What do people think about wheelsuckers?

svetty

Decent guys who just struggle to keep up or lazy parasites?

Edit/disclosure: There's a guy on our weekly club run who sits in most of the way round apart from on hills when he usually sprints past everyone and is often first to the top - where he waits up and then sits in again. He never takes a turn on the front and will freewheel if necessary to ensure that someone passes him if the group splits such that he is in the wind. :twisted: I know I should just chill out but it really gets my goat :oops: :oops:

ugo.santalucia

people think, Johnny Walker thinks

keezx

Could be both......
I don't care personally and sometimes I like it (I'm 63 and if a much younger guy finds my pace good enough to suck, well be my guest...)

diamonddog

^^This

jibberjim

Anyone who does it without asking and talking to you first is a dangerous unsafe rider who should not be on the road.

Anyone who does it with asking, it entirely depends on the person, like anything else.

bompington

I think there should be a new thread started about them at least once every month

thegreatdivide

Maybe you should think about giving up cycling.

ddraver

Svetty wrote:

Decent guys who just struggle to keep up or lazy parasites?

Edit/disclosure: There's a guy on our weekly club run who sits in most of the way round apart from on hills when he usually sprints past everyone and is often first to the top - where he waits up and then sits in again. He never takes a turn on the front and will freewheel if necessary to ensure that someone passes him if the group splits such that he is in the wind. :twisted: I know I should just chill out but it really gets my goat :oops: :oops:

This si a different discussion to the normal threads though

In that case I would make it that rides mission to get him to either work, or force him to say that he won't work. So in the case where he freewheels, I would also freewheel. Flick the elbow at him, passive aggressive suggestions that he should take over etc etc

Failing that just tell him he's worse than Valverde or Gerrans

Bobbinogs

Svetty wrote:

Decent guys who just struggle to keep up or lazy parasites?

Edit/disclosure: There's a guy on our weekly club run who sits in most of the way round apart from on hills when he usually sprints past everyone and is often first to the top - where he waits up and then sits in again. He never takes a turn on the front and will freewheel if necessary to ensure that someone passes him if the group splits such that he is in the wind. :twisted: I know I should just chill out but it really gets my goat :oops: :oops:

Just have a word with him. We get it on our club rides sometimes where we come to a big hill and one chap does all the pacing on the way up only for the 3 sat behind him to suddenly whizz past for the last 20 yards, so hard that the pacer has no chance to get on their wheel and promptly gets dropped. It has happened to me sometimes but I will be the gobby one who says something. It can cause bad feeling though so you have to ask yourself, it is worth creating an atmosphere over? Perhaps a light-hearted and quiet comment at the cafe can achieve more? Yes, a determined/serial wheelsucker has no class but club riding is all about making compromises for the greater good.

darkhairedlord

just get two fast guys to sit just in front of him. Every one else powers off, they drop the wheel, wait and obstruct them passing, then they can either let the gap pull out before rejoining or finally let them pass and sit their wheel.

homers_double

And again in English please?

Bobbinogs

Made sense to me but I still think it would be easier to have a word with him :-)

JesseD

I'd say something, I would guess if it is pishing you off then it is pishing others off too.

On our clubrun, everyone takes a turn unless your new or significantly weaker than the other riders, then you take a shorter turn.

Get him to the front and make him sit there for at least 10 miles and make sure its a headwind

fenix

If this happened in my club he'd have the p*ss taken out of him mercilessly. FFS it's not the bleedin' TdF....

You either need to get over it, or say something to him really. Or laugh when he launches his heroic attack...

slowbike

Or - how about 1/2 way up the climb when he's zipped by - take that left turn ...

pblakeney

Slowbike wrote:

Or - how about 1/2 way up the climb when he's zipped by - take that left turn ...

The winner!

Alex99

Svetty wrote:

Decent guys who just struggle to keep up or lazy parasites?

Edit/disclosure: There's a guy on our weekly club run who sits in most of the way round apart from on hills when he usually sprints past everyone and is often first to the top - where he waits up and then sits in again. He never takes a turn on the front and will freewheel if necessary to ensure that someone passes him if the group splits such that he is in the wind. :twisted: I know I should just chill out but it really gets my goat :oops: :oops:

It can be that people on the ride have differnt agendas. Maybe you want a smooth group ride with well drilled riders that change off properly and take turns etc... others may want to potter about and then race up hills like there are prizes on offer.

It could also be that you're riding in a group that has that culture and it can be hard to change. It could also be that this guy is just a jumped up twunt.

So, what do you want from it?

dstev55

I had this exact same thing accused of me a couple of weeks ago (it could even be me you're talking about!). I did exactly what you just described, although not purposely. We were in a 10 strong group and I think only 3 or 4 people went on the front on the way to the climb. Half way up I went past them all - not through arrogance but more because the pace was too slow for me. I didn't think anything of it but then when our ride went on Strava a couple of guys started piping up saying I was taking the mickey.

