Others riders drafting
Comments
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Wheelsucking is our riteI'm sorry you don't believe in miracles0
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He may or may not be an idiot and yes, perhaps he should have saw the drain before overtaking on a fast downhill but one observation. I'm not sure why the distance from your bars is relevant given he was 15m ahead of you at the time he came off.Had an incident this evening on a ride, out doing some hill repeats (haven't been on the bike in about 3 weeks bad idea), on the way home, coming down a steady downhill road (about -3%); riding in a bus a bike lane (no busses) so in the middle of the lane, at about 35-40kpH. Some guy goes by me on a bike and hits a raised drain cover and comes off about 15 meters in front of me. I had to pull the brakes hard, I managed to stop, just. Spoke to him he's ok, torn jersey and shorts and scraped bike (rear hanger looked bent to me). I'm now left with a ripped rear tyre from skidding to stop, and it was because of his stupidity. He passed me under 1m from my bars.
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Only total f@ckwits would draft a stranger.
How does that work for races and big sportives ? I've drafted plenty of people in my time, but far more have drafted off me. We rarely get time to do introductions. Never had any dramas with it.
I think a bike on your back wheel isn't much of a danger/distraction. Keep focussed on the road and those big metal boxes speeding around.0 -
Really? I've lost count of the times I've slowed only to hear someone skidding behind and have been completely wiped out on one occasion.
In a race the bunch will communicate, hopefully have lots of experience and riding safely is taken seriously; if you ride like a d**k I can guarantee you'll be told as such.
I don't know if a lone stranger on my wheel has any experience of group riding let alone race experience and being out on a training ride is very different to entering a mass participation event.0 -
Only total f@ckwits would draft a stranger.
How does that work for races and big sportives ? I've drafted plenty of people in my time, but far more have drafted off me. We rarely get time to do introductions. Never had any dramas with it.
I think a bike on your back wheel isn't much of a danger/distraction. Keep focussed on the road and those big metal boxes speeding around.
Races, fair enough - all participants should be at a certain level.
Sportives is a different story - I went on a Wiggle ride once and among the several things that made me resolve to never do it again was club riders assuming everyone was at their level of ability, including drafting me and swarming all round me during corners where I would have liked more space. More than one group doing this and not just to me but also to even less experienced riders that should have been given a wide berth. Dont get this on Evans cycles sportives but then they have 3-400 riders rather than 2-3000.0 -
Honesty is the best policy, say to him "your turn out in front, mate".
or stop and let him go past.
I remember watching this years Giro d'Italia and even one of the Orica Green Edge pros was bad for not taking their turn. Might have been Simon Clarke? As part of a 2 man breakaway he was sat on another guys wheel in the last few km of the stage and the OGE rider blatantly refused to work together.
Cant remember the race but I've even seen some pros at the front turn around and gesticulate with their hand, shout for f's sake and get quite vocally angry about it.
Mass start racing (at any level; pro or otherwise) is not the same as recreational cycling, though - the entire thing is based on drafting. The success of a breakaway depends on the riders sharing the load, so of course riders will get stick if they don't pull their weight. If you're out pootling, it's possibly not quite so critical.0 -
Worryingly, after almost 2 years cycling no-one has found me worth drafting.
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He passed me under 1m from my bars.
So, quite far away by cyclist overtaking standards then. 0 -
Worryingly, after almost 2 years cycling no-one has found me worth drafting.
I have the same problem.0 -
pedal harder0
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It wouldn't bother me, as I usually have my mate drafting me for most of a ride anyway. We did a century last Sunday and he was tired at the 70 mile mark, so I went on front for the whole of the last 30 miles into a headwind. I just look at it as training and I'm just going to keep getting stronger than him 0
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Same as me, I plod along commuting and often have guys who obviously put in effort to catch me then go past like OP with no comment, I then generally sit on them for a mile or so until HR rises then either do through and off but more than often drop them as they normally tend to have burnt our lol Last week someone went flying past me on a TT bike, obviously a very fast guy looking at kit and physique but he said nothing also (seems the norm around sussex) managed to catch him and stay on wheel for about 750m but combination of lack of riding on my behalf and hom too strong and not the safest lol I eased off.
Did you not say Hi or Morning, Afternoon or any sort of greeting as you overtook? Pretty antisocial ... only reason you wouldn't say that is if you're a miserable git ...I felt like he should have sparked any conversation. I went by him, he decided to follow me. I also saw him jump a red light before I caught him. Had a nice bike a good kit, maybe even headphones.
Yes I've had people overtake me and I've jumped on their wheel for a free tow - usually when I'm in the "can't be arsed" commuting mode ... and I've had people jump on my wheel too - doesn't worry me too much eitherway - never not had a "cheers" as we split ...
There are couple of guys who I see commuting regular and we do bit and bit, but not many.0 -
Not too fussed about people drafting me but I'd expect a hello if we stopped at lights or something. I wouldn't necessarily expect them to take a turn as very often they are on the limit sitting on my wheel - and if they want to attack well it's not a race unless you are both competing is it. In a stop start urban setting I'd probably just sit up and let them past as the risk of them rear ending you is greater if you are having to stop all the time and as mentioned you don't know how experienced they are.
I tend not to draft individuals myself as I know some don't like it but I'll tag on to a group sometimes if they are themselves riding on each others wheels but I'd always acknowledge I was there.[Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]0 -
This. People who get all hot and bothered about someone on their wheel should just chill the fuck out. If anything its a compliment.Yesterday a complete stranger hopped onto my wheel as I passed him. I knew he would as I was about 2mph faster. For the next mile I rode at my own pace and pointed out several hazards including other riders, which we both avoided. After a mile or so, I went straight on and he turned left. Nothing bad happened, as usual.0 -
Eat lots of beans/garlic/eggs the night before.0
