Whats that all about?

[HLaB]

On the Roseburn path this morning I passed a roadie on my Ridgeback Velocity Hybrid. After I do so he makes an acceleration to latch on to my back wheel and drafted me for a couple of miles. I've no problem with that, what I'm puzzled at, is when I slowed down to peel off down the steep path to West Coates Road, he went by on the main path and then put his hands up in the air like he'd won the Tour de France?

 

[col]

He might have just been saying cheers,in his own way?

 

[Keith Oates]

He could have also been showing appreciation at the pace you were riding!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BentMikey]

If it was just one hand, IMO he was saying thanks for the draft. If it was both hands, that was pure cheekiness!

 

[Maz]

If you're drafting, what distance do you stay behind the leader?

 

[HLaB]

Both hands, sorry I missed the "s" in my OP

 

[Tetedelacourse]

ha ha, he was being an oik! I hope he zipped up his jersey for maximum sponsorship exposure!

 

[skwerl]

If you're drafting, what distance do you stay behind the leader?

if you want to benefit from the draft then you have to be on his wheel. not easy when commuting and not safe either

 

[Maz]

if you want to benefit from the draft then you have to be on his wheel. not easy when commuting and not safe either

Cheers, skwerl. I was one bike's length behind a chap this morning, thinking I was getting some benefit. Maybe psychologically I was.

 

[domtyler]

The closer you are the bigger the benefit. It's not an all or nothing thing.

The trick is to look ahead of the person you are drafting so that you can anticipate what he may do. And don't cross wheels.

 

[goo_mason]

I drafted a guy last night on the way home; it was too busy to safely pass him when I first caught up (he was going slower than my usual pace), so I just sat behind him and had my first leisurely cycle in over a year

Mind you, once we were over Crewe Toll and heading down to Leith, things were quieter and I was itching to get home so I picked up to my usual pace and went ahead. I was surprised to find a little later on that he was sitting behind drafting me.

So we both got the benefit and hopefully if I see him again tonight I'll not be so daft as to not speak to him, and I'll ask if we can do a repeat drafting run if he's willing.

(If it was you, with a blue top on and panniers, being drafted and then pulled by a sweaty bloke on a silver MTB with a yellow and black short top and shorts - hello !)

 

[Terminator]

Sorry I was in a hurry.

 

[Maz]

The closer you are the bigger the benefit. It's not an all or nothing thing.

The trick is to look ahead of the person you are drafting so that you can anticipate what he may do. And don't cross wheels.

Okey doke. It was interesting...I overtook this fella on an uphill stretch and said hello as I passed. This somehow irked him into accelerating to try to catch up with me. Then he peeled off onto the pavement, down some backstreets and we re-met about 1/2 mile later...and I overtook him again (this time I said 'hello again'). A bit further down I stopped at some red lights, but he went straight through them. I lost him after that.

 

[goo_mason]

Tonight I came across the first cycling 'twat' on my route. Firstly, he swerves into me as he's wearing earphones and doesn't hear me ringing my bell to warn him I'm coming by (he's just pulled in off a side-path without looking) . He then takes a different route, though emerges behind me further on and sits behind.

I move to the left side of the path through Roseburn Park to give a woman and her daughter who're walking towards me a safe, wide berth. Matey-boy (well, matey-man) then shoots past between me and the peds, narrowly missing them, and then cuts right in front of me in an almost left-hook manoeuvre, forcing some sharp braking on my part.

He's no ped on a bike either - it's a new-looking drop-bar hybrid with bar-end shifters, he's wearing 3/4 length shorts and has a lot of muscle on his calves. He just seemed to show no consideration for anyone, cyclist or pedestrian, around him.

Thanks for ruining an otherwise lovely, calm and relaxing run home on a very warm evening.

 

[habibi]

3/4 length shorts in early september? pansy.