When I look back I can now see why it annoyed them however I had a few issues. Firstly NO-ONE on the ride said anything to me whilst we were out. We sat at the coffee shop for 45 mins and I was laughing and joking with them all and it took until it went on Strava for someone to say something. Secondly with the group I usually go out with, you do your turn on the front then pull out when you've had enough and join the back. Apparently with this other group you just plough to the front and take people off (that in itself could pee people off in my opinion).

So my advice - don't assume he knows your club's etiquette and if he does, stop being a pussy and say something to him.

peat

You should try harder to beat him up the hill.

DeVlaeminck

Sprinting up hills on a club run is a sign of someone who can't ride in a group - even if they wait it just puts pressure on the people who can't climb as fast - if they have extra energy put it in on the flat where others can benefit from it by sitting behind. Of course there are training rides which are pseudo races in which case all part of the fun but if it's more of a traditional club run imo it's just bad practice.

PTestTeam

Svetty wrote:

Decent guys who just struggle to keep up or lazy parasites?

Edit/disclosure: There's a guy on our weekly club run who sits in most of the way round apart from on hills when he usually sprints past everyone and is often first to the top - where he waits up and then sits in again. He never takes a turn on the front and will freewheel if necessary to ensure that someone passes him if the group splits such that he is in the wind. :twisted: I know I should just chill out but it really gets my goat :oops: :oops:

Describe to him where he's going wrong. End of

dstev55

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Sprinting up hills on a club run is a sign of someone who can't ride in a group - even if they wait it just puts pressure on the people who can't climb as fast - if they have extra energy put it in on the flat where others can benefit from it by sitting behind. Of course there are training rides which are pseudo races in which case all part of the fun but if it's more of a traditional club run imo it's just bad practice.

I disagree.

If you ride in a group of mixed abilities then inevitably there are going to be people who are stronger on hills. I don't agree that these people should sacrifice their training for the benefit of others. The guys that I ride with know that the group will splinter on hills but we all accept as we have the understanding that we'll get back together at the top again.

*Edit* And to add to this, the guys that are strong on the hills are the same people that do most of the work on the flats.

StillGoing

Slowbike wrote:

Or - how about 1/2 way up the climb when he's zipped by - take that left turn ...

Done similar to a couple of guys. Change direction and let them poodle off on their own. I don't mind people sitting on the wheel, but it does get annoying when they choose to take the front only when it gets easy or the end is near.

DeVlaeminck

dstev55 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Sprinting up hills on a club run is a sign of someone who can't ride in a group - even if they wait it just puts pressure on the people who can't climb as fast - if they have extra energy put it in on the flat where others can benefit from it by sitting behind. Of course there are training rides which are pseudo races in which case all part of the fun but if it's more of a traditional club run imo it's just bad practice.

I disagree.

If you ride in a group of mixed abilities then inevitably there are going to be people who are stronger on hills. I don't agree that these people should sacrifice their training for the benefit of others. The guys that I ride with know that the group will splinter on hills but we all accept as we have the understanding that we'll get back together at the top again.

*Edit* And to add to this, the guys that are strong on the hills are the same people that do most of the work on the flats.

Yes I'm aware lots of people don't know how to ride a club run these days.

darkhairedlord

mtfu and dont let him drop you

cycleclinic

I simply dont care if folk dont work on the front. I am more than happy to work on the front if someone chooses not too then that is up to them right. If your club run is a chain gang then the situation maybe different. However if someone is not on the front is probably indicates a lack of confidence to do that or simply a lack of ability to sustain the higher effort.

So don't worry about it. I wouldn't.

cycleclinic

Club runs in our club are not training rides. The faster group may splinter a bit toward the end but dropping people on hills is not on in my book as it has happened to me on club runs and I did not like it much so I don't do it to others. I do club runs when I am not wanting a training ride. If I want a sunday training ride I go out by myself or do a IBC sunday chaingang which is a ride where you keep up and work if you can, if you can''t no one will slow for you. However this is not a social club run so you do it to work. Club runs should be a bit more social I think turning them into training rides if the group is mixed ability is not the kind of ride I would be happy with and many are not.

every club is different though. There is not a one size fits all rule. We are happy with those who dont feel strong enough to work on the front. those who steam of up a hill are left to it too. We don;t chase them.

pilot_pete

I can see both sides here, so what it really comes down to is the ride etiquette that your club wants this particular 'run' to comply with.

My club used to operate club runs in a proper group formation, at a sensible 'social' pace where nobody gets left. On climbs the etiquette was that it would naturally split and riders would climb at their own pace and regroup at the top, if it was warm enough, or at the bottom if not.

However, exponential growth and a lack of desire to enforce meant a whole raft of new members who didn't abide by the rules, which were published and available to all members. Club rides became disjointed and quite honestly a mess. This put quite a few riders off who then chose not to ride club runs, but go with groups that maintained the previous etiquette.

I took it upon myself (with the blessing of the committee) to do something about our group riding. I went and qualified as a BC coach and then offered a full training package themed 'Group Riding'. This was a series of 6 sessions starting with the basics of riding a line, cornering and braking techniques as an individual and then building up to riding as pairs leading and following and side by side.

