Drafting by Gumbies

Thanks for the warning, i'll look out on Mts bay rd.
what time do you go to UWA?

number31 said:

Me and another rider then proceeded to draft off him

So its ok for you to draft him, but not the other way around? 😕

Jono L said:

So its ok for you to draft him, but not the other way around? 😕

Only to teach him a lesson. He thought that he was actually doing 32-35kmph on his own and he needed to learn. When following fellow cyclists I know I won't pass without compromising my pace I always ride at least 2 bike lengths back and to the side a little.

George I ride to UWA at 8am on weds and 10am on mon. Just missed the cycling breakfast this morning (was a bit late to int marketing lecture)

number31 said:

Riding to uni this morning some guy riding a dodgey looking bike (with thongs on) thought it would be a good idea to draft off my back wheel 😠 . Does anyone else encounter these "gumbies" on their rides?

btw I passed him at 35kmph so he thought it a good idea to try and keep up. I got sick of his simon katich style coat tailing so I pretended to slow down for a drink and let him pass. Me and another rider then proceeded to draft off him and he wasn't happy (kept looking back to find me very close to his back wheel). Eventually lost him riding up the narrows bridge upramp (for all those in Perth).

I'm sorry - what is your point?

artemidorus said:

I'm sorry - what is your point?

no point, just a big circle 😉

was just keen to hear from other cyclists because im new to it all and want to share in the experiences of fellow cyclists to be better educated about the sport.

What is your point?

Next time, why don't you suggest you work together and REALLY teach him a lesson and it might have a positive effect for all. You never know, it may be the catalyst for him to get further into the riding scene.

I take it as a compliment when fellow cyclist do that, mind you it does not happen too often with me at my lowly av speeds of 25-30kmph

When this happens to me I gradually speed up especially on uphills, while on the flats I keep to the side of the path such that the wind direction (if there is some wind) makes the drafting position non-optimal. Uphills usually do the trick, for any bit instead of slowing as might normally be the case, apply some power and speed up. If you are fitter than them, that will see them dropped.

for gods sake dont race then!!! seriously dont let it bug you, why does it bother you so much??? at least being on the front you know you're doing all the work and will be getting stronger than being a wheel sucker.

btw in melbourne the public transport ticket inspectors are affectionately known as gumbies (due to their green uniforms)

tried farting? :p

when eddy ruled said:

for gods sake dont race then!!! seriously dont let it bug you, why does it bother you so much??? at least being on the front you know you're doing all the work and will be getting stronger than being a wheel sucker.

btw in melbourne the public transport ticket inspectors are affectionately known as gumbies (due to their green uniforms)

Doesn't bother me in principle I'm cutting wind regardless of being on my own or having someone on my wheel. I have no issue with someone who knows what they are doing being close on my wheel, who for example knows what a call and point of 'pothole' means. What I have a problem with is someone I don't know of typically questionable ability riding an inch off my wheel on busy suburban roads. So in that case I will usually either get up and go to drop them, or take a detour to get rid of them. Last thing I need is a wheel touch in traffic.

The thing I hate is when I am riding on this open area in Perth between the Narrows and Canning Bridge is when there is a strong south westerly blowing and someone drafts off me on either a hybrid or mountain bike who seems to be able to sustain an okay speed when windy (30km/h) and won't take a turn up front, even when I slow down so they can get the hint to pass. If I speed up, they speed up and stick on my tail and when I get pass Canning Bridge to go to the Mt Henry bridge they are no longer there.

I don't know what the accepted procedure is to drafting in these circumstances but I would have thought having a turn up front is the go.

sideshow_bob said:

Doesn't bother me in principle I'm cutting wind regardless of being on my own or having someone on my wheel. I have no issue with someone who knows what they are doing being close on my wheel, who for example knows what a call and point of 'pothole' means. What I have a problem with is someone I don't know of typically questionable ability riding an inch off my wheel on busy suburban roads. So in that case I will usually either get up and go to drop them, or take a detour to get rid of them. Last thing I need is a wheel touch in traffic.

While it is possible to take someone down from the back, generally if there is a wheel touch it is the person in the back who goes down and the person on the front rides away free and easy. It is much worse if you are drafting someone who does not know the etiquette - hits brakes often, does not call potholes, stopping etc. than it is to be drafted by someone.

