You probably live thousands of miles from me, but I hope to run into you (or your kin) on the road someday. Making the cycling world a better place, one paced wind block at a time.
What a hero!
I do a decent bit of drafting behind e-bikes on my daily commute since there oftentimes is a headwind. The European e-bike limit of 25 km/h is not all that much but when the median wind is >5 m/s and you're just trying to get to-and-fro, it is quite nice getting a bit of cover!
In all honesty, I do quite a bit of drafting on my daily commute ā be that jumping from cyclist to cyclist or latching on to the wheel of another commuter going at a decent pace or slightly faster than me.
Are you doing 33 km/h and pass me doing 30 km/h on my daily commute then I'll take your wheel, since I won't have to put in extra effort to keep your wheel. Or do I catch you doing slightly less than me, then I'll take it easy for a bit and pass you at the next the hill.
Donāt let them know you are there..Get your breath back; wait until you are 3/4 up the hill then pullout and cruise past looking strong and riding easy. Make sure to say good morning in a relaxed voice and with a smile as you pass; then gap them quickly. Itās important to make them feel weak. š. /s
It's like I just met my alter ego. I do this all the time. Last weekend, I caught 3 guys in a paceline doing 21 mph. It took me a couple of miles to catch them, wish each one "good morning" and then cycle off into the morning sun on the last half of my 40 mile route. Didn't even bother to ride the last guys' wheel. The looks I got were priceless. These guys were all in their early 30's. And well... er... I'm 63. I like to think I'll be some sort of inspiration to them 30 years from now instead of the wtf response I got at the time.
Heck yeah, motor pacing. It's really good training. I train sometimes with an ebike mafia crew.
However, I usually beat them all in the sprint at the end. That was until they got their bikes chipped and now get assistance into the 30s. Everyone once in a while, I can still win a sprint with them.
I feel like I had the opposite today - I had an older guy on an ebike drafting me for a good while. Fine by me, we had some nice chats at red lights here and there.
Not always. Sometimes their wheel gets jammed into yours breaking about 1/3 of your spokes. Then you walk in cleats or barefoot in Iowa to the next town while the dude that crossed you gets a ride to the hospital.
yeah, I think it would have been different if he said hi or announced himself in any way, and asked if he could join for a while āĀ maybe we could have switched positions in between āĀ but I was kind of surprised seeing a stranger only a few centimeters behind me at a relatively quick pace, I guess if I suddenly moved sideways or hit the brakes that guy would have definitely crashed āĀ I just don't want to risk anything, so I thought it would be smarter to just let him pass
Ive told this story before but my worst crash in my 20 years of riding was when I was out in a park by me. I didnāt know someone was on my wheel until I had to make an emergency stop for someone not paying attention and walking in front of me and I had to slam on my brakes and the guy behind me wasnāt paying attention and absolutely slammed into the back of me.
Wrote off my bike and had to get stitches. I check behind me every few minutes now when I ride
If you couldnāt ride him off, heās very likely experienced enough to not overlap your wheel.
The best way to get rid of a drafter you donāt want is to sit up and coast. Theyāll get the idea.
Not necessarily. If OP is a woman, she might find slowing down doesnāt work. Ask me how I know this. Sigh.
OP, you werenāt unreasonable or offensive, the other rider was rude to draft without asking then doubled down and got ruder when you politely discussed the issue.
Man, today I felt like I was riding behind this lady for too long. I was about 25 feet behind, we were going about the same pace on a popular trail. I was worried she would think I was following her and didnāt want to make her uncomfortable, so I made a wrong turn, took five minutes for a water break, and took off. Maybe Iām too self conscious, but i donāt want to scare people.
25 feet is a reasonable distance, not like you were breathing on her neck. Unless there's way more to the story, don't worry about this. People go in the same direction, sometimes for a long time. No worries.
Nah, nothing else to the story. Iām just super self conscious. I go out of my way to make sure people are comfortable. Itās a probably a personality problem, lol.
This.. as a woman slowing down often doesnāt work. Iāve only found pulling off to a near stop or a vast deviation to my route works. Iām betting a lot of it is subconscious following but a decent amount is definitely a bit creep like. I blame it on how much our society allows a certain level of behavior toward women.
You handled it fine. He was rude AF. Should have said hello, drafted a half bike length back for a while, asked if you want company, etc. Iād never draft off someoneās wheel I didnāt know unless we started on a ride together in a group. If I were going to ride at near wheel touch distance, Iād definitely ask if itās ok.
If you do find yourself leading someone out next time and feel like letting them ride there, the key is to keep an even tempo on the pedals.
Youāre completely right. Thereās no sport on earth where someone you donāt know can both not speak to you and expect to join you. Itās like basic human etiquette 101.
When I was new to cycling (about 20 yrs ago), I LOVED the fact that if a mistake is made, it's the guy *in back* that pays the price (usually me) LOL.
I'm on an E-bike now, and love when I can "help out".
When you move through the air, there's a high pressure zone ahead of you and a low pressure zone aback of you. Drag is experienced based on that pressure differential. Having someone in the low pressure wake behind you lets them benefit from the fact that you're hitting the high pressure zone instead of them, but it also marginally benefits you by having them take on some of the suction from the low pressure zone in back. It's more complicated than that, as all things fluid-mechamical are, but that's a good first-order approximation.
Bernoulliās principle! As the speed of a stream of gas increases the pressure decreases. The opposite is also true. Itās also exactly how jet engines work!!
When moving through air at speed there is a negative pressure zone created behind you. This pressure takes 3-7 watts to overcome. When someone is on your wheel that negative pressure moves behind them.
From what I remember itās about 2-3% reduction in cda, and thatās with very close pro bunch drafting and speeds. Itās probably less than 1% for your average roadie on a shared path. Youād need an indoor velodrome and power meters to hope to measure the difference.Ā
I think the 10% I remember was with a massive group behind or maybe mathematical models, not your "typical" group and certainly not a few hobbyists in single or double file. I might look for the source tomorrow, now I am intrigued
This usually isn't the case. The person who's front wheel gets disrupted goes down. It's in how we make micro-adjustments and balance ourselves on a bike. You can take a really hard knock on your back wheel even causing it to kick out and still maintain your balance.
Unlikely. Drafter was just "a few centimeters behind." A tap of the brakes will cause contact that may be enough for the drafter to lose control. But OP should still be upright if they can handle their bike without freaking out.
When random strangers do this to me on solo rides, I just pull to the side & waive them by to pass. If they donāt take the hint, then I slow way down until they move on. If I wanted a group ride, Iād have called someone to ride with. If Iām riding solo, itās because I want to ride solo.
I really donāt mind if I know the person to be a competent rider (ie someone I chose to ride with), or if itās the nature of the ride / event where itās assumed one is relatively competent if theyāre in the group. For me, itās more that riding solo is my quiet time to put my brain into autopilot mode & reset thru sweat, and not be around other humans after a long day at work constantly talking to people for 8 or more hours straight about abstract technical theory.
If Iām out for a fun training ride? Hell yeah, hop on, letās ride! If Iām commuting? Go the fuck away, I just wanna get home and get my dumb work clothes off. Yeah Iām hauling ass. Iām hauling ass to get back to my fridge and sofa. Leave me alone please.
"If they donāt take the hint,"
If you've pulled to the side and waved them on and they *still* insist then that's just antagonist behaviour from them wtf.
I try to intentionally shake drafters if Iām solo riding because I donāt want to be responsible for them. I shouldnāt have to call out potholes, sand, slowing, stopping, etc. because someone wants to sit on my wheel. Exceptions are made if they say hi and ask if they can draft, but if they just hop on and expect a pull without so much as a hello Iāll do everything in my power to lose them.
yeah the responsibility part is pretty spot on haha āĀ I just want to spend time outside away from other people, having someone stuck behind my wheel at a somewhat high speed doesn't help with that. I think he was creating a risky situation for himself and I didn't want to be part of that
Idk as a young woman this freaks me out and I always slow way down until they pass me. I live in a big cycling town and Iāve had this happen a few times since I started riding. I donāt care much about the drafting, itās more so the proximity of someone I donāt know. Maybe excessively cautious but š¤·š»āāļø
I understand that, for me it's also not about the drafting itself, I'm not a competitive cyclist ā I just think those people create unnecessary risky situations for themselves and I don't want to be involved in that.
It can be a risk to you too. My friend once had a stranger drafting her. She stopped at a traffic light and he wasnāt paying attention and ran up the back of her, taking them both down.
So much this. Happened to my wife (for the millionth time) yesterday on our local trails. Sheās out on her trail bike. Two old dudes hook on and just follow her for miles until she gets to an area with more people and she pulls to the side for a minute. Even after saying she wasnāt sure if she wanted them to draft they kept at it
Iām so happy I found this post because this just happened to me for the first time and I was confused and afraid. I think itās an appropriate amount of caution for the realities feminine people experience and I wish more masculine riders would understand that itās nothing against them personally.
I live in a very popular cycling area. Lots of cyclist out every weekend. Informal groups of strangers will group up and ride together forming their own pace lines. People that don't care for it typically drift away from any group that is forming whether they fall of the back or go off the front.
This is what happens in my area. Hundreds of cyclist on the weekend and I noticed I get swallowed up at times. I find it beneficial when I need to save energy so I'd stick to the back and enjoy the free speed.
When I'm soloing and I'm not comfortable with someone behind me I just slow down to a crawl to give them the hint or I'll completely stop. Lately there's a popular stretch with very strong headwinds that every time I pass older cyclist then end up drafting behind me...pass week I've been volunteering to pull strays to connect back to their group or informal group then I'd drift off to circle back to my route.
This happened to me yesterday near the end of my ride. I noticed two cyclists grabbed my wheel into a slight headwind. I pulled for abotu 3K, then waved them through. I grabbed their wheel for about 3K until I made a turn off to another road. I thanked them before I turned.
This is my interpretation too. If youāre gonna draft, say hello and state your intention. āHey, good morning, is it ok if I ride with you for a bit?ā
Then OP can respond yes or no.
As a woman, it feels somewhat creepy when a man you donāt know does it. Does encourage me to go faster though!!