We covered communications and riding in contact and learnt how to handle all the various skills that are required to make group riding safe and enjoyable. Over the sessions we slowly built up group sizes and how to change positions within the groups. The final session culminated in booking Tameside Circuit for a couple of hours and we built up to the whole group riding as one (18 riders) and held some fun competitive pursuits and chain gangs. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it (especially the tea, rolls and cakes provided by my wife!) and those who had previously had no idea how to handle their bikes individually felt empowered to ride in close proximity with riders all around them, clearly communicating and pointing out hazards.

I repeated the sessions for some more club members later in the year so that we now have a core group who know how to do it. So why am I telling you this? Well, several weeks later a few of the usual 'disruptive elements' who shoot off as soon as the road goes up, have to be called back when they have taken the wrong route etc were now the odd ones out.

A generally circulated email to all club members from their club coach (yours truly) gave everyone something to think about when it came to conduct on club runs. It was pointed out that motorway bridges don't constitute a climb and splitting the group to pieces over one proves nothing. It was also pointed out that those who wished to show their prowess could put a number on their back every Tuesday evening and go Mano-e-Mano in the club TT series, try not to get dropped in a 3/4 cat RR or Crit or enter the various hill climbs at the tail end of the season. The emphasis was on riding the club runs as social group rides. Most members want to ride in a disciplined group as they can do solo rides above threshold on the climbs whenever they want, but need others to ride in a group and that is what the club offers them.

The ride leader can agree that a longer or steeper hill can be tackled at your own pace and where to regroup can be agreed. Similarly with descents. It takes discipline to ride well in a group and can be a very enjoyable experience when done properly and the pace of the slowest can be upped significantly. Feedback was positive from just about everyone....except of course the main culprit who decided his fun was being curtailed. He didn't seem to get that he was pissing off most of the others members of the club by ruining their fun... :roll: he decided not to renew his membership and complained to the club chairman, who commented he was glad to see the back of him as all he ever did was take and disrupt...

So, worth sorting the problem, but first ensure you are not the one going against the grain. What is the etiquette for these rides in your club? Is there a common acceptance that this is not what the club wants individuals to do? Is the offender aware of this? Has anyone pointed it out? Has an older/ more senior/ experienced/ post holder had a word?

Best to chat in a friendly way, ensure they know what is expected, and if they don't know how to ride properly in a group do something about it by offering them the skills. Then they have no excuse for not conducting themselves in an appropriate manner. As in my club however, the main culprits think they know it all and don't sign up for the coaching on offer. This just means that they eventually become the odd one out when everyone else wants to ride properly in the group! Letting them go the wrong way when they have blown us all off their wheel ( :roll: ) is quite powerful too!

PP

p.s. Nothing wrong with a ride leader designating a couple of climbs that can be a free for all, or perhaps a few village sign sprint points for fun if this is what members want, although I am sure the health and safety police would put paid to such wreck less behaviour...!

dstev55

DeVlaeminck wrote:

dstev55 wrote:

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Sprinting up hills on a club run is a sign of someone who can't ride in a group - even if they wait it just puts pressure on the people who can't climb as fast - if they have extra energy put it in on the flat where others can benefit from it by sitting behind. Of course there are training rides which are pseudo races in which case all part of the fun but if it's more of a traditional club run imo it's just bad practice.

I disagree.

If you ride in a group of mixed abilities then inevitably there are going to be people who are stronger on hills. I don't agree that these people should sacrifice their training for the benefit of others. The guys that I ride with know that the group will splinter on hills but we all accept as we have the understanding that we'll get back together at the top again.

*Edit* And to add to this, the guys that are strong on the hills are the same people that do most of the work on the flats.

Yes I'm aware lots of people don't know how to ride a club run these days.

I'm happy for you, I really am....

I think when groups go out with a wide range of ability then splits are inevitable but as long as everyone is happy with this and enjoying the ride, as is the case with my usual group, then what's the problem?

Vslowpace

Groups always splinter on the hills, I have no problem with this, but if some joker has the energy to blast up the hills without putting in a shift on the front then they will get spoken to.

Alex99

dstev55 wrote:

I had this exact same thing accused of me a couple of weeks ago (it could even be me you're talking about!). I did exactly what you just described, although not purposely. We were in a 10 strong group and I think only 3 or 4 people went on the front on the way to the climb. Half way up I went past them all - not through arrogance but more because the pace was too slow for me. I didn't think anything of it but then when our ride went on Strava a couple of guys started piping up saying I was taking the mickey.

When I look back I can now see why it annoyed them however I had a few issues. Firstly NO-ONE on the ride said anything to me whilst we were out. We sat at the coffee shop for 45 mins and I was laughing and joking with them all and it took until it went on Strava for someone to say something. Secondly with the group I usually go out with, you do your turn on the front then pull out when you've had enough and join the back. Apparently with this other group you just plough to the front and take people off (that in itself could pee people off in my opinion).

So my advice - don't assume he knows your club's etiquette and if he does, stop being a pussy and say something to him.

I've ridden in groups like this too, where a couple of guys will plough on indefinitely until others have to go past because they're slowing up, but won't change off (for some reason).