[narlus]

so i did a nice ride solo yesterday for a couple of hours, and for the last ~10-15 min or so i pulled onto a road as a couple of guys were coming from the other way. i cranked up the pace a bit to drop 'em, went for a mile or so and then took a turn in the road. as i glanced back for a traffic check, i saw they weren't far off, and they ended up taking the same turn i did, as they passed me a few hundred yards later.

from then on it was relaxation time, as i just pulled in behind and went along for the ride. it was nice to get towed @ 3-4 mph faster while working less. they ended up going right past my street, so i thanked 'em for the pull and rode the last few hundred feet home on my own again.

 

[mastercycleman]

ya, drafting is great,I draft my friend when we ride to the beach and stuff, I end up holding my brakes, just so i dont hit him. he gets all sweaty, and Im fine.

 

[Westy]

I feel like I can go faster with someon behind me, just a little bit.

 

[reflux]

If I want to draft a stranger, I will politely ask. Does anyone else do that?

 

[rooftest]

I've been asked before, but don't think it's necessary. Some chick with aerobars was drafting me on Sat, and I almost asked her to stop, but didn't bother.

 

[reflux]

Some chick with aerobars was drafting me...

 

[LordOpie]

agreed.

 

[rooftest]

Yeah - I thought that was cheating for tri-geeks. (drafting.)

Lucky for her I had forgotten that I just paid to have that rear wheel rebuilt... I definitely would have told her to get lost then....

 

[Alfred]

If people didn't scare me so much, drafting would be much better. I am a nervous wreck in a pace line.

 

[robdamanii]

Yeah - I thought that was cheating for tri-geeks. (drafting.)

Lucky for her I had forgotten that I just paid to have that rear wheel rebuilt... I definitely would have told her to get lost then....

Was she hot at least?

 

[McGRP01]

Yeah - I thought that was cheating for tri-geeks. (drafting.)

It is. You can get some serious time penalties for drafting in a tri race.

 

[douglas]

wait till you do a real group ride, and have to brake on a lot of the down hills (even thou the guy up front is pedaling)

I definitely like group road rides, you can go faster & further with the help of the draft.

But I still have a hard time judging how "fast" to ride when its my turn up front

 

[douglas]

I've been asked before, but don't think it's necessary. Some chick with aerobars was drafting me on Sat, and I almost asked her to stop, but didn't bother.

why would you ask her to stop?

 

[Westy]

wait till you do a real group ride, and have to brake on a lot of the down hills (even thou the guy up front is pedaling)

I definitely like group road rides, you can go faster & further with the help of the draft.

But I still have a hard time judging how "fast" to ride when its my turn up front

I have a bad habit of going a little too hard and blowing the group apart, then getting dropped off the back myself.

 

[LordOpie]

But I still have a hard time judging how "fast" to ride when its my turn up front

No cyclometer? If you do, just keep the same speed.

 

[reflux]

It is. You can get some serious time penalties for drafting in a tri race.

It depends on who sanctions the race and where it is held. For all USAT races, I think drafting is illegal. However for the Olympic games, drafting was allowed. That's the only example I can think of...

 

[Westy]

No cyclometer? If you do, just keep the same speed.

That doesn't work well around here. Few roads have any steady slope for more than a few tenths of a mile.

 

[LordOpie]

That doesn't work well around here. Few roads have any steady slope for more than a few tenths of a mile.

Yeah, Colorado may have long climbs, steep climbs, whatever... but it can be fairly consistent for miles.

How about a heart rate monitor? Increase beats per minute by, say, 25-30%?

 

[Westy]

Yeah, Colorado may have long climbs, steep climbs, whatever... but it can be fairly consistent for miles.

How about a heart rate monitor? Increase beats per minute by, say, 25-30%?

Nah, when up front need to keep your eye on the road. I just need to calm down a bit. I'm a little to high strung for big group rides.

 

[rooftest]

why would you ask her to stop?

Well, with aerobars, your hands are at least 6 inches from your brakes. Given that tri-geeks aren't exactly known for their bike-handling ability, if they're drafting me, I'd like their hands closer to the brakes.

 

[peter6061]

I don't mind if they ask or make some small talk first. It pisses me off when someone just jumps on my wheel and starts drafting without saying a word. (Unless it's someone I know)

 

[splat]

I have no problem just jumping on someones wheel with out asking , I do it all the time. and I have no problem having some one else jumpon my wheel. But it pisses me off If they won't take a turn Pulling . I always will take a turn Pulling.

 

[Wumpus]

It's funny that most people I ride with now don't like to draft, they just like to ride side by side and chat. I guess that's good since one of them(Loco ) can't hold a constant speed to save his life. Talk about scary.