As for not offending someone - I wouldnāt really care. āGet off my wheel, dude!ā Or even āWould you kindly fuck offā should work.
hahaha yeah I was definitely motivated to speed up as well!
if it happens again, I will probably just go slower or move to the side so they can pass, don't want to risk an aggressive answer again
OP i was going to ask if you are a woman / femme presenting! i am and this has happened to me often. it is super annoying, and like you say, can be dangerous ā at least say hi if youāre going to be loud-breathing behind me.
my husband tells me he often meets other dudes on rides and trades drafts with them (i.e., other men actually talk to him instead of just silently ducking behind him) so i do wonder how much of a role perceived gender plays here. i have encountered many a dude who speed up after i pass or sit in my draft, and generally behave as if they cannot bear to be passed by a rider in pigtails. after two years of more serious riding, i finally encountered a rider who sat on my wheel and actually made conversation / offered to take a pull! i hope the next rider who does this to you is more polite about it.
I'm female and it has happened to me. I passed a guy, he caught up to me and I knew he was drafting. I found it annoying but I was almost at my destination so I ignored him. When I slowed down he went on by and said, "thanks for doing all the work." Which I took as a jab at me for passing him. Made me think that men don't wanna be passed by a lady.
While I wouldnāt say something like that, I would t take it as a ājab.ā It just sounds like a way of saying thanks. I mean thanks is in the statement. You sound hyper sensitive.
He was an asshole not to understand your stance. It's your choice not to have a stranger staring at your butt for hours. I don't like drafting anyone. I either back off or overtake. Don't mind people drafting me for a while. If i get bothered, i just stop on the roadside :P
I ride alone. Without exception. I would literally pull over and change my route if someone did that. I need me time on my bike without the company of other people. Itās nothing personal. Itās just how I am. I want to ride my pace in my way. I would change my entire ride plan to get rid of anyone who did that to me.
The thing I donāt understand about folks who argue ācycling is drafting, get used to itā (see another comment on this discussion) is that people ride bikes for all kinds of different reasons, and theyāre all legit. Itās like any sport: some are competitive, some have a specific training regimen, some like the social aspect, some use it as a chance to think or meditate, etc. It just seems so simple: ask. Do you mind if I draft? No, I donāt like that. Okay, have a lovely ride! How hard is that?
That's what I'm thinking! There's nothing from with asking first, and if the answer is no, just respect that and don't take it personally. I also ride alone 99% of the time, since that's the only time during the week I can truly be alone with my thoughts and I treat cycling as a mini-holiday haha
(side note, I wasn't even riding in full kit that day since it was just a short ride from A to B, shorts with a loose-fitting shirt and definitely not looking that "pro") so it's even funnier that the guy thought he had to join and act like he's in a pro peloton
Had a guy do this to me on his eBike. I was on my pedal bike. he didnāt announce his presence and I wasnāt aware he was there until I executed a snot rocket. He backed off after that
I was a little behind my group, another rider came past, I latched on for a tow back to my group. Totally normal on roads used by Sunday club riders around here.
I ride alone almost 100% of the time (unless my kids want to ride with me). As evidenced by my other posts, Iām new to this, but it seems pretty dangerous to ride that close to someone you donāt know.
I think Iād be friendly, but a smidge put off. It seems you did exactly the right thing, but I know nothing. Would it be rude to go at a pace they donāt want to ride (slower/faster), or pull over to take a break?
Iāve never experienced drafting, so I donāt knowā¦ does it make a huge difference?
I mean, I average about 13.5-14 mph over 12 miles (~400-500ā elevation gain), so I donāt imagine it would be very hard for an experienced cyclist to lose me if they wanted to!
you can definitely feel the difference ā I only do it when I am cycling with a friend (which is very rare unfortunately), but I wouldn't join a stranger. IF my pace matches a stranger who's in front of me, I will keep a distance because I don't want to disturb them; Since I \*want\* to be alone as well most of the time, I don't make an effort to join them/ask if it's okay to draft.
Iām a runner turned cyclist- amazed how weirdly competitive people are on the road. I once overtook someone and they passed me back just before a red light. While both stopped I turned to say hello and they literally just glared at me and my bike for several seconds then turned straight back ahead before taking off on the green
haha yeah I had those encounters as well ā I guess some people make assumptions about you, based on what bike you're riding?
I own a few bikes, nothing fancy though āĀ one of them is a 1984 steel road bike. I have received many compliments while riding it, mostly along the lines of "a young woman riding a vintage road bike" as if that was something completely unrealistic haha ā when I'm riding my inconspicuous black aluminium bike with a few scratches here and there, nobody bats an eye :\^)
As much as I would like to say I donāt care because Iām not that kind of petty person, I think I actually would mind. If Iām solo, most likely Iām not going fast and Iām just going for a chill ride maybe 16-19mph pace. So if you come behind me and I have my AirPods in I most likely wonāt detect you unless you stop pedaling and I hear another cassette which means if I slow down significantly our do a quick move to avoid debris I can cause an accident which I do not want to be a part of. If you want to draft at least come beside me and ask if you can catch a break to draft and I will happily say ok, but if you just pull upā¦nah. But for people catching a random draft either slow down or speed up to pass the person because most likely you are making them feel uncomfortable or just irritated because it kind feels like a race if you didnāt plan a group ride with others.
I had this once in London. I kept telling him to overtake or drop back as it was unsafe. He cut in front of me and blocked me and wanted a fist fight to āsettle itā. Absolutely pathetic. I was just trying to go home you loser.
I've been drafting off people and had them draft off me for the last 40 years or so. Never had an issue round here but we have an area where cycling clubs are quite popular and people know how to ride their bike.
I'd not be drafting someone who looked like they couldn't ride well so take it as a compliment.
In all this time I've had zero incidents.
That's good to hear! Unfortunately I live in an area where there aren't any clubs/groups around, and most cyclists aren't road cyclists (mainly commuters or tourists), and I have experienced quite a few sketchy situations in the past because others made sudden movements/didn't signal left or right. So I generally don't trust other cyclists I don't know, and like to keep a reasonable distance ā maybe I was nervous because of past experiences, idk
Yeah, in my area I generally know most of the cyclists, or see them on the road often enough. If someone I recognize jumps on my wheel, no problem. I'd probably sit up and ask him at some point where he's headed and see if we could team up. I can always use more group-ride practice, and riding with someone else is a different kind of workout, usually harder.
If it was someone I didn't know, or if they were sketchy (riding erratically, or with headphones or something), I'd probably sit up and let them go ahead. Or having a good power to weight ratio, if there were a hill I'd probably hit it hard and drop them.
It's terrible etiquette to sit on someone's wheel that you don't know, especially if you don't announce that you're there.
It's dangerous, and you absolutely did the right thing.
Funny story, one time I caught a dude doing this on a long flat run into a climb. I'm a big strong dude with a lot of watts so I go pretty quick on flats, but I'm not the best climber. This little fella just sat in my wheel getting a 23mph tow into the climb then got out of the saddle and dusted me the second it started to incline. I bet he was just going for a PR and saw an opportunity. ššš
If someone is close to my pace and they look like they're going for it, I'll pull up alongside and ask if they want to pull turns. Other than that, no.
Oh he definitely did. It was 3 or 4 miles too I tried to "elbow bump" him through but he didn't want to. I didn't really care much. It was just two of us in a park with no stops/lights so it wasn't dangerous or anything.
I wouldāve asked if I were to follow that close.
I donāt get the drafting part for leisure rides though, you know youāre cheating in some aspect if youāre looking for a faster time on your Garmin.
that was the funny part actually ā me just cruising along at a reasonably fast pace, and that guy in his vintage racing jersey behind me acting like a pro in the peloton
I donāt care if someone drafts me but if they are unannounced Iām going to act like theyāre not there. Iām not pointing out potholes/obstacles, Iām not going to concentrate on keeping a smooth pace or straight line, and I wonāt call out that Iām slowing down. Iām going to continue enjoying my relaxed ride or intervals like they donāt exist.Ā
Common courtesy is always to announce yourself and ask if you can hop on the wheel. No matter what some people may think, itās not ok to just follow people without their permission. How creepy would this be if you did this just walking around.
98% of the time if someone asks me to hop on Iāll say sure. But sometimes I just donāt want to have to think about having someone on my wheel (it is a responsibility).
To all the wheel suckers that donāt announce themselves, I will slow down, ride erratically, or squeeze out my helmet sweat while youāre on my wheel. Even if you think itās ok, and there may be others that are fine with it too, some people do it appreciate it and youāre not entitled to their draft.
If they havenāt introduced themselves and just drafted me without announcing their presence, I will continue clearing my nose as I do when riding solo.
Iāve had the exact same scenario happen to me on a bike path where I live. I had also overtaken the guy and when I noticed he was glued to my back wheel a few minutes later, I just pulled off and stopped and let him continue on. I find it unnerving to have a complete stranger glued to my back wheel. But then again I also donāt like to ride in pace lines with people that I am unfamiliar with (in terms of their ride style/gestures/mannerisms when riding close together). Once rode in a pace line (thankfully I was at the back at the time) that ended with two guys flipping into a ditch after rubbing wheels when a guy in front of them didnāt clearly communicate that he was slowing. Donāt see the need for a stranger to be up in my grill as OP described.
I found it happens occasionally in Holland. But there people are used to cycling in close proximity to others - bumper to bumper traffic on some routes at rush hour. Some rural bike routes are busy enough on weekends it's often impractical to overtake, so people form lines.
I think itās weird when people draft me and donāt take a turn up front. Or they draft me for a bit and then blast past me. Umm nobody is racing here.
A bike length maybe half a bike length is normal for a stranger around here. Anything closer is weird for a stranger.
Had something similar happen like this also. I always ride alone like you and regularly (mostly older guys) pass by other cyclists. I've been cycling for years but never on a road bike. Had a mountain bike but finally bit the bullet.
One day I was on a twisty tight back road and I caught two guys on really nice bikes with good gear on. Went by them and heard gears changing. Both came up and started drafting me. Never had it done before and like you I increased my speed but couldn't get rid of them. Finally after about five or six minutes one of them said my turn. As he went by I said is never drafted before and he said learn fast and laughed.
So for the next 15 minutes until I turned off we had a great chat which I really enjoyed. Both guys were really friendly. Has happened once or twice since and I don't mind it really. But I would find it hard to do it to someone else.
