Wheel Hugger?

Anonymous
Anonymous Posts: 79,665
edited March 2013 in Road general
Is there a term for someone who aims for the rear wheels of others to get a bit of a free ride on sportives etc.

Reason I ask is that I plan to do a bit of it to get through my first 100 miler.
I am guessing people don't mind too much if you tail on a group (that you would have no chance of helping out much with) for a short time?

Etiquette advice appreciated :D

Comments

  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Yes wheel hugger is one of the terms.

    The only bit of advice I would give is one of courtesy.

    If you approach the rear wheel of a rider or group introduce yourself or just say hello at least then they will know you are there. At least then the rider/group will know you are there & if you or they want to chat ask them if they mind you tagging along. If you are chewing your handlebars and don't/can't do a turn on the front don't worry as long as you discuss it with them.

    Think of it like you in a pub drinking a beer and on the table next to you someone cracks a joke, if you just jump in they might think you weird or tell you to do one. But if you introduce yourself and get chatting to the group you will either be accepted or not but you made the effort.
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  • pride4ever
    pride4ever Posts: 510
    Well there aint a lot the guy in front can do if your able to hang onto his wheel is there.
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  • iGaz
    iGaz Posts: 36
    Carbonator wrote:
    Is there a term for someone who aims for the rear wheels of others to get a bit of a free ride on sportives etc.

    Reason I ask is that I plan to do a bit of it to get through my first 100 miler.
    I am guessing people don't mind too much if you tail on a group (that you would have no chance of helping out much with) for a short time?

    Etiquette advice appreciated :D

    I think introduction is good when you get on the wheel regardless if they can or can't do anything about it. You mite find that no one would actually care but always nice to give a shout I guess.
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    Cheers guy's, good advice :wink:
    Only being able to hang onto his (or her :oops: ) wheel was where I imagined myself lol
  • cerv52
    cerv52 Posts: 81
    I had someone do this to me recently, I was doing the 70 miler and him the 50. He sat on my wheel for ages and I had to slow down so he came up within talking distance, we introduced ourselves and he said he would take turns on the front. He never did but it didnt slow me down so I didnt care, would have been nice though if he had said "hello" in the beginning.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    pride4ever wrote:
    Well there aint a lot the guy in front can do if your able to hang onto his wheel is there.

    But the OP was looking for etiquette advice & said that he would not really be able to help i.e. almost chewing his bars off suggesting that he might not be able to hang onto their wheel for long or if they increased the pace.

    If someone came onto my wheel and didn't introduce themselves they would probably find that I would do nothing for the first 1km but then would consider them quite rude drop it a gear or two and show them some speed.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • danlikesbikes
    danlikesbikes Posts: 3,898
    Carbonator wrote:
    Cheers guy's, good advice :wink:
    Only being able to hang onto his (or her :oops: ) wheel was where I imagined myself lol

    You should be fine. TBH I don't mind people on my wheel if they introduce themselves & if they can't ride on the front for a while thats fine too. After all we all came to cycling at one level and met others who may be a bit faster and its how you get faster in training sometimes.

    Good luck with the ride.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    I rode my first sportive with my brother - well, he rode it and I tailed him for most of the way!

    Anyway, in the first 30 miles or so we kept passing ppl (ok - he did, I just followed) and as we approached the first stop we checked behind and we had a long line behind us .... :)

    For the next bit we got in with a few others doing similar speed and just worked with them - until we hit a hill and they left us (well me) behind ...

    The second one I did I rode SWMBO around and a couple of times we had wheel suckers catch up with us, take a breather then go past - I wouldn't mind if they said something as they went past ... but most were just silent .. :( miserable buggers ...

    So, in my book - on a sportive anyway - wheel sucking is fine - but do just say hello ... :)
  • Twelly
    Twelly Posts: 1,437
    Did my first sportive last Autumn - 100 miles. I had used up all of the spare legs I brought with me by the 50 mile mark and limped back to the finish line. Wouldn't have made it all the way if I hadn't piggy backed on a couple of guys wheels. I did introduce myself though and asked if I could get a tow and they didn't mind at all.

    I did feel bad though when one of them punctured 10 miles before the finish and I just rode on and left them. If I had stopped I never would have started again though.

    It makes no different to the guy in front if you are sat on his wheel or not, it's just polite to say hello if you are going to do it.
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  • napoleond
    napoleond Posts: 5,992
    What I tend to do is sit on the wheels then just before every feed station or the finish I sprint and win the race to said feed station/finish. I also cheer when I do it, usually accompanied by a double fist punch in the air
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  • mrbubbaman
    mrbubbaman Posts: 171
    Slowbike wrote:
    I rode my first sportive with my brother - well, he rode it and I tailed him for most of the way!

    Anyway, in the first 30 miles or so we kept passing ppl (ok - he did, I just followed) and as we approached the first stop we checked behind and we had a long line behind us .... :)

    For the next bit we got in with a few others doing similar speed and just worked with them - until we hit a hill and they left us (well me) behind ...

    The second one I did I rode SWMBO around and a couple of times we had wheel suckers catch up with us, take a breather then go past - I wouldn't mind if they said something as they went past ... but most were just silent .. :( miserable buggers ...
    So, in my book - on a sportive anyway - wheel sucking is fine - but do just say hello ... :)
    How did that go down with the other riders :mrgreen:
  • Bobbinogs
    Bobbinogs Posts: 4,841
    I don't mind wheel suckers, as long as they announce themselves (as in "on your wheel mate"). The unwritten rule is no half wheeling though (overlapping just half or a whole wheel). That is likely to get me to say something as it can be bloody dangerous if having to swerve to avoid a pothole, etc.

    Mind you, did a ride the other week and towed 2 guys around for most of it...only for them both to sprint past in the last 500 yards. I think they had been watching too much of Mr Cavendish, I certainly made a good one man lead out train for the last 40 miles :)
  • Mikey41
    Mikey41 Posts: 690
    On my first sportive a few weeks back, it all seemed very relaxed. As it was all new to me, I tended to do a lot of following but I didn't want to get too close. I was usually a couple of bike lengths back, but on sections the group could go 2-abreast and we had a good chat. Really enjoyed that and I found myself riding slower just to stay with some company.

    There was also a team of 3 ladies in their club kit that passed our group like a steam train and disappeared into the distance :lol:
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  • diy
    diy Posts: 6,473
    Need to consider that you'll have less time to react to problems or avoid potholes too.
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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,665
    diy wrote:
    Need to consider that you'll have less time to react to problems or avoid potholes too.

    Cheers diy, good point. I am used to drafting, just not behind people I do not know.
    Guess that's another really good reason for saying hi (apart from just being courteous) and letting people know you are there, as they are more likely to indicate a pothole etc.
  • jameses
    jameses Posts: 653
    I find people are generally pretty friendly on sportives, and appreciate not everyone rides at the same pace so don't mind the occasional wheel hugger, although introducing yourself and taking your turn on the front (if possible) is polite. Also riding alongside and having a bit of a chat (where appropriate) helps the miles disappear.
    TwellySmat wrote:
    I did feel bad though when one of them punctured 10 miles before the finish and I just rode on and left them. If I had stopped I never would have started again though.

    I've had this as well, usually when I've fallen in with a club group. It's seems to be club policy to ride or wait as a team, but never quite sure if I should hang around as well, or if they would wait for me if I punctured.

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