slipstreaming??

beefydan

Hello, new to the forum so please be gentle!
Just wondering what the general feeling is regarding slipstreaming??

I generally ride on my own, and find when i catch someone, i sit behind them for a short while until its safe to overtake, or for a short ‘recovery’. (Obviously not too close).


What’s the general etiquette regarding slipstreaming?

How long/how far would be considered acceptable, if at all?

apologies in advance if this has already been asked......
:?:

jibberjim

You should stay at least 4-5m back until you are ready to overtake, nothing else is appropriate to a stranger without talking to them.

diy

I ride alone too - just curious if this hanging back is generally accepted, as people slip me all the time?
What really bugs me is people who overtake and then slow down. If you are gonna pass make sure you can sustain the speed.

Personally, if I have caught up with someone, I will hang back, if they have overtaken me and slotted in front then I wont have any problem following close, though I will typically off-set, since this massively improves your ability to see and to stop.

MikeWW

If I catch someone I'll say hello and go past them
Quite happy if they want to sit on for a while after that
Can't see the point of slowing down once you have caught them :?

slowbike

beefydan wrote:

apologies in advance if this has already been asked......
:?:

Yer - there's another thread on this - in beginners I think ...

as far as I'm concerned (as a mainly solo rider) - if you want to sit on my wheel then it's no biggy - don't come too close though and do let me know you're there - just a simple "Hi, ok if I grab a lift?" would do ...
Then - once recovered you can pass and offer me the tow - doesn't have to be in words - just a little faster than we've been doing and hold that pace for a minute - if I grab on then we can work together - if I don't - you can carry on as you like ...

What I don't like is the silent draft thief - come up behind you - not a sound ... sit there for 5 minutes (may be longer cos I haven't heard you arrive!) and then blast past at such a pace that you don't stand a chance of getting on the wheel ...

El Zomba

Pretty much +1. I've no problem with someone slipstreaming me, just as long they let me know they're doing so. Otherwise hang back a few meters or get on with it and overtake.

clickrumble

Had an unknown someone slip stream me for several miles, up over the south downs and back down the north side. After a while, a little voice came from behind, "shouldn't we have turned left back there?" reply from me "no I'm on my own!"

t.m.h.n.e.t

It's a bit cheeky doing it to someone you don't know. But at the same time you have every legal right to sit inches from their rear wheel. The moral issue is do you do it because you can,or sit back or off to the side.

nickellis

I hate the tw@ts who when you catch them and pass them (because they are slow) hang on for dear life, then when you get to a set of lights, jump straight thought the red light.

Err, wasnt I just towing you, shouldn't you stop and return the favour, no you just break the law and make me have to catch you again. When I catch them for the second time I make sure I burn them good.

Ungrateful w@nkers.

Apart from that though, no problem with someone towing, just don't overlap wheels.

diy

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

But at the same time you have every legal right to sit inches from their wheel

apart from the fact that it is actually quite dangerous.

Sentral

Just yesterday I went past a guy as he was going pretty slow, I stopped at the next red light and he went past, 2 mins later I went past him again :roll:

I ride solo, usually though if my pace is fast enough to get behind someone I'll just continue past them

dw300

I'll silently wheelsuck if I need to. If the person doesn't like it they can try and drop me!

t.m.h.n.e.t

diy wrote:

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

But at the same time you have every legal right to sit inches from their wheel

apart from the fact that it is actually quite dangerous.

Better tell the pros to back off then?

diy

A professional, organised race is different. I've seen loads of cycle pile ups from sunday club riders who come a cropper because they bunch up too much. Your point was its not illegal to ride really close, I reckon a magistrate would see that as dangerous cycling if there was an accident, not that the fine is particularly high if convicted.

slowbike

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

diy wrote:

T.M.H.N.E.T wrote:

But at the same time you have every legal right to sit inches from their wheel

apart from the fact that it is actually quite dangerous.

Better tell the pros to back off then?

It can be quite dangerous - my riding changes if I know I've got someone behind me - otherwise I'll move quickly out around potholls, easeup when I want to and generally wobble all over the place ...

ok - not that bad - but even so, I do try to ride with a little more consistency if in a group.

nutter_bed

I got caught by a lady last night. I think she had been there for a few minutes before I noticed and she stayed for a few more without saying anything.
Anyway, we crossed the bridge into Ilkley and I turned right as she went left, still not a word.

I'll let her off though as she had the most magnificent pair of breasts I've seen in a long while.
If I hadn't just finished my ride, I would have turned left with her but it was too late. It was one of those "did I really just see that" moments!

diy

one good reason to attend the odd spin class - bums and boobs bouncing to music

Frank the tank

I'm too slow to wheelsuck I just get dropped.

butcher of bakersfield

I always decide my move before I reach them. If they're trundling along I'll just roll past and say hello. If they're going a good pace and there's any chance I might embarrass myself by innocently overtaking and realising I've overcooked it when I've already committed to the maneuver! Then I'll hang right back even if it means riding slower. Just seems rude to hang on to someone's back wheel, unless invited.

bigpikle

just dont sit on my wheel for miles without a word and then shout at me for slowing down at the highly dangerous road junction :roll: :roll:

FFS, some people....