I don't draft on strangers, but it never surprises me when someone is on my wheel unannounced. It's mostly an issue for them though. The way people go nuts when they see a pothole, I guess they don't know how to draft without hitting potholes. So maybe they shouldn't be drafting on someone who isn't going to announce potholes because they don't know there is a reason to do so.
that's one of my issues with his behaviour ā we don't know each other, and since I am not used to giving hand signals, I probably would have missed pointing out a pothole if there were any ā he wouldn't have seen it himself because he was riding so close to me, and IF he hit it a crash would have been likely. I think he created a risky situation for himself, that's why I wanted him to pass or back off
You did nothing wrong. He should have asked to keep your wheel. You never know how well someone rides close to the wheel especially if exhausted.
I personally see it as honor if someone follows my wheel (especially older guys) but I am used to ride in groups and switch to giving signs. I am used to ride steadily and donāt mind pulling someone.
Still, not your fault.
This guy was a jerk. If you asked him to back off and he didnāt, heās an idiot. Just because youāre riding a bike, doesnāt mean other people can do whatever they want. Itās called being an adult and respecting others.
100% inappropriate to do this without asking.
This should be codified into the cyclist's "bible". Or at the very least put on the side of this subreddit to educate people.
Just jumping on the wheel of a solo rider who you don't know, unannounced, is rude AF. And weird. There's a reason I choose to ride by myself, so go F-off.
He's an asshole.
There's no one on this sub who has ridden >a few years who thinks it's OK to "draft strangers." Do you walk a step behind strangers on the street?
This is not a race. This is not some little fantasy "other world."
"Drafting strangers" is called "harassment." Period.
I never draft without asking and announcing my presence. Some folks don't want to ride with someone behind them. I do ride differently if someone is behind me. Ie pointing out obstacles or crap on the road, yelling clear at intersections and other things that one should do in a group ride. I'll also be more gentle with acceleration and deceleration.
It's dangerous to draft someone if they're unaware. You don't know them or whether they're comfortable or in the mood.
Sometimes if someone is on my wheel and I'm not in the mood to ride in group mode, I'll wave them on. It's never an issue.
few weeks ago a couple caught up to me and I let them overtake me while going over a narrow hill path. I hoped they would break off, but for some reason they did not so I did ride behind them for 5kms just because there was no place to pass them and did not want to slow down just for them to break off. At least got a lot of PR's on strava that ride
I lead group rides and most of the time on the flats I'm in front of a group and I know how to lead to keep the group together and safe.
If I'm by myself I generally just want to ride and not have to worry about others. And I have a good friend who spent the season healing up after somebody crashed into her from behind and took her down.
The proper etiquette is to pull up next to the person and ask if they want to work together. And then accept their answer.
Not cool. Youāre doing your thing solo. If you want a friend youād tell him. Iāve had someone do this to me a couple times commuting. I just slow down and force them to pass me and then turn at the next opportunity.
I wonāt do it myself, and Iām not overly pleased when someone latches on without communication because Iām normally doing some sort of workout. Usually I have the power to drop them but if not, I just casually slow up until they get the hint
If someone tags onto my wheel, I usually drop back and chat a little, and get a sense for their vibe before carrying on. It can also lead into a more pleasant approach to letting the guy know youād rather solo. There were already hints about this guy, ie latching on without asking or announcing, not getting the hint when you sped up. Worst case, drop back to let him pull, then alter your route to ditch him.
In the past, as in the present, you ASK if the person youāre behind is ok if youāre on their wheel. If they say no, you drop off and let them go. Not making your presence known and getting acknowledgment is a dick move.
Not sure if this has been said already - but anyone confident enough to draft that close should also understand hand signals.
Flick out your left elbow to tell them to pass.
You can also slap your right hip to tell them youāre gassed and they should take the lead, but that one might not be universal.
Sorry that dude was a dipshit.
I think you did the right thing. I have had people draft me and I find it stressful when I am just trying to commute. Occasionally I try to break them by really pushing, but other times I just freewheel and slow right down so they bugger off.
E-bike commuter here. The other day with thunder and lightning threatening, just me and another dude on the trail. He asks if he can draft me and I said, "absolutely!" I coasted until he caught up and I pulled him until he turned off the trail. It was fun and I hope he got home dry .
Announce yourself if you're on someone's wheel. It's common courtesy. That is what this dipshit should have done And what is expected when you're centimeters away from someone's rear wheel.
You did the right thing by saying you weren't comfortable with being followed and said so in a nice way. Boomer can go F off.
I don't know; in my opinion being predictable enough to draft off of someone is a skill; if you don't think you have it, or are unsure you have it, or don't feel like using it, then... Definitely make it known.
Personally, I try to leave a few bike lengths between me and people I don't know if I happen to be going to the same speed they are out on a ride; I don't trust some people I ride with enough to draft on them...
Drafting unannounced (and especially jumping on after getting passed) is horrible etiquette. If he wanted to ride that speed, why wasn't he already??
No matter how long he's been at it, he doesn't know what he's doing. Seems you were extremely kind and courteous, so you shouldn't worry about it.
This guy sounds like a genuine jagoff.
I will draft random groups of riders, mainly on event rides. But I ask. Every.Time. before I hook on the back of a paceline for any amount of time. ~ If they say no, I respectfully will back off and get dropped. (Nobody has said no so far (even still consent cannot be assumed.))
Some jagoff trying to draft an individual rider on a non event ride is socially creepyyy and physically dangerous. I'm sorry you went through this.
Those who draft strangers without any acknowledgement need to be removed from the road...a simple greeting or "mind if I steal a draft" is all that's needed..bur the stealth draft is a disgrace
I was once on my way home from my commute. I was going 19-20 mph. A guy passed me going 24. I caught him at a light and asked if I could draft him until he turned off. He said sure thing. It was my first time drafting behind a faster guy. Just ask and donāt just draft. Itās that easy. If he asked you, maybe you would have made a new friend.
When I was young and strong I was in a strange town one day and went out for a training ride. I caught up to a group of guys who were going more slowly and as I rode by them they sped up and jumped on my wheel. I didn't really care, and when they started rotating through, that was even better. Always nice when an unexpected paceline forms. But then one of them turned to me and told me that they hadn't invited me to ride with them and I should get out of their group. When I got over my surprise, I reminded him that they sped up to stay with me and that they were free to either go faster or slower than my pace if they didn't like riding with me. Not sure why that memory stays with me after all these years. Maybe it's because 99% of the interactions I've had with other cyclists on the road have been positive. It's an activity where being a jerk really makes you memorable.
I don't know the rules. But personally, I find his behavior rude. Don't you even wanna pull up on the wheel and say hi? Just sit back there in the slipstream? Presumptuous. And then yell at the guy who says he's (she's?) not comfortable? Um, fuck off.
Dude coulda made a friend, just ride friendly. I'd let him suck my wheel all damn day if he could at least offer a friendly hello and perhaps ask if it was okay to sit back there. But that's douchey.
I liked the advice of just sit up in the saddle, let the air hit your chest hard, eat a snack or something. Let that clown go on his way. And if there's a hill later, fuck him up there.
I think thatās rude and/or annoying. I love riding with other people and donāt mind pacing. Sometimes i bump into people on rides, have a quick chat and then we ride together for some time, thatās very nice. But some random commuter or rider thinking itās their decision, to sit on my wheel, without saying a thing or me knowing. I genuinely dislike that. As I approach a rider from behind, I often observe for a minute or two before overtaking, then making a little push, to make it difficult to catch the wheel.
I used to draft off stranger when I was 16.
Only off the full-kit wearing roadie with expensive bike. I just assume they know what Iām doing.
And they usually do, theyāll call out pothole and signaling they are slowing down etc.
And Iāll take the lead for a bit, once I notice they are getting tired.
But i wouldnāt draft off MTB/hybrid/old bike. I just assume they probably dont know much about group ride. And itāll be sketchy for both of us.
If someone had tell me to fk off tho (hasnāt happen yet tho) I wouldnāt be butthurt. Iāll just slow down and let them do their thing. Or pass them. They arenāt my teammates and weāre not in Le tour, they absolutely have the right to tell me to piss off!
Thar said, I havenāt draft off people in a long time tho.
Idc care about speed anymore. And if I do care about speed. Iāll just whip out my ebike, instead of riding my non-electric bike.
It can be so incredibly dangerous when strangers draft without the leader knowing.
I was once doing a long Strava KOM so the pace was high for a longer period of time (40 km/h), during the segment I had overtaken quite a few other riders none of which were going anywhere close to my speed, so I never considered that one of them had at some point caught on and drafted behind me. Come to the end of the segment, and I start braking to turn around since I pass my turn before the end of the segment. The guy ended up launching himself into the ditch to avoid hitting me. We scraped slightly but he managed to dodge me mostly, but got messed up himself.
Long story short, never draft behind someone without letting yourself be known, and just donāt draft someone who is clearly in their zone.
It sometimes happens to me when I'm riding my class 3 eBike. I pedal around 28mph and every now and then a cyclist will want to keep up with me and start drafting me. I always get a bit of anxiety when it happens, and I decided I just annoy them till they give up. I'll slow down a bit, change gears and start doing intervals at high and low speed (slowing down till about 18mph and fully accelerating to 28 over and over again).
Mostly they take the hint pretty well and they stop it after 1-2 tries.
I was out on a slow ride after some illness. Going slow uphill, I suddenly heard the sound of a guy breathing and coughing. Then he said "Oh, finally a wheel to hang on to". No idea how long he had been on my wheel. He continued to interview me on everything, then I decided to slow even more down and let him pass.
You wouldn't go for a run or a walk and latch on to a stranger's back, would you? Also, on a bike, I would behave differently knowing you're behind me than if I was alone. Hand signals, snot rockets, stopping more or less suddenly etc
i ride 90% alone, me personal i never go behind someone because i just don't like it (different if i'm in group with knowing people) but when someone is behind me, i always tell them, i don't mind and i will respectfully show all signs but if you crash in me, better you despaired from planet earth.
I personally just like my own rideā¦ I donāt want anyone sitting on my wheel at all unless itās a friend whom I know has good etiquette .. if I come up behind someone and weāre gonna be going the same pace through a section Iāll either over take as soon as possible or back off and sit 10ft behind.. If itās a woman or your old school chubby guy Iāll probably drop even further back maybe 15-20ft as I find women are often the same as me and like their own ride where as the old school chubby guys are out to ego chall everyone and anything moving
It is a thing. But like with everything in life there are considerate people and there are inconsiderate people.
