drafting/slipstreaming etiquette

[Leodis]

I don't mind someone I trust on my wheel but its when I am pootling home, usually thinking about what needs to be done I hear the heavy breathing/panting of someone on a MTB on my wheel. I don't mind but at least do some work ffs, I am watching traffic, potholes and zombie peds the last thing I want to have to think about is your health.

I once made the mistake of brake testing one on a slight uphill, it was a bad move and totally reckless of me, I learnt a valued lesson that day and that is don't tell CC if you do it

 

[MattDB]

I'm in stitches at some of these responses, after the first response I felt I had been unreasonable but loving hearing about some deep seated resentment here lol @ sweat shower. He clearly thought it made a difference as he was very close to my rear tyre.

I'm curious about the effect now having never been towed myself (I'm under no illusion that this is because I set the pace!).

 

[doughnut]

I dream of the day when I get to be fast enough that someone might consider tucking in behind me.

 

[screenman]

I turn say alright mate and carry on riding my bike. If they touch my back wheel they will be the one hitting the deck, after many years it has not happened yet.

I would not do anything to endanger them, I also know how to ride on the front.

 

[Sittingduck]

Pretty rare for a true wheelsucker moment to occur on a London commute but I had one last night! Sat right on me from Putney bridge to the start of a hill in Richmond Park. Couldn't believe how slow I had to drop to before he finally came around lol. He then proceeded to climb said hill at a snail's pace, which I found quite surprising, given that he was sticking to me like glue on the flat few miles beforehand and I wasn't exactly hanging around. I wouldn't normally sit in behind another commuter so close but I just couldn't help myself having had to endure the continual racket from his poorly maintained drivetrain! Went past him on the downhill from Richmond to Kingston and he dropped off on the dip at Ham. Seriousy... if you're going to be so shameless about wheel sucking on a commute, at least clean your chain and sort the squeaky seatpost out Bruv!

Edit: And say thank you when I bother to point out a pothole. This is not the norm, fo an urban commute...

 

[Hip Priest]

Was he actually getting a tow or was he just riding behind you? There's a big difference. If a stranger actually got on my wheel I'd tell him to do one. If someone is riding a few feet behind me, it's none of my business.

 

[Sittingduck]

Was he actually getting a tow or was he just riding behind you? There's a big difference. If a stranger actually got on my wheel I'd tell him to do one. If someone is riding a few feet behind me, it's none of my business.

Less than half a wheel behind. Properly getting towed. I found it a bit bizzare that he was able to be so quick on the flat but was so sluggish on the climby bit. Had decent gear though, SRAM RED... I would have felt guilty if I had done that and at least gave a nod or wave when I came through but not even a flinch from this guy lol.

 

[Hip Priest]

Less than half a wheel behind. Properly getting towed. I found it a bit bizzare that he was able to be so quick on the flat but was so sluggish on the climby bit. Had decent gear though, SRAM RED... I would have felt guilty if I had done that and at least gave a nod or wave when I came through but not even a flinch from this guy lol.

Terribly bad manners in that case. Riding in close quarters is something that needs to be agreed on.Riding on a stranger's wheel is just tailgating!

 

[uclown2002]

This is not something I encounter very often so how close do you need to be to get benefit?

 

[mjr]

This is not something I encounter very often so how close do you need to be to get benefit?

It varies a lot with conditions but in the worst weather, I've felt towed by someone sitting fairly upright from nearly two bike lengths gap. It feels like there's more benefit the closer you get but below half a wheel gap, you're really trusting the puller to signal everything, including decelerations.

 

[uclown2002]

So there shouldn't be an issue riding more than 2 bike lengths back. Good to know.

 

[andyfraser]

I always stay a good distance back, a couple of bike lengths at least depending on speed, when I'm behind a stranger because you don't know what they're going to do. The other evening a cyclist braked hard and turned off the road into a driveway. Had I been too close I'd have gone into them.

 

[ziggys101]

If you're quick enough you still get an advantage as far back as 10m

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-c8kM3aA_EE

 

[Tynan]

bah, anyone quick enough to be worth drafting should know what drafting is and the form, I do it a fair bit in a headwind if it suits and I have no issue at all with someone drafting me, again they should know what they're doing if they can keep my fantastic speeds

a wave of the hand to either pass or drop off does the job if the chap in front doesn't want it

if anything goes wrong it'll be the chap drafting that is at fault and who will almost certainly be the one that suffers, fuss about nothing this one imho

 

[Markymark]

When someone is closely hugging my back wheel at speed on my commute I find a very polite "overtake me or f@£k off" usually sorts it out.