Really, just say hello or ask if they mind and you'll most likely making a new acquaintance or have someone to chat to for a while

Frank the tank

butcher of bakersfield wrote:

I always decide my move before I reach them. If they're trundling along I'll just roll past and say hello. If they're going a good pace and there's any chance I might embarrass myself by innocently overtaking and realising I've overcooked it when I've already committed to the maneuver! Then I'll hang right back even if it means riding slower. Just seems rude to hang on to someone's back wheel, unless invited.

TBH you sound just like me in this overtaking etiquette malarky. I get to the point where I almost dread meeting other cyclists going in the same direction. The worst is catching up with someone sloooooowly.

diy

There certainly seems to be a lot more to road etiquette than I thought. With MTB the only real rule is that if someone comes up on you on the trail, you try to find a place to let them pass. With road riding it seems acceptable to:

1 - pull out from cafe stops in large numbers in front of other cyclists on the road and then dither around blocking the road and making road users wait. It is your right to do this providing everyone in your group is wearing matching gear
2 - ride 3 a breast taking up the whole lane and forcing faster riders to use the off-side to pass you. Again this is allowed providing you are chatting at the time.
3 - Having drafted a faster rider for a rest, then ridden balls out to get in front but to avoid cardiac arrest, slow right down causing the rider to be forced to overtake you again. Then pursue him as if he has started some sort of race. Again this is allowed provided that you wear long black socks
4 - Ride slowly in a large compact group so that nobody can overtake you, again see point 1 you must be wearing matching clothing.
5 - Overtake a slower rider on the approach to a left turn and then slow down and turn left cutting across them. You must have a carbon fibre bike and wear tight italian branded clothing.

DavidJB

Anyone that's fast enough to wheel suck me round my area I'll know so not really a problem :twisted:

ShutUpLegs

diy wrote:

There certainly seems to be a lot more to road etiquette than I thought. With MTB the only real rule is that if someone comes up on you on the trail, you try to find a place to let them pass. With road riding it seems acceptable to:

1 - pull out from cafe stops in large numbers in front of other cyclists on the road and then dither around blocking the road and making road users wait. It is your right to do this providing everyone in your group is wearing matching gear
2 - ride 3 a breast taking up the whole lane and forcing faster riders to use the off-side to pass you. Again this is allowed providing you are chatting at the time.
3 - Having drafted a faster rider for a rest, then ridden balls out to get in front but to avoid cardiac arrest, slow right down causing the rider to be forced to overtake you again. Then pursue him as if he has started some sort of race. Again this is allowed provided that you wear long black socks
4 - Ride slowly in a large compact group so that nobody can overtake you, again see point 1 you must be wearing matching clothing.
5 - Overtake a slower rider on the approach to a left turn and then slow down and turn left cutting across them. You must have a carbon fibre bike and wear tight italian branded clothing.

b1TCH

El Zomba

diy wrote:

There certainly seems to be a lot more to road etiquette than I thought. With MTB the only real rule is that if someone comes up on you on the trail, you try to find a place to let them pass. With road riding it seems acceptable to:

1 - pull out from cafe stops in large numbers in front of other cyclists on the road and then dither around blocking the road and making road users wait. It is your right to do this providing everyone in your group is wearing matching gear
2 - ride 3 a breast taking up the whole lane and forcing faster riders to use the off-side to pass you. Again this is allowed providing you are chatting at the time.
3 - Having drafted a faster rider for a rest, then ridden balls out to get in front but to avoid cardiac arrest, slow right down causing the rider to be forced to overtake you again. Then pursue him as if he has started some sort of race. Again this is allowed provided that you wear long black socks
4 - Ride slowly in a large compact group so that nobody can overtake you, again see point 1 you must be wearing matching clothing.
5 - Overtake a slower rider on the approach to a left turn and then slow down and turn left cutting across them. You must have a carbon fibre bike and wear tight italian branded clothing.

HA! I noticed the same thing when I made the switch from MTB. I guess this is what happens when you take cultural cues from Europeans.

D4RK1

How about this then for a bit of drafting :shock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnYp4srEooI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Wunnunda

D4RK1 wrote:

How about this then for a bit of drafting :shock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnYp4srEooI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Quite apart from the sudden application of truck brake, I wonder what is the max sustained speed that the average road-bike tyre is good for ?

D4RK1

Wunnunda wrote:

D4RK1 wrote:

How about this then for a bit of drafting :shock:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnYp4srEooI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Quite apart from the sudden application of truck brake, I wonder what is the max sustained speed that the average road-bike tyre is good for ?

Obviously I'm not condoning nor encouraging this behaviour. Just threw up the video to lighten up the thread a little. I'm sure any tyre that comes as standard on a road bike would easily sustain any speed us mere mortals could achieve. It's not like they are under any load is it

Wunnunda

True, in normal circumstances. But that truck looked like it was doing ~90kmph ? That is pretty damned quick for an extended period (i.e. not a quick 5 minute descent at speed). Anyway - I wouldn't fancy dealing with a sudden deflation, for whatever reason.... :-(

nickellis

Sudden deflation and he'd be proper Game Over!