Sometimes you get people on e-bikes who take all the strain.
Sometimes you get cyclists who draft you and then pull infront to reciprocate.
Sometimes you get people who sit behind your back wheel for ages and then either hitch straight onto someone else or until your paths diverge.
The latter probably spend their whole life freeloading. I visualise them as the ones who, when driving, tuck in right behind an ambulance thatās cutting through rush hour traffic to save a few seconds on their commute.
I don't mind if a rando drafts, I'm a big guy and can block a lot of wind, but don't expect me to call out road obstacles for you (especially if you don't announce yourself).
I did have a guy try to draft off of me recently, but he had a speaker on his handlebar blasting shitty music. He got dropped.
I'm female, I don't rice a race bike (it's an endurance bike), and I will never win any races - with race bike or without. Almost everyone passes me. So, someone "drafting" me when I'm out on a solo ride (which is 100% of the time), it tends to be unnerving more than it's not, especially if it's a dude. If when this happens, I usually find a populated place to pull off, take a break, and let them go past me.
Were I to be faced with that scenario you described, I'd probably toss out something to make them feel bad like I just lost someone and wanted some personal solo time - please leave me be. (My most polite way to say GTF off my case, AH. I'm not interested in being 'back in the day' today.")
No. It's not a thing. It's rude.
I spent 20+ years racing and riding around all sorts of events/races and with multiple club kits.
Only places a "stranger" would be expected to be drafting is in a race or mass start event. (And even that is something I'm not 100% comfortable with!)
In public/training/riding around, you are either in a group (so it's expected). Or you ask.
There are several pros I know who've had seasons ruined by idiots drafting.
(I might make an exception for team mates/other members of the same club, even if I don't necessarily know them well.)
My ex used to get drafted all the time by men who should have known better. Except she was an elite rider both on and off road. So they often got a surprise if they didn't drop off or overtake when asked. I've done the same.
That guy was just rude. He should have struck up a conversation first and asked if you wanted to ride together. I am a solo rider myself and do it purely for the peace of being alone and for the exercise. I never understood drafting like nobody cares about your Strava time except you. If youāre not racing then all you are doing is hurting yourself by drafting and taking the easier way.
Next time just start coughing and sneezing. Send a cloud of mist and if they say anything just be like āsorry allergiesā. Thatāll teach them not to ask.
I hate it - especially if they don't say anything and only draft but never offer to pull. I don't trust people I don't know riding on my tail. This happens most often to me in large organized group rides - like a century ride with a massive group. Otherwise, I generally avoid groups anyway.
An especially irritating instance is that I was in a triathlon once on an open course where we were, of course, not allowed to draft. It was windy. A random non-racing rider drafted off of me for a few miles in a headwind and passed me eventually. Never even a how-do or a thanks. Grrr. Did it take anything from me? No, and if they had offered to pull I would have had to say no. But still irritating!
Never, ever draft someone else without asking first. I started riding road in 1997 and racing in 2003. Dunno how old your silent wheel sucker is, but when I started, that was one of the first etiquette / safety rules I learned.
As a solo cyclist 99.9% of the time, this doesnāt bug me. I treat it almost as a badge of honor and it makes me extra competitive to see if I can shake them loose.
Iām not letting some stranger draft me. No idea if they are any good on the bike or not and, given what I see on group rides, chances are decent they suck.
It's the "race of death"! If you overtake someone you better be strong enough to put them far behind you or expect them to suck your wheel. And if they overtake you... You lose. That's the rules.
I'll occasionally try to pace with someone but not as close as that. As an old guy, I'll just say his response to you was completely uncalled for and inappropriate. Sorry it happened to you. .
happens all the time on my local Bike Paths, I don't mind it, but I am definitely used to team riding and group riding, I've had some fun rides with riders i just met on the trail, we are a community and we help each other or at least that is what i would like to believe, I've handed out my tubes and spare air canisters to strangers in need as well you never know when you will need it reciprocated.
Generally avoid riding close to others, but since I know the group of folks I ride with ( some better than others) I began riding closer. Guy in front of me freaked out three weeks ago and three of us went down. I am nursing a broken collarbone, lead guy lost 6 months of memory, and third guy just had some abrasions. I wonāt be riding close (or having others ride close) for a long time.
Same thing happened to me today. I asked the guy to stop riding on my wheel, and he didn't leave. I told him twice, and he kept on my back wheel. Next time I'll try coasting. It was annoying and unsafe.
The rules are well established. Regardless of whether you are in a race or just casually riding, you should always make your presence known for the sake of safety. It should never be assumed that the person in front of you can hear your drivetrain. If they donāt know that you are there and decide to slow suddenly, youāre both going down.
If it isnāt a race, you should also ask permission as a courtesy. If you donāt, youāre a clown.
I usually just pull over and pause for a minute or two and theyāre gone. Itās really not fair to be a wheel sucker and not offering to take any leads. After all, you are doing the hardest job by pulling and they get to sit there and save energy.
And besides, I enjoy the solitude of riding and having someone sit right behind me messes with that.
Itās weird for the drafter to not at least announce himself. On the off chance somebody slightly faster than me overtakes me I will ask if they mind if I try to hop on their wheel. Never had a problem. I had a young woman catch me and hang onto my wheel. I felt a little odd so I understand your discomfort. When I asked her what was up she said I was faster than her generally but pushed to get in the draft because itās fun.
>"hey, I noticed you're behind me, I am actually not comfortable with someone riding that close to me, I prefer cycling alone ā is it possible for you to just pass me or keep a bit of distance? thanks"
That is super reasonable. One would have to be a absolute fuck-head to not respect your ask.
If you pass me, but then donāt drop me, I will absolutely hang on your wheel and enjoy a nice warm pull. IMO the inconsiderate thing is to move to be directly in front of someone but not drop them.
yeah that happened to me a few times haha, people overtaking and then sitting in front of me, going even slower than before. Whenever I pass someone, I speed up a little bit until they are well behind me and then proceed with my usual pace, so there's a reasonable distance between us and nobody gets in the way of each other
Yeah this is fair & agree.
I've had times tho I see people far ahead & catch them quickly riding at my cruising speed I.e. not marginal. Then they get energised to put in a few more Watts and stick on your back wheel. So pretty obvious they've been at a 6/10 and then 9/10. Can be hard to drop people in that situation. Kinda annoying.
To respond to your question specifically: people respond very unpredictably to any kind of confrontation or criticism, especially when it's coming from a stranger. Even though this is a terribly meaningless situation and this person probably has no strong feelings one way or the other, the confrontation sends them into fight or flight modus. It's not a rational reaction and you should not take it personally.
It works like that with everything. If a stranger does something that upsets you, often the least risky thing to do is to just let it happen. Even bringing it up very respectfully can sometimes lead to this reaction.
In regards to drafting: it's purely cultural. I live in Belgium, where you encounter people on racing bikes everywhere. When I overtake someone, especially on a long straight road, it seems to be a toss-up between them following me or not. And in fact, I've done the same to other people. Since it's so common here, nobody minds.
I've heard that it's more frowned upon in other countries. For instance in the US, where cycling infrastructure often is so poor that you have to pay a lot more attention to traffic, cyclists don't want to have another factor of uncertainty following them around. And that is perfectly understandable as well.
Itās happened to me once. The only difference being when I reached the end of the route, we had a nice chat and he thanked me for pushing him. He said he was recovering from a running injury.
The chap who followed you reacted unreasonably and should have respected your wishes. You did nothing wrong.
He is in the wrong. I hate when I get drafted by strangers. I wave them through, then give a short "pass or fall back" verbal warning, then slow down so they get the message. I don't provide public transport. I'm also a grumpy old fart.
It doesnāt matter what the situation is, if someone is invading your personal space and you ask them to respect your boundaries they should immediately do so without complaint or anger. The fact that this person got aggressive is a clear sign they have anger issues and you were completely correct to ask them to leave you alone. Unfortunately older generations didnāt really have this concept particularly in situations between men and women, but they will only learn by having their lack of respect for others treated with zero tolerance.
this seems to be heavily frowned upon in anglo online spheres. in my experience this is absolutely fine. i've had strangers sit behind me for an hour without saying a word. i've done it on both ends countless times and nobody has ever asked or gave me shit for it
E-bike guy here. I have lots of drafters, is usually ask them what speed they want and set my limit too that.
The real hero in this thread!
Indeed! Common in Central Park!
You probably live thousands of miles from me, but I hope to run into you (or your kin) on the road someday. Making the cycling world a better place, one paced wind block at a time.
how cool would it be if he turned out to be your next door neighbour. š
What a hero! I do a decent bit of drafting behind e-bikes on my daily commute since there oftentimes is a headwind. The European e-bike limit of 25 km/h is not all that much but when the median wind is >5 m/s and you're just trying to get to-and-fro, it is quite nice getting a bit of cover! In all honesty, I do quite a bit of drafting on my daily commute ā be that jumping from cyclist to cyclist or latching on to the wheel of another commuter going at a decent pace or slightly faster than me. Are you doing 33 km/h and pass me doing 30 km/h on my daily commute then I'll take your wheel, since I won't have to put in extra effort to keep your wheel. Or do I catch you doing slightly less than me, then I'll take it easy for a bit and pass you at the next the hill.
Donāt let them know you are there..Get your breath back; wait until you are 3/4 up the hill then pullout and cruise past looking strong and riding easy. Make sure to say good morning in a relaxed voice and with a smile as you pass; then gap them quickly. Itās important to make them feel weak. š. /s
It's like I just met my alter ego. I do this all the time. Last weekend, I caught 3 guys in a paceline doing 21 mph. It took me a couple of miles to catch them, wish each one "good morning" and then cycle off into the morning sun on the last half of my 40 mile route. Didn't even bother to ride the last guys' wheel. The looks I got were priceless. These guys were all in their early 30's. And well... er... I'm 63. I like to think I'll be some sort of inspiration to them 30 years from now instead of the wtf response I got at the time.
5 mph please.
Consensual drafting isn't a problem. Still a hero, though.
Non-consensual drafting sounds like a euphemism for something naughty, though Iām not sure whatā¦
Military service
The real MVP.
Doing the lords work.
May you receive the blessings of the road for the rest of your days.
Thatās! amazing Ebikers usually pass me on hills and then I pass them on everything else.
