Drafting on the commute - Guardian article

[dellzeqq]

I sometimes draft or slipstream to have a short rest & gauge how fast & when I can overtake. I was having a nice little rest behind a mountain bike the other day, then he pulled over to let me pass. Not sure if he was being polite or just wanted to tail me for a while. I had to put the foot down then to make sure he didn't.

why?

 

[al-fresco]

When I see another bike heading in the same direction (which is rare) they're either going much faster or a lot slower than me so the question never arises. Where are these cycle crowded roads of which you speak?

 

[martint235]

However it can be very enjoyable sometimes, especially if both (or more) cyclists know what they are doing and are aware.

True but I don't know many of the people I see on my commute that well. Drafting on a weekend ride does it make it easier to rack up the miles!!!

 

[400bhp]

I sometimes draft or slipstream to have a short rest & gauge how fast & when I can overtake. I was having a nice little rest behind a mountain bike the other day, then he pulled over to let me pass. Not sure if he was being polite or just wanted to tail me for a while. I had to put the foot down then to make sure he didn't.

That is weird.

 

[Bman]

I was drafting another roadie for a few minutes on my commute home last night.


When we got to a nice open stretch of road, I overtook saying "I think its my turn to take the headwind" which he laughed in reply. I moved in front to allow him to get in my slipstream, but each time I checked over my shoulder he was further behind.

Either I was going too fast or he just didnt want to draft me. Nevermind

 

[gaz]

Personally I couldn't care less, but run into the back of me, or try to whinge that I haven't pointed out a pothole, and you can f*ck right off and pray you haven't damaged me or my bike.

This ^

I can sometimes feel uncomfrotable with certainl people behind me so i usually drop the hammer and show them who's the boss.

 

[BrumJim]

Don't think I have ever seen drafting in Birmingham. To be fair Brum doesn't seem to have the same concentration of cyclists as London except maybe a couple of routes on the west side.

Have, at times, both drafted and given drafts on my commute, but wonder why more people don't take advantage. Some days I would rather give a draft than shoot off on my own.

Was being drafted once by a woman on a nice white road bike (Scott?). Got to a junction, and thought I'd be sociable and say "Hello." At which point she admitted that she was only using me for my draft. And I thought it was my backside she was interested in.

 

[BrumJim]

If they don't take their turn at the front its a compliment. If they do, its an advantage.

 

[albion]

I got overtaken by a fast roadie yesterday at the top of Belsay en-route to Ponteland.Having done a gentle 40 miles on my fat heavy hybrid I politely chased him for 3 miles averaging 21mph. He slowed for the final mile so I closed the 10 yard gap and gently overtook to pull him along.He was burnt out so I left him for dead. If I had actually drafted maybe we could have taken turns.He had priorly chased me to do that overtake from having his liquid drink in Belsay.

 

[ferret fur]

Interesting to see that the vast bulk of comments are anti on the article.

 

[Bigsharn]

Personally, I only draft buses, and other larger vehicles with windows at eye level like people carriers... Then I can see if the driver's about to slow down for traffic (usually, I start slowing well before they do)

 

[wiggydiggy]

Interesting to see that the vast bulk of comments are anti on the article.

The last time drafting came up on here as a topic, I was fairly 'anti'. I've had a rethink since and honestly if I dont know your there, I dont have a problem (unless you hit me lol!)

 

[adds21]

I very rarely get the opportunity to draft, although I did follow a roadie for a mile or two on my commute this morning. I wasn’t planning on drafting him, but I didn’t have the legs to overtake, and the temptation was too much after a morning swim!

However, I am wary after an acquaintance of mine did some nasty damage to himself in a drafting-related accident.

 

[dellzeqq]

When I see another bike heading in the same direction (which is rare) they're either going much faster or a lot slower than me so the question never arises. Where are these cycle crowded roads of which you speak?

the A24/A3 in to central London can have up to 45 cyclists waiting at a single red light. They're nose to tail.

 

[Biscuit]

the A24/A3 in to central London can have up to 45 cyclists waiting at a single red light. They're nose to tail.

45!!! At one light! where does everybody stop? I'm lucky if I see someone else at all - and it takes me an hour to get to work.