And if I don't know you, I don't want you drafting off of me. I have enough to worry about that I don't need an unknown tag along.

 

[narlus]

so what do you do, deliberately slow down, or just turn around and tell them to f off?

 

[rooftest]

And if I don't know you, I don't want you drafting off of me. I have enough to worry about that I don't need an unknown tag along.

The way I see it, if you don't like me drafting you, then drop me... if you can. :devil:

That said, I'll always take a turn pulling.

 

[LordOpie]

so what do you do, deliberately slow down, or just turn around and tell them to f off?

fist-full of brakes :evil:

 

[peter6061]

If I have an unwated kling-on, I'll either slow down (not quickly as in hand full of brake) or drop 'em. Depends on how I'm feeling at the moment.

Most of the time now-a-days, I'm on my fixie and don't want someone on my wheel in case I forget and try to coast after a sprint (happens occassionally since I ride so much mtb with a freewheel). I don't think my 'real' road bike has seen daylight in almost two years. (poor Yeti)

 

[narlus]

fist-full of brakes :evil:

see golgi's 'road rage' thread.

 

[Alfred]

The way I see it, if you don't like me drafting you, then drop me... if you can. :devil:

That said, I'll always take a turn pulling.

I had some guys chase onto me one day. They didn't pull so I dropped them. They must be really slow.

 

[Alfred]

It's funny that most people I ride with now don't like to draft, they just like to ride side by side and chat. I guess that's good since one of them(Loco ) can't hold a constant speed to save his life. Talk about scary.




And if I don't know you, I don't want you drafting off of me. I have enough to worry about that I don't need an unknown tag along.

I'm not 100% sure I maintain a constant speed. It really sucks because the local group is all over with speed. I usually just suck it up in the wind. My best friend was about the only wheel I would ride regularly. He moved so I am on my own.

 

[laura]

That doesn't work well around here. Few roads have any steady slope for more than a few tenths of a mile.

Thats how it is here as well. I do the same thing as you, kill it for the first part of the ride and then lose all my wind for the second part. It seems no matter how hard I try I can't get a decent pace down that will carry me all the way through.

 

[douglas]

That doesn't work well around here. Few roads have any steady slope for more than a few tenths of a mile.

exactly

 

[OGRipper]

If I am already out in the wind by myself, I don't really care if someone gets on my wheel. For that reason I don't usually ask others. I will always at least try to take a pull.

But I hate it when I give someone a great pull and then when I'm half knackered they come around and raise the pace so I can't follow. :mumble:

 

[Westy]

Thats how it is here as well. I do the same thing as you, kill it for the first part of the ride and then lose all my wind for the second part. It seems no matter how hard I try I can't get a decent pace down that will carry me all the way through.

It doesn't help that the friends I ride with see every ride as a dick swinging contest. We push each other as hard as we can until someone cracks and begs for mercy. It is all done in good humour and the same harsh treatment is not placed onto others who might ride with us.

 

[golgiaparatus]

I don't mind if they ask or make some small talk first. It pisses me off when someone just jumps on my wheel and starts drafting without saying a word. (Unless it's someone I know)

Or a super hot chick?

 

[peter6061]

Or a super hot chick?

As long as she takes a pull....



*edit: I've only had one 'chick' try and jump on my wheel as I went past. I was very surprised when she caught me and started chatting. Turned out she was in town doing some road training from Austrailia (I think). She was getting ready for the 2004 Olympics. I didn't feel bad at all the she caught my wheel and drafted a bit before casually starting a converstation.

 

[Wumpus]

so what do you do, deliberately slow down, or just turn around and tell them to f off?

Don't know how close the guy got the other night but I imagine he didn't stay very close for long.

 

[DRB]

If I am already out in the wind by myself, I don't really care if someone gets on my wheel. For that reason I don't usually ask others. I will always at least try to take a pull.

But I hate it when I give someone a great pull and then when I'm half knackered they come around and raise the pace so I can't follow. :mumble:

That is truly the suck.

 

[jaydee]

If I am already out in the wind by myself, I don't really care if someone gets on my wheel. For that reason I don't usually ask others. I will always at least try to take a pull.

But I hate it when I give someone a great pull and then when I'm half knackered they come around and raise the pace so I can't follow. :mumble:

The trick is to not pin yourself, but pull at a steady pace you can sustain for a long time, then before you're buried do the ol' elbow flick, pull to the side, and soft-pedal to get the drafter to roll through. Unless of course your name is Jens and you can pull for 150 kms and then roll the rest off your back wheel.