Drafting Etiquite

[AndyPeace]

'Once in a while' I get passed by other cyclists. Its always tempting to pursue them and hang off their back wheel and most of the time I do. Is it bad form to overtake them. There were several oppurtunities tonight when I could have passed this guy, but I chose not to, his legs looked more peppy than mine and I'd just done a 10 and half hour shift at work. Still even if he took me or the pass failed and I had to pull back, it seems a good challenge. Would you be narked if someone tryed to overtake but failed or got ahead and could not keep speed? Not talking about constantly repeating this, just doing it the once. If the guy gets ahead I would simply up my game before trying to pass him again.

 

[defy-one]

I have no issues being caught and passed,but what really irks me is that person cannot sustain the speed he was travelling at to overtake me in the first place.
If i scalp someone ...... I never get overtaken by them again. In fact i usually drop them.
If i can't overtake and stay ahead
... Better to draft and enjoy a free ride

 

[Rob3rt]

I never draft other cyclist's except on club run's and chaingangs, you simply don't know what some random person might do.

 

[jdtate101]

Wheel sucking is pretty anti-social especially if you don't know the person or make any effort to do your turn on the front. Really close drafting is a skill and the guy in front may be pretty nervous that you'd take his back wheel out (well he doesn't know you at all, so has no idea of your skill level). This is the main reason why it's frowned upon.
By all means draft with people you know or with your club, but not close with complete strangers....

If anyone sucks my wheel, I either sprint and drop them, or slow down so much they are forced to pass, then hog their wheel for a bit and see how they like it (before blowing them away)

 

[MrJamie]

I really don't like being drafted closely by strangers, since I dont ride in a club or anything im not used to it and its quite scary in certain locations.

I don't mind overtaking or a counter overtake so long as it doesnt become dangerous or just stupid. I've got no problem with the roadies I sometimes overtake, winding it up and whizzing past me not long after or me speeding up just to get by someone. It's just a little bit of fun as long as its safe, if anyone takes it more seriously, not my problem

 

[Deleted member 20519]

You could always ask them if you can draft them. I know that I don't like people who I don't know/haven't ridden with before drafting me.

 

[Sittingduck]

I don't draft on commutes and personally hate it if anybody does it to me. If I am cycling at the same speed as somebody else, I will have the good grace to hang back a few yards or to put in some effort and pass them wide and quick

Of course it's different in group rides but the last thing you want first thing in the morning is some numpty hanging a few inches off your back wheel and liable to go up your backside.

 

[AndyPeace]

I ment drafting in the loosest terms, I ride two to three feet away from the rear wheel. I'd love to draft properly but would as you say need to do so with people I know. Given that following someone seems to be deemed anti-social I shall do my best to pass them at the first opputunity from now on, even if they have to overtake me again further down the road. I feel a bit bad now as the guy was particulary polite, giving a freindly hello as he passed.

 

[Sittingduck]

Even so, a cpl of feet off the back wheel of a stranger is a little off, imho. Then again perhaps I'm too touchy

 

[PpPete]

I don't draft on commutes and personally hate it if anybody does it to me. If I am cycling at the same speed as somebody else, I will have the good grace to hang back a few yards or to put in some effort and pass them wide and quick

OTH If someone "scalps" you and then doesn't have the grunt to get a reasonable distance ahead, then my attitude is f**k 'em, hang off their back wheel for all you're worth. You then have the option of taking them back when they've "blown".

 

[AndyPeace]

Even so, a cpl of feet off the back wheel of a stranger is a little off, imho. Then again perhaps I'm too touchy

It's why I asked the question! I will either hang further back or give it enough grunt to pass them.

 

[Sittingduck]

I suppose it's a different ball game if the commute is a bit less urban, with longer stretches between lights and less turn-offs.

 

[musa]

my drafting turns into a slipstream then overtake

 

[boydj]

I ment drafting in the loosest terms, I ride two to three feet away from the rear wheel. I'd love to draft properly but would as you say need to do so with people I know. Given that following someone seems to be deemed anti-social I shall do my best to pass them at the first opputunity from now on, even if they have to overtake me again further down the road. I feel a bit bad now as the guy was particulary polite, giving a freindly hello as he passed.

Nothing wrong with offering to share the work if he's passed you and you feel capable of re-passing. Or even ride side-by-side and have a chat. Or take advantage of lights to find out where the guy is going. It doesn't have to be a race all the time

 

[on the road]

I never draft anyone except when riding with the club. When some total stranger comes up to me and decides to draft me then I slow right down, then they have a choice of either staying behind me and going at such a slow speed or overtaking me.

Once when someone done that I slowed down, then he slowed down, then I slowed down some more then he slowed down some more, then I slowed down a bit more and he slowed down a bit more, at that point we were both doing 10 mph but he eventually got the message