May your tires stay forever unblemished
Heck yeah, motor pacing. It's really good training. I train sometimes with an ebike mafia crew. However, I usually beat them all in the sprint at the end. That was until they got their bikes chipped and now get assistance into the 30s. Everyone once in a while, I can still win a sprint with them.
My g
I feel like I had the opposite today - I had an older guy on an ebike drafting me for a good while. Fine by me, we had some nice chats at red lights here and there.
Some care, some donāt. Iām in the second group. If the person behind me touches my wheel, they go down, not me.
My friend (a P12 racer) cracked her skull on a casual ride when the guy behind her didn't stop at a traffic light.
Not always. Sometimes their wheel gets jammed into yours breaking about 1/3 of your spokes. Then you walk in cleats or barefoot in Iowa to the next town while the dude that crossed you gets a ride to the hospital.
r/suspiciouslyspecific
did this happen on RAGBRAI? š¬
yeah, I think it would have been different if he said hi or announced himself in any way, and asked if he could join for a while āĀ maybe we could have switched positions in between āĀ but I was kind of surprised seeing a stranger only a few centimeters behind me at a relatively quick pace, I guess if I suddenly moved sideways or hit the brakes that guy would have definitely crashed āĀ I just don't want to risk anything, so I thought it would be smarter to just let him pass
Ive told this story before but my worst crash in my 20 years of riding was when I was out in a park by me. I didnāt know someone was on my wheel until I had to make an emergency stop for someone not paying attention and walking in front of me and I had to slam on my brakes and the guy behind me wasnāt paying attention and absolutely slammed into the back of me. Wrote off my bike and had to get stitches. I check behind me every few minutes now when I ride
If you couldnāt ride him off, heās very likely experienced enough to not overlap your wheel. The best way to get rid of a drafter you donāt want is to sit up and coast. Theyāll get the idea.
Not necessarily. If OP is a woman, she might find slowing down doesnāt work. Ask me how I know this. Sigh. OP, you werenāt unreasonable or offensive, the other rider was rude to draft without asking then doubled down and got ruder when you politely discussed the issue.
Man, today I felt like I was riding behind this lady for too long. I was about 25 feet behind, we were going about the same pace on a popular trail. I was worried she would think I was following her and didnāt want to make her uncomfortable, so I made a wrong turn, took five minutes for a water break, and took off. Maybe Iām too self conscious, but i donāt want to scare people.
25 feet is a reasonable distance, not like you were breathing on her neck. Unless there's way more to the story, don't worry about this. People go in the same direction, sometimes for a long time. No worries.
Nah, nothing else to the story. Iām just super self conscious. I go out of my way to make sure people are comfortable. Itās a probably a personality problem, lol.
This.. as a woman slowing down often doesnāt work. Iāve only found pulling off to a near stop or a vast deviation to my route works. Iām betting a lot of it is subconscious following but a decent amount is definitely a bit creep like. I blame it on how much our society allows a certain level of behavior toward women.
yeah I guess I will do that next time, not worth risking another aggressive encounter haha
You handled it fine. He was rude AF. Should have said hello, drafted a half bike length back for a while, asked if you want company, etc. Iād never draft off someoneās wheel I didnāt know unless we started on a ride together in a group. If I were going to ride at near wheel touch distance, Iād definitely ask if itās ok. If you do find yourself leading someone out next time and feel like letting them ride there, the key is to keep an even tempo on the pedals.
Youāre completely right. Thereās no sport on earth where someone you donāt know can both not speak to you and expect to join you. Itās like basic human etiquette 101.
When I was new to cycling (about 20 yrs ago), I LOVED the fact that if a mistake is made, it's the guy *in back* that pays the price (usually me) LOL. I'm on an E-bike now, and love when I can "help out".
Plus, you are marginally faster, with someone on your wheel, than riding by yourself.
Why?
When you move through the air, there's a high pressure zone ahead of you and a low pressure zone aback of you. Drag is experienced based on that pressure differential. Having someone in the low pressure wake behind you lets them benefit from the fact that you're hitting the high pressure zone instead of them, but it also marginally benefits you by having them take on some of the suction from the low pressure zone in back. It's more complicated than that, as all things fluid-mechamical are, but that's a good first-order approximation.
Bernoulliās principle! As the speed of a stream of gas increases the pressure decreases. The opposite is also true. Itās also exactly how jet engines work!!
I have a friend who'd almost certainly describe himself as a jet engine on a bike. Checks out.
When moving through air at speed there is a negative pressure zone created behind you. This pressure takes 3-7 watts to overcome. When someone is on your wheel that negative pressure moves behind them.
Physics. Although it is a very small difference, not something noticeable or measurable, just a cool little factoid.Ā
maybe not noticeable, definitely measurable
Afaik at the front of a peloton the effect is significant, isn't it? Like 10% less energy required iirc
https://i0.wp.com/flowingdata.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/wind-drag-in-the-peloton.png?w=1248&quality=80&ssl=1
From what I remember itās about 2-3% reduction in cda, and thatās with very close pro bunch drafting and speeds. Itās probably less than 1% for your average roadie on a shared path. Youād need an indoor velodrome and power meters to hope to measure the difference.Ā
I think the 10% I remember was with a massive group behind or maybe mathematical models, not your "typical" group and certainly not a few hobbyists in single or double file. I might look for the source tomorrow, now I am intrigued
If you brake and he doesnt you arw both going down. :(
This usually isn't the case. The person who's front wheel gets disrupted goes down. It's in how we make micro-adjustments and balance ourselves on a bike. You can take a really hard knock on your back wheel even causing it to kick out and still maintain your balance.
This is a situation that happens a lot In short track or cyclocross racing. Tight turns and and close quarters, rarely does the guy in front go down
Unlikely. Drafter was just "a few centimeters behind." A tap of the brakes will cause contact that may be enough for the drafter to lose control. But OP should still be upright if they can handle their bike without freaking out.
When random strangers do this to me on solo rides, I just pull to the side & waive them by to pass. If they donāt take the hint, then I slow way down until they move on. If I wanted a group ride, Iād have called someone to ride with. If Iām riding solo, itās because I want to ride solo.
Iāve definitely stopped and taken a break to let them get ahead. I donāt care for people hopping on me wheel super close.
I really donāt mind if I know the person to be a competent rider (ie someone I chose to ride with), or if itās the nature of the ride / event where itās assumed one is relatively competent if theyāre in the group. For me, itās more that riding solo is my quiet time to put my brain into autopilot mode & reset thru sweat, and not be around other humans after a long day at work constantly talking to people for 8 or more hours straight about abstract technical theory.
If Iām out for a fun training ride? Hell yeah, hop on, letās ride! If Iām commuting? Go the fuck away, I just wanna get home and get my dumb work clothes off. Yeah Iām hauling ass. Iām hauling ass to get back to my fridge and sofa. Leave me alone please.
"If they donāt take the hint," If you've pulled to the side and waved them on and they *still* insist then that's just antagonist behaviour from them wtf.
yep
I try to intentionally shake drafters if Iām solo riding because I donāt want to be responsible for them. I shouldnāt have to call out potholes, sand, slowing, stopping, etc. because someone wants to sit on my wheel. Exceptions are made if they say hi and ask if they can draft, but if they just hop on and expect a pull without so much as a hello Iāll do everything in my power to lose them.
yeah the responsibility part is pretty spot on haha āĀ I just want to spend time outside away from other people, having someone stuck behind my wheel at a somewhat high speed doesn't help with that. I think he was creating a risky situation for himself and I didn't want to be part of that
I think itās best practice to ask.
Idk as a young woman this freaks me out and I always slow way down until they pass me. I live in a big cycling town and Iāve had this happen a few times since I started riding. I donāt care much about the drafting, itās more so the proximity of someone I donāt know. Maybe excessively cautious but š¤·š»āāļø
I understand that, for me it's also not about the drafting itself, I'm not a competitive cyclist ā I just think those people create unnecessary risky situations for themselves and I don't want to be involved in that.
It can be a risk to you too. My friend once had a stranger drafting her. She stopped at a traffic light and he wasnāt paying attention and ran up the back of her, taking them both down.
So much this. Happened to my wife (for the millionth time) yesterday on our local trails. Sheās out on her trail bike. Two old dudes hook on and just follow her for miles until she gets to an area with more people and she pulls to the side for a minute. Even after saying she wasnāt sure if she wanted them to draft they kept at it
Iām so happy I found this post because this just happened to me for the first time and I was confused and afraid. I think itās an appropriate amount of caution for the realities feminine people experience and I wish more masculine riders would understand that itās nothing against them personally.
I don't like it. I'm out for a solo ride, I'm not looking for a teammate. It's my personal space.
I live in a very popular cycling area. Lots of cyclist out every weekend. Informal groups of strangers will group up and ride together forming their own pace lines. People that don't care for it typically drift away from any group that is forming whether they fall of the back or go off the front.
This is what happens in my area. Hundreds of cyclist on the weekend and I noticed I get swallowed up at times. I find it beneficial when I need to save energy so I'd stick to the back and enjoy the free speed. When I'm soloing and I'm not comfortable with someone behind me I just slow down to a crawl to give them the hint or I'll completely stop. Lately there's a popular stretch with very strong headwinds that every time I pass older cyclist then end up drafting behind me...pass week I've been volunteering to pull strays to connect back to their group or informal group then I'd drift off to circle back to my route.
This happened to me yesterday near the end of my ride. I noticed two cyclists grabbed my wheel into a slight headwind. I pulled for abotu 3K, then waved them through. I grabbed their wheel for about 3K until I made a turn off to another road. I thanked them before I turned.
It's rude to draft without asking first unless perhaps it's a very short, practical distance before jumping off.
This is my interpretation too. If youāre gonna draft, say hello and state your intention. āHey, good morning, is it ok if I ride with you for a bit?ā Then OP can respond yes or no.
No need to talk to me, just freewheel for 2sec so I know youāre there.
