel safely, you could be a right muppet who will touch their back wheel any time.

    so I'd say overtake them - there's not going to many roads which are narrow enough that passing a single cyclist is going to put you out into a line of traffic for a long time so you can do it without blowing yourself up.

    I to normally find when out with the girlfriend people hammering past and then slowing, particularly in Richmond Park, that's f'ing annoying too. I think riding with the people you set out with is a good rule of thumb, and never join another group without first talking to them.
    Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    jibberjim wrote:
    I think drafting strangers is always wrong, the people have no idea of your ability to hold a wheel safely, you could be a right muppet who will touch their back wheel any time.

    Fortunately if a randomer touches your back wheel, it's more likely that he's going to hit the deck rather than you
    I like bikes...

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