Eden said:

While it is possible to take someone down from the back, generally if there is a wheel touch it is the person in the back who goes down and the person on the front rides away free and easy. It is much worse if you are drafting someone who does not know the etiquette - hits brakes often, does not call potholes, stopping etc. than it is to be drafted by someone.

If someone picks up my wheel while I am commuting and doesn't ask for it or at least say hello (eg i look back to investigate a noise and someone is an inch off my back wheel) then I don't call for potholes or such.

If this person is smart enough to get on a wheel of someone they don't know, they are smart enough to look out for their own road. If you want to pick up my wheel without being curteous, get stuffed. Come along side, tell me you have completed 50 -100km of training or whatever and just want an easy ride home, I am more than happy for that.

Being curteous and friendly would go a long way.

parawolf said:

If someone picks up my wheel while I am commuting and doesn't ask for it or at least say hello (eg i look back to investigate a noise and someone is an inch off my back wheel) then I don't call for potholes or such.

If this person is smart enough to get on a wheel of someone they don't know, they are smart enough to look out for their own road. If you want to pick up my wheel without being curteous, get stuffed. Come along side, tell me you have completed 50 -100km of training or whatever and just want an easy ride home, I am more than happy for that.

Being curteous and friendly would go a long way.

Most certainly - I think if you want to draft someone you should always ask and be nice to them. You are getting a free ride after all and its just plain weird to have someone hanging out on your rear wheel in complete stealth mode. Weird, but less dangerous than I think some people make it out to be. That said, don't automatically expect that all people out there will know anything about paceline etiquette though and be much more careful if you are drafting someone you do not know. You the drafter will be the one who ends up on the pavement if there is a glitch.
If you are up front and someone is nice enough to ask and you consent to be drafted also realize that they may not be strong enough or confident enough to take a turn - but if they do treat it as a happy surprise.

(with thongs on)
Lucky the guy did not have bicycle shoes on.......... or you would have only seen his dust

parawolf said:

If someone picks up my wheel while I am commuting and doesn't ask for it or at least say hello (eg i look back to investigate a noise and someone is an inch off my back wheel) then I don't call for potholes or such.

If this person is smart enough to get on a wheel of someone they don't know, they are smart enough to look out for their own road. If you want to pick up my wheel without being curteous, get stuffed. Come along side, tell me you have completed 50 -100km of training or whatever and just want an easy ride home, I am more than happy for that.

Being curteous and friendly would go a long way.

+1
lest ye be on the receiving end of an errant snot-rocket 🙂

parawolf said:

If someone picks up my wheel while I am commuting and doesn't ask for it or at least say hello (eg i look back to investigate a noise and someone is an inch off my back wheel) then I don't call for potholes or such.

If this person is smart enough to get on a wheel of someone they don't know, they are smart enough to look out for their own road. If you want to pick up my wheel without being curteous, get stuffed. Come along side, tell me you have completed 50 -100km of training or whatever and just want an easy ride home, I am more than happy for that.

Being curteous and friendly would go a long way.

so if a guy on a mountain bike in thongs says hello and tells you he's done 100km of riding you'll let him draft you??? i somehow dont think so

and a guy on a $10,000 road bike doesnt, you wont?? i somehow dont think so either

Yeah if a guy pulls up next to me at the lights and is riding on roughly the same course then I always suggest helping each other out. Its the punks with no knowledge of cycling that [censored] me off (I think the lycra outfits don't help us cause the uneducated just don't get it).

when eddy ruled said:

so if a guy on a mountain bike in thongs says hello and tells you he's done 100km of riding you'll let him draft you??? i somehow dont think so

and a guy on a $10,000 road bike doesnt, you wont?? i somehow dont think so either

If the guy in thongs on a mountain bike asks, and can keep up he is more than welcome to it - i will not slow down to maintain their pace - they must match me.

As to the guy on the $10k road bike doesn't then I won't be warning him about potholes, me slowing, me pulling out to overtake other traffic, etc. If he picks up the wheel without asking, I assume he is good enough to manage his own line on the concrete, and maintain a safe enough distance based on reaction time without my input.

If you ask, and can keep up, you are welcome to my wheel - i'm commuting for the exercise, not for the convienance. If you pick up my wheel when i'm doing 40km/h on a shared path/trail without telling me, don't expect me to look out for your welfare; thats all i'm saying.