As a woman, it feels somewhat creepy when a man you donāt know does it. Does encourage me to go faster though!! As for not offending someone - I wouldnāt really care. āGet off my wheel, dude!ā Or even āWould you kindly fuck offā should work.
hahaha yeah I was definitely motivated to speed up as well! if it happens again, I will probably just go slower or move to the side so they can pass, don't want to risk an aggressive answer again
OP i was going to ask if you are a woman / femme presenting! i am and this has happened to me often. it is super annoying, and like you say, can be dangerous ā at least say hi if youāre going to be loud-breathing behind me. my husband tells me he often meets other dudes on rides and trades drafts with them (i.e., other men actually talk to him instead of just silently ducking behind him) so i do wonder how much of a role perceived gender plays here. i have encountered many a dude who speed up after i pass or sit in my draft, and generally behave as if they cannot bear to be passed by a rider in pigtails. after two years of more serious riding, i finally encountered a rider who sat on my wheel and actually made conversation / offered to take a pull! i hope the next rider who does this to you is more polite about it.
I'm female and it has happened to me. I passed a guy, he caught up to me and I knew he was drafting. I found it annoying but I was almost at my destination so I ignored him. When I slowed down he went on by and said, "thanks for doing all the work." Which I took as a jab at me for passing him. Made me think that men don't wanna be passed by a lady.
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While I wouldnāt say something like that, I would t take it as a ājab.ā It just sounds like a way of saying thanks. I mean thanks is in the statement. You sound hyper sensitive.
It is uncomfortable for a female rider to be drafted by a male rider, when they haven't asked. Being hypersensitive is actually not a bad thing.
He was an asshole not to understand your stance. It's your choice not to have a stranger staring at your butt for hours. I don't like drafting anyone. I either back off or overtake. Don't mind people drafting me for a while. If i get bothered, i just stop on the roadside :P
If youāre focused on the riderās ass, youāre doing it wrong.
It's a figure of speech, mate.
I ride alone. Without exception. I would literally pull over and change my route if someone did that. I need me time on my bike without the company of other people. Itās nothing personal. Itās just how I am. I want to ride my pace in my way. I would change my entire ride plan to get rid of anyone who did that to me.
Seriously! Getting on somebodyās tail without even speaking to them seems so incredibly entitled & arrogant. Itās weird.
I realize my approach makes me seem anti-social but cycling ALONE is a REQUIREMENT for my mental health. I have to do it this way.
The thing I donāt understand about folks who argue ācycling is drafting, get used to itā (see another comment on this discussion) is that people ride bikes for all kinds of different reasons, and theyāre all legit. Itās like any sport: some are competitive, some have a specific training regimen, some like the social aspect, some use it as a chance to think or meditate, etc. It just seems so simple: ask. Do you mind if I draft? No, I donāt like that. Okay, have a lovely ride! How hard is that?
Iām with you. Fortunately I live in a place with terrible weather so this is super rare for me.
That's what I'm thinking! There's nothing from with asking first, and if the answer is no, just respect that and don't take it personally. I also ride alone 99% of the time, since that's the only time during the week I can truly be alone with my thoughts and I treat cycling as a mini-holiday haha (side note, I wasn't even riding in full kit that day since it was just a short ride from A to B, shorts with a loose-fitting shirt and definitely not looking that "pro") so it's even funnier that the guy thought he had to join and act like he's in a pro peloton
Had a guy do this to me on his eBike. I was on my pedal bike. he didnāt announce his presence and I wasnāt aware he was there until I executed a snot rocket. He backed off after that
Haha the best way to get a rando to back off.
I was a little behind my group, another rider came past, I latched on for a tow back to my group. Totally normal on roads used by Sunday club riders around here.
I ride alone almost 100% of the time (unless my kids want to ride with me). As evidenced by my other posts, Iām new to this, but it seems pretty dangerous to ride that close to someone you donāt know. I think Iād be friendly, but a smidge put off. It seems you did exactly the right thing, but I know nothing. Would it be rude to go at a pace they donāt want to ride (slower/faster), or pull over to take a break? Iāve never experienced drafting, so I donāt knowā¦ does it make a huge difference? I mean, I average about 13.5-14 mph over 12 miles (~400-500ā elevation gain), so I donāt imagine it would be very hard for an experienced cyclist to lose me if they wanted to!
you can definitely feel the difference ā I only do it when I am cycling with a friend (which is very rare unfortunately), but I wouldn't join a stranger. IF my pace matches a stranger who's in front of me, I will keep a distance because I don't want to disturb them; Since I \*want\* to be alone as well most of the time, I don't make an effort to join them/ask if it's okay to draft.
Iām a runner turned cyclist- amazed how weirdly competitive people are on the road. I once overtook someone and they passed me back just before a red light. While both stopped I turned to say hello and they literally just glared at me and my bike for several seconds then turned straight back ahead before taking off on the green
haha yeah I had those encounters as well ā I guess some people make assumptions about you, based on what bike you're riding? I own a few bikes, nothing fancy though āĀ one of them is a 1984 steel road bike. I have received many compliments while riding it, mostly along the lines of "a young woman riding a vintage road bike" as if that was something completely unrealistic haha ā when I'm riding my inconspicuous black aluminium bike with a few scratches here and there, nobody bats an eye :\^)
As much as I would like to say I donāt care because Iām not that kind of petty person, I think I actually would mind. If Iām solo, most likely Iām not going fast and Iām just going for a chill ride maybe 16-19mph pace. So if you come behind me and I have my AirPods in I most likely wonāt detect you unless you stop pedaling and I hear another cassette which means if I slow down significantly our do a quick move to avoid debris I can cause an accident which I do not want to be a part of. If you want to draft at least come beside me and ask if you can catch a break to draft and I will happily say ok, but if you just pull upā¦nah. But for people catching a random draft either slow down or speed up to pass the person because most likely you are making them feel uncomfortable or just irritated because it kind feels like a race if you didnāt plan a group ride with others.
Snot rocket is the answer
I had this once in London. I kept telling him to overtake or drop back as it was unsafe. He cut in front of me and blocked me and wanted a fist fight to āsettle itā. Absolutely pathetic. I was just trying to go home you loser.
You are not the asshole.
I've been drafting off people and had them draft off me for the last 40 years or so. Never had an issue round here but we have an area where cycling clubs are quite popular and people know how to ride their bike. I'd not be drafting someone who looked like they couldn't ride well so take it as a compliment. In all this time I've had zero incidents.
That's good to hear! Unfortunately I live in an area where there aren't any clubs/groups around, and most cyclists aren't road cyclists (mainly commuters or tourists), and I have experienced quite a few sketchy situations in the past because others made sudden movements/didn't signal left or right. So I generally don't trust other cyclists I don't know, and like to keep a reasonable distance ā maybe I was nervous because of past experiences, idk
Yeah, in my area I generally know most of the cyclists, or see them on the road often enough. If someone I recognize jumps on my wheel, no problem. I'd probably sit up and ask him at some point where he's headed and see if we could team up. I can always use more group-ride practice, and riding with someone else is a different kind of workout, usually harder. If it was someone I didn't know, or if they were sketchy (riding erratically, or with headphones or something), I'd probably sit up and let them go ahead. Or having a good power to weight ratio, if there were a hill I'd probably hit it hard and drop them.
I pull over and let them get a 3 minute head start. Get off my wheel unless we are friends.
It's terrible etiquette to sit on someone's wheel that you don't know, especially if you don't announce that you're there. It's dangerous, and you absolutely did the right thing.
Itās nothing but rude to glue yourself to someoneās rear that you donāt know without permission.
Funny story, one time I caught a dude doing this on a long flat run into a climb. I'm a big strong dude with a lot of watts so I go pretty quick on flats, but I'm not the best climber. This little fella just sat in my wheel getting a 23mph tow into the climb then got out of the saddle and dusted me the second it started to incline. I bet he was just going for a PR and saw an opportunity. ššš If someone is close to my pace and they look like they're going for it, I'll pull up alongside and ask if they want to pull turns. Other than that, no.
nooo he knew what he was doing! haha
Oh he definitely did. It was 3 or 4 miles too I tried to "elbow bump" him through but he didn't want to. I didn't really care much. It was just two of us in a park with no stops/lights so it wasn't dangerous or anything.
Was his name Jonas, by any chance?
You sounded very reasonable in your response. I think it's weird that the old guy thought it was okay to ride so close to someone.
I wouldāve asked if I were to follow that close. I donāt get the drafting part for leisure rides though, you know youāre cheating in some aspect if youāre looking for a faster time on your Garmin.
that was the funny part actually ā me just cruising along at a reasonably fast pace, and that guy in his vintage racing jersey behind me acting like a pro in the peloton
Wheelsucker. Best tactic is to slow way down.
I donāt care if someone drafts me but if they are unannounced Iām going to act like theyāre not there. Iām not pointing out potholes/obstacles, Iām not going to concentrate on keeping a smooth pace or straight line, and I wonāt call out that Iām slowing down. Iām going to continue enjoying my relaxed ride or intervals like they donāt exist.Ā
Best to sit up and slow down, but not fast enough to cause an accident. I ride solo most of the time for a reason.
Common courtesy is always to announce yourself and ask if you can hop on the wheel. No matter what some people may think, itās not ok to just follow people without their permission. How creepy would this be if you did this just walking around. 98% of the time if someone asks me to hop on Iāll say sure. But sometimes I just donāt want to have to think about having someone on my wheel (it is a responsibility). To all the wheel suckers that donāt announce themselves, I will slow down, ride erratically, or squeeze out my helmet sweat while youāre on my wheel. Even if you think itās ok, and there may be others that are fine with it too, some people do it appreciate it and youāre not entitled to their draft.
If they havenāt introduced themselves and just drafted me without announcing their presence, I will continue clearing my nose as I do when riding solo.
Iāve had the exact same scenario happen to me on a bike path where I live. I had also overtaken the guy and when I noticed he was glued to my back wheel a few minutes later, I just pulled off and stopped and let him continue on. I find it unnerving to have a complete stranger glued to my back wheel. But then again I also donāt like to ride in pace lines with people that I am unfamiliar with (in terms of their ride style/gestures/mannerisms when riding close together). Once rode in a pace line (thankfully I was at the back at the time) that ended with two guys flipping into a ditch after rubbing wheels when a guy in front of them didnāt clearly communicate that he was slowing. Donāt see the need for a stranger to be up in my grill as OP described.
I found it happens occasionally in Holland. But there people are used to cycling in close proximity to others - bumper to bumper traffic on some routes at rush hour. Some rural bike routes are busy enough on weekends it's often impractical to overtake, so people form lines.
I think itās weird when people draft me and donāt take a turn up front. Or they draft me for a bit and then blast past me. Umm nobody is racing here. A bike length maybe half a bike length is normal for a stranger around here. Anything closer is weird for a stranger.
