Wheel Suckers

This topic has 47 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 5 months ago by dbb.

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November 12, 2014 at 2:26 pm #1014373

Terpfan
Participant

@rcannon100 99253 wrote:

[video=youtube_share;PevpVXelq8A]http://youtu.be/PevpVXelq8A[/video]

Note to self, on a windy day, I will be behind one of you on the trails ha.

November 12, 2014 at 2:32 pm #1014375

Orestes Munn
Participant

That funny TT helmet must increase (or reduce) draft by another .01%, due to reduced tail vortex. Front draft, that is, not back draft.

November 12, 2014 at 3:14 pm #1014383

Geoff
Participant

He said drafting is worth 5-6 mph. I had no idea it was so much.

November 12, 2014 at 3:48 pm #1014399

Raymo853
Participant

Regardless of the benefits, people need to stop doing it to people they do not know on the bike paths. I know that is a hopeless cause.

November 12, 2014 at 3:55 pm #1014400

dkel
Participant

@Raymo853 99289 wrote:

Regardless of the benefits, people need to stop doing it to people they do not know on the bike paths. I know that is a hopeless cause.

+1

It’s also creepy.

I do think it’s pretty interesting that I get some drafting advantage even by staying back a few bike-lengths, which is as close as I get to others unless passing.

November 12, 2014 at 4:06 pm #1014406

DismalScientist
Participant

Maybe people should stop passing people and then slowing down because they can’t keep ahead of them.:rolleyes:

November 12, 2014 at 4:35 pm #1014417

dkel
Participant

@DismalScientist 99296 wrote:

Maybe people should stop passing people and then slowing down because they can’t keep ahead of them.:rolleyes:

Ha. I had the opposite problem last night: I come up behind a guy, call my pass, and as I come along side him, he stands up and starts pumping like mad! What the heck? My call ended up going something like this: “on your left…or not…is fine, too…” Really annoying. When I did get past him, he totally chased me and rode my wheel for a while; also annoying. I wasn’t slowing down, either, Dismal. I could tell because I was huffing and panting trying to get away from him. At the next light he made a bold move around me and through oncoming cross traffic; I just let him get way off in the distance. Weird.

November 12, 2014 at 4:43 pm #1014420

cyclingfool
Participant

@dkel 99308 wrote:

Ha. I had the opposite problem last night: I come up behind a guy, call my pass, and as I come along side him, he stands up and starts pumping like mad! What the heck? My call ended up going something like this: “on your left…or not…is fine, too…” Really annoying. When I did get past him, he totally chased me and rode my wheel for a while; also annoying. I wasn’t slowing down, either, Dismal. I could tell because I was huffing and panting trying to get away from him. At the next light he made a bold move around me and through oncoming cross traffic; I just let him get way off in the distance. Weird.

He was desperately clinging to his Cat 6 maillot jaune.

November 12, 2014 at 4:53 pm #1014423

skins_brew
Participant

If you really want to see the impact of a draft get behind a SUV (or a large truck) at a stop sign. This isn’t the safest thing in the world, so it is best to do it in a quiet neighborhood, but such a vehicle can easily pull you at like 25 mph without much effort on your behalf.

November 12, 2014 at 4:56 pm #1014425

Vicegrip
Participant

@skins_brew 99314 wrote:

If you really want to see the impact of a draft get behind a SUV (or a large truck) at a stop sign. This isn’t the safest thing in the world, so it is best to do it in a quiet neighborhood, but such a vehicle can easily pull you at like 25 mph without much effort on your behalf.

CNG powered bus for the win. Nice slow starts and no soot.

November 12, 2014 at 5:09 pm #1014431

Orestes Munn
Participant

I’m not much of a multi-use trail rider, but drafting on the one’s I’ve seen looks like a remarkably bad idea. On the road, I ask if people mind if I sit in and then take my pulls if it kills me.

Oh, and this weekend I noticed that there are Strava segments all over the local trails (yes, I was just thawed out from a 25-year cryogenic vacation). Drivers aren’t the only criminally negligent dicks who seem proud of it.

November 12, 2014 at 5:14 pm #1014433

hozn
Participant

@dkel 99290 wrote:

I do think it’s pretty interesting that I get some drafting advantage even by staying back a few bike-lengths, which is as close as I get to others unless passing.

Yeah, I have no problem hanging a few bike lengths back if I am going the same speed. I don’t pull up within a bike length unless there is an understanding that we are working together. That understanding may be implicit, e.g. someone is drafting me for awhile and then goes around.
It doesn’t really bother me when people draft, though. I just view it as a part of cycling around others. If it were to bother me, I wave them past or pull over — or work to break them off (which is obviously hard given how much easier it is to draft).

November 12, 2014 at 5:28 pm #1014436

Geoff
Participant

@Orestes Munn 99322 wrote:

I’m not much of a multi-use trail rider, but drafting on the one’s I’ve seen looks like a remarkably bad idea.

Depends on the trail. Custis and Mount Vernon, no way, but W&OD has some long, straight, well paved sections. If traffic is light, drafting will be as safe as you could wish.

November 12, 2014 at 5:30 pm #1014438

Orestes Munn
Participant

@Geoff 99327 wrote:

Depends on the trail. Custis and Mount Vernon, no way, but W&OD has some long, straight, well paved sections. If traffic is light, drafting will be as safe as you could wish.

As noted, my experience is limited.

November 12, 2014 at 6:09 pm #1014446

thucydides
Participant

@dkel 99290 wrote:

I do think it’s pretty interesting that I get some drafting advantage even by staying back a few bike-lengths, which is as close as I get to others unless passing.

I sometimes practice maintaining three bike lengths since that’s the rule in most triathlons. It’s a surprisingly difficult skill to master, especially on the lumpy Custis.
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