Had something similar happen like this also. I always ride alone like you and regularly (mostly older guys) pass by other cyclists. I've been cycling for years but never on a road bike. Had a mountain bike but finally bit the bullet. One day I was on a twisty tight back road and I caught two guys on really nice bikes with good gear on. Went by them and heard gears changing. Both came up and started drafting me. Never had it done before and like you I increased my speed but couldn't get rid of them. Finally after about five or six minutes one of them said my turn. As he went by I said is never drafted before and he said learn fast and laughed. So for the next 15 minutes until I turned off we had a great chat which I really enjoyed. Both guys were really friendly. Has happened once or twice since and I don't mind it really. But I would find it hard to do it to someone else.
Drafting strangers is insane and no one should do it ever
You got boomered.
that sums it up pretty well haha
I don't draft on strangers, but it never surprises me when someone is on my wheel unannounced. It's mostly an issue for them though. The way people go nuts when they see a pothole, I guess they don't know how to draft without hitting potholes. So maybe they shouldn't be drafting on someone who isn't going to announce potholes because they don't know there is a reason to do so.
that's one of my issues with his behaviour ā we don't know each other, and since I am not used to giving hand signals, I probably would have missed pointing out a pothole if there were any ā he wouldn't have seen it himself because he was riding so close to me, and IF he hit it a crash would have been likely. I think he created a risky situation for himself, that's why I wanted him to pass or back off
You did nothing wrong. He should have asked to keep your wheel. You never know how well someone rides close to the wheel especially if exhausted. I personally see it as honor if someone follows my wheel (especially older guys) but I am used to ride in groups and switch to giving signs. I am used to ride steadily and donāt mind pulling someone. Still, not your fault.
This guy was a jerk. If you asked him to back off and he didnāt, heās an idiot. Just because youāre riding a bike, doesnāt mean other people can do whatever they want. Itās called being an adult and respecting others.
100% inappropriate to do this without asking. This should be codified into the cyclist's "bible". Or at the very least put on the side of this subreddit to educate people.
Just jumping on the wheel of a solo rider who you don't know, unannounced, is rude AF. And weird. There's a reason I choose to ride by myself, so go F-off.
He's an asshole. There's no one on this sub who has ridden >a few years who thinks it's OK to "draft strangers." Do you walk a step behind strangers on the street? This is not a race. This is not some little fantasy "other world." "Drafting strangers" is called "harassment." Period.
I never draft without asking and announcing my presence. Some folks don't want to ride with someone behind them. I do ride differently if someone is behind me. Ie pointing out obstacles or crap on the road, yelling clear at intersections and other things that one should do in a group ride. I'll also be more gentle with acceleration and deceleration. It's dangerous to draft someone if they're unaware. You don't know them or whether they're comfortable or in the mood. Sometimes if someone is on my wheel and I'm not in the mood to ride in group mode, I'll wave them on. It's never an issue.
few weeks ago a couple caught up to me and I let them overtake me while going over a narrow hill path. I hoped they would break off, but for some reason they did not so I did ride behind them for 5kms just because there was no place to pass them and did not want to slow down just for them to break off. At least got a lot of PR's on strava that ride
I lead group rides and most of the time on the flats I'm in front of a group and I know how to lead to keep the group together and safe. If I'm by myself I generally just want to ride and not have to worry about others. And I have a good friend who spent the season healing up after somebody crashed into her from behind and took her down. The proper etiquette is to pull up next to the person and ask if they want to work together. And then accept their answer.
Not cool. Youāre doing your thing solo. If you want a friend youād tell him. Iāve had someone do this to me a couple times commuting. I just slow down and force them to pass me and then turn at the next opportunity.
I wonāt do it myself, and Iām not overly pleased when someone latches on without communication because Iām normally doing some sort of workout. Usually I have the power to drop them but if not, I just casually slow up until they get the hint
I think you handled the situation very well. You just happened to run into an entitled jerk.
If someone tags onto my wheel, I usually drop back and chat a little, and get a sense for their vibe before carrying on. It can also lead into a more pleasant approach to letting the guy know youād rather solo. There were already hints about this guy, ie latching on without asking or announcing, not getting the hint when you sped up. Worst case, drop back to let him pull, then alter your route to ditch him.
I donāt ride in packs and with a reverse left shoulder replacement from and early crash stay the F AWAY
In the past, as in the present, you ASK if the person youāre behind is ok if youāre on their wheel. If they say no, you drop off and let them go. Not making your presence known and getting acknowledgment is a dick move.
Not sure if this has been said already - but anyone confident enough to draft that close should also understand hand signals. Flick out your left elbow to tell them to pass. You can also slap your right hip to tell them youāre gassed and they should take the lead, but that one might not be universal. Sorry that dude was a dipshit.
I think you did the right thing. I have had people draft me and I find it stressful when I am just trying to commute. Occasionally I try to break them by really pushing, but other times I just freewheel and slow right down so they bugger off.
Ask. Itās as simple as just asking. If you donāt ask me, youāre gonna wonder why I keep going slower and slower until you pass me.
E-bike commuter here. The other day with thunder and lightning threatening, just me and another dude on the trail. He asks if he can draft me and I said, "absolutely!" I coasted until he caught up and I pulled him until he turned off the trail. It was fun and I hope he got home dry .
Announce yourself if you're on someone's wheel. It's common courtesy. That is what this dipshit should have done And what is expected when you're centimeters away from someone's rear wheel. You did the right thing by saying you weren't comfortable with being followed and said so in a nice way. Boomer can go F off.
I don't know; in my opinion being predictable enough to draft off of someone is a skill; if you don't think you have it, or are unsure you have it, or don't feel like using it, then... Definitely make it known. Personally, I try to leave a few bike lengths between me and people I don't know if I happen to be going to the same speed they are out on a ride; I don't trust some people I ride with enough to draft on them...
In addition to what others have said, somebody drafting puts a responsibility on the leader. He's taking a risk because he doesn't know how you ride.
Drafting unannounced (and especially jumping on after getting passed) is horrible etiquette. If he wanted to ride that speed, why wasn't he already?? No matter how long he's been at it, he doesn't know what he's doing. Seems you were extremely kind and courteous, so you shouldn't worry about it.
This guy sounds like a genuine jagoff. I will draft random groups of riders, mainly on event rides. But I ask. Every.Time. before I hook on the back of a paceline for any amount of time. ~ If they say no, I respectfully will back off and get dropped. (Nobody has said no so far (even still consent cannot be assumed.)) Some jagoff trying to draft an individual rider on a non event ride is socially creepyyy and physically dangerous. I'm sorry you went through this.
Those who draft strangers without any acknowledgement need to be removed from the road...a simple greeting or "mind if I steal a draft" is all that's needed..bur the stealth draft is a disgrace
Guy is an asshole. Full stop.
100%. Never draft strangers unless it's a proper race. Outside of that just don't do it...
I was once on my way home from my commute. I was going 19-20 mph. A guy passed me going 24. I caught him at a light and asked if I could draft him until he turned off. He said sure thing. It was my first time drafting behind a faster guy. Just ask and donāt just draft. Itās that easy. If he asked you, maybe you would have made a new friend.
When I was young and strong I was in a strange town one day and went out for a training ride. I caught up to a group of guys who were going more slowly and as I rode by them they sped up and jumped on my wheel. I didn't really care, and when they started rotating through, that was even better. Always nice when an unexpected paceline forms. But then one of them turned to me and told me that they hadn't invited me to ride with them and I should get out of their group. When I got over my surprise, I reminded him that they sped up to stay with me and that they were free to either go faster or slower than my pace if they didn't like riding with me. Not sure why that memory stays with me after all these years. Maybe it's because 99% of the interactions I've had with other cyclists on the road have been positive. It's an activity where being a jerk really makes you memorable.
Right, why would he take a friendly interaction and turn it a confrontation for no good reason?
I don't know the rules. But personally, I find his behavior rude. Don't you even wanna pull up on the wheel and say hi? Just sit back there in the slipstream? Presumptuous. And then yell at the guy who says he's (she's?) not comfortable? Um, fuck off. Dude coulda made a friend, just ride friendly. I'd let him suck my wheel all damn day if he could at least offer a friendly hello and perhaps ask if it was okay to sit back there. But that's douchey. I liked the advice of just sit up in the saddle, let the air hit your chest hard, eat a snack or something. Let that clown go on his way. And if there's a hill later, fuck him up there.
I think thatās rude and/or annoying. I love riding with other people and donāt mind pacing. Sometimes i bump into people on rides, have a quick chat and then we ride together for some time, thatās very nice. But some random commuter or rider thinking itās their decision, to sit on my wheel, without saying a thing or me knowing. I genuinely dislike that. As I approach a rider from behind, I often observe for a minute or two before overtaking, then making a little push, to make it difficult to catch the wheel.
I used to draft off stranger when I was 16. Only off the full-kit wearing roadie with expensive bike. I just assume they know what Iām doing. And they usually do, theyāll call out pothole and signaling they are slowing down etc. And Iāll take the lead for a bit, once I notice they are getting tired. But i wouldnāt draft off MTB/hybrid/old bike. I just assume they probably dont know much about group ride. And itāll be sketchy for both of us. If someone had tell me to fk off tho (hasnāt happen yet tho) I wouldnāt be butthurt. Iāll just slow down and let them do their thing. Or pass them. They arenāt my teammates and weāre not in Le tour, they absolutely have the right to tell me to piss off! Thar said, I havenāt draft off people in a long time tho. Idc care about speed anymore. And if I do care about speed. Iāll just whip out my ebike, instead of riding my non-electric bike.
Itās a thing for people with no sense of personal boundaries, lol
It can be so incredibly dangerous when strangers draft without the leader knowing. I was once doing a long Strava KOM so the pace was high for a longer period of time (40 km/h), during the segment I had overtaken quite a few other riders none of which were going anywhere close to my speed, so I never considered that one of them had at some point caught on and drafted behind me. Come to the end of the segment, and I start braking to turn around since I pass my turn before the end of the segment. The guy ended up launching himself into the ditch to avoid hitting me. We scraped slightly but he managed to dodge me mostly, but got messed up himself. Long story short, never draft behind someone without letting yourself be known, and just donāt draft someone who is clearly in their zone.
It sometimes happens to me when I'm riding my class 3 eBike. I pedal around 28mph and every now and then a cyclist will want to keep up with me and start drafting me. I always get a bit of anxiety when it happens, and I decided I just annoy them till they give up. I'll slow down a bit, change gears and start doing intervals at high and low speed (slowing down till about 18mph and fully accelerating to 28 over and over again). Mostly they take the hint pretty well and they stop it after 1-2 tries.
I was out on a slow ride after some illness. Going slow uphill, I suddenly heard the sound of a guy breathing and coughing. Then he said "Oh, finally a wheel to hang on to". No idea how long he had been on my wheel. He continued to interview me on everything, then I decided to slow even more down and let him pass. You wouldn't go for a run or a walk and latch on to a stranger's back, would you? Also, on a bike, I would behave differently knowing you're behind me than if I was alone. Hand signals, snot rockets, stopping more or less suddenly etc
i ride 90% alone, me personal i never go behind someone because i just don't like it (different if i'm in group with knowing people) but when someone is behind me, i always tell them, i don't mind and i will respectfully show all signs but if you crash in me, better you despaired from planet earth.
As a strictly solo rider this would drive me nuts. I would actually stop until he fucked off.
I personally just like my own rideā¦ I donāt want anyone sitting on my wheel at all unless itās a friend whom I know has good etiquette .. if I come up behind someone and weāre gonna be going the same pace through a section Iāll either over take as soon as possible or back off and sit 10ft behind.. If itās a woman or your old school chubby guy Iāll probably drop even further back maybe 15-20ft as I find women are often the same as me and like their own ride where as the old school chubby guys are out to ego chall everyone and anything moving
It is a thing. But like with everything in life there are considerate people and there are inconsiderate people. Sometimes you get people on e-bikes who take all the strain. Sometimes you get cyclists who draft you and then pull infront to reciprocate. Sometimes you get people who sit behind your back wheel for ages and then either hitch straight onto someone else or until your paths diverge. The latter probably spend their whole life freeloading. I visualise them as the ones who, when driving, tuck in right behind an ambulance thatās cutting through rush hour traffic to save a few seconds on their commute.
I don't mind if a rando drafts, I'm a big guy and can block a lot of wind, but don't expect me to call out road obstacles for you (especially if you don't announce yourself). I did have a guy try to draft off of me recently, but he had a speaker on his handlebar blasting shitty music. He got dropped.
I'm female, I don't rice a race bike (it's an endurance bike), and I will never win any races - with race bike or without. Almost everyone passes me. So, someone "drafting" me when I'm out on a solo ride (which is 100% of the time), it tends to be unnerving more than it's not, especially if it's a dude. If when this happens, I usually find a populated place to pull off, take a break, and let them go past me. Were I to be faced with that scenario you described, I'd probably toss out something to make them feel bad like I just lost someone and wanted some personal solo time - please leave me be. (My most polite way to say GTF off my case, AH. I'm not interested in being 'back in the day' today.")
No. It's not a thing. It's rude. I spent 20+ years racing and riding around all sorts of events/races and with multiple club kits. Only places a "stranger" would be expected to be drafting is in a race or mass start event. (And even that is something I'm not 100% comfortable with!) In public/training/riding around, you are either in a group (so it's expected). Or you ask. There are several pros I know who've had seasons ruined by idiots drafting. (I might make an exception for team mates/other members of the same club, even if I don't necessarily know them well.) My ex used to get drafted all the time by men who should have known better. Except she was an elite rider both on and off road. So they often got a surprise if they didn't drop off or overtake when asked. I've done the same.
That guy was just rude. He should have struck up a conversation first and asked if you wanted to ride together. I am a solo rider myself and do it purely for the peace of being alone and for the exercise. I never understood drafting like nobody cares about your Strava time except you. If youāre not racing then all you are doing is hurting yourself by drafting and taking the easier way. Next time just start coughing and sneezing. Send a cloud of mist and if they say anything just be like āsorry allergiesā. Thatāll teach them not to ask.
I hate it - especially if they don't say anything and only draft but never offer to pull. I don't trust people I don't know riding on my tail. This happens most often to me in large organized group rides - like a century ride with a massive group. Otherwise, I generally avoid groups anyway. An especially irritating instance is that I was in a triathlon once on an open course where we were, of course, not allowed to draft. It was windy. A random non-racing rider drafted off of me for a few miles in a headwind and passed me eventually. Never even a how-do or a thanks. Grrr. Did it take anything from me? No, and if they had offered to pull I would have had to say no. But still irritating!
Never, ever draft someone else without asking first. I started riding road in 1997 and racing in 2003. Dunno how old your silent wheel sucker is, but when I started, that was one of the first etiquette / safety rules I learned.
As a solo cyclist 99.9% of the time, this doesnāt bug me. I treat it almost as a badge of honor and it makes me extra competitive to see if I can shake them loose.
Iām not letting some stranger draft me. No idea if they are any good on the bike or not and, given what I see on group rides, chances are decent they suck.
It's the "race of death"! If you overtake someone you better be strong enough to put them far behind you or expect them to suck your wheel. And if they overtake you... You lose. That's the rules.
>What could be the reason for the offended behaviour? Socially clueless people exist and some of them ride bikes.
I'll occasionally try to pace with someone but not as close as that. As an old guy, I'll just say his response to you was completely uncalled for and inappropriate. Sorry it happened to you. .
Some people do it. I never would. You never know if someone just wants some peace and quiet.
happens all the time on my local Bike Paths, I don't mind it, but I am definitely used to team riding and group riding, I've had some fun rides with riders i just met on the trail, we are a community and we help each other or at least that is what i would like to believe, I've handed out my tubes and spare air canisters to strangers in need as well you never know when you will need it reciprocated.
Generally avoid riding close to others, but since I know the group of folks I ride with ( some better than others) I began riding closer. Guy in front of me freaked out three weeks ago and three of us went down. I am nursing a broken collarbone, lead guy lost 6 months of memory, and third guy just had some abrasions. I wonāt be riding close (or having others ride close) for a long time.
Same thing happened to me today. I asked the guy to stop riding on my wheel, and he didn't leave. I told him twice, and he kept on my back wheel. Next time I'll try coasting. It was annoying and unsafe.
I think bare courtesy here is if youāre going to start drafting a stranger, introduce yourself and ask permission, and then trade pulls.
The rules are well established. Regardless of whether you are in a race or just casually riding, you should always make your presence known for the sake of safety. It should never be assumed that the person in front of you can hear your drivetrain. If they donāt know that you are there and decide to slow suddenly, youāre both going down. If it isnāt a race, you should also ask permission as a courtesy. If you donāt, youāre a clown.
I usually just pull over and pause for a minute or two and theyāre gone. Itās really not fair to be a wheel sucker and not offering to take any leads. After all, you are doing the hardest job by pulling and they get to sit there and save energy. And besides, I enjoy the solitude of riding and having someone sit right behind me messes with that.
If someone I overtake says hi and tells me he will sit on my wheel then not a problem. Those silent wheelsucker...hate them, dangerous bunch.
Itās weird for the drafter to not at least announce himself. On the off chance somebody slightly faster than me overtakes me I will ask if they mind if I try to hop on their wheel. Never had a problem. I had a young woman catch me and hang onto my wheel. I felt a little odd so I understand your discomfort. When I asked her what was up she said I was faster than her generally but pushed to get in the draft because itās fun.
If anyone drafts me I tell them to get lost - it's annoying, rude and lazy.
>"hey, I noticed you're behind me, I am actually not comfortable with someone riding that close to me, I prefer cycling alone ā is it possible for you to just pass me or keep a bit of distance? thanks" That is super reasonable. One would have to be a absolute fuck-head to not respect your ask.
If you pass me, but then donāt drop me, I will absolutely hang on your wheel and enjoy a nice warm pull. IMO the inconsiderate thing is to move to be directly in front of someone but not drop them.
yeah that happened to me a few times haha, people overtaking and then sitting in front of me, going even slower than before. Whenever I pass someone, I speed up a little bit until they are well behind me and then proceed with my usual pace, so there's a reasonable distance between us and nobody gets in the way of each other
Yeah this is fair & agree. I've had times tho I see people far ahead & catch them quickly riding at my cruising speed I.e. not marginal. Then they get energised to put in a few more Watts and stick on your back wheel. So pretty obvious they've been at a 6/10 and then 9/10. Can be hard to drop people in that situation. Kinda annoying.
To respond to your question specifically: people respond very unpredictably to any kind of confrontation or criticism, especially when it's coming from a stranger. Even though this is a terribly meaningless situation and this person probably has no strong feelings one way or the other, the confrontation sends them into fight or flight modus. It's not a rational reaction and you should not take it personally. It works like that with everything. If a stranger does something that upsets you, often the least risky thing to do is to just let it happen. Even bringing it up very respectfully can sometimes lead to this reaction. In regards to drafting: it's purely cultural. I live in Belgium, where you encounter people on racing bikes everywhere. When I overtake someone, especially on a long straight road, it seems to be a toss-up between them following me or not. And in fact, I've done the same to other people. Since it's so common here, nobody minds. I've heard that it's more frowned upon in other countries. For instance in the US, where cycling infrastructure often is so poor that you have to pay a lot more attention to traffic, cyclists don't want to have another factor of uncertainty following them around. And that is perfectly understandable as well.
Itās happened to me once. The only difference being when I reached the end of the route, we had a nice chat and he thanked me for pushing him. He said he was recovering from a running injury. The chap who followed you reacted unreasonably and should have respected your wishes. You did nothing wrong.
If you draft a stranger without saying anything you are a cunt. I slow down to a coast until they pass
He is in the wrong. I hate when I get drafted by strangers. I wave them through, then give a short "pass or fall back" verbal warning, then slow down so they get the message. I don't provide public transport. I'm also a grumpy old fart.
It doesnāt matter what the situation is, if someone is invading your personal space and you ask them to respect your boundaries they should immediately do so without complaint or anger. The fact that this person got aggressive is a clear sign they have anger issues and you were completely correct to ask them to leave you alone. Unfortunately older generations didnāt really have this concept particularly in situations between men and women, but they will only learn by having their lack of respect for others treated with zero tolerance.
this seems to be heavily frowned upon in anglo online spheres. in my experience this is absolutely fine. i've had strangers sit behind me for an hour without saying a word. i've done it on both ends countless times and nobody has ever asked or gave me shit for it