Drafting

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?
--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

Wheelsucking is advantageous because the leading rider opens the space
in the air for the sucker to ride through. A sole rider still has to do
this so he does not work harder if there is someone wheelsucking. Get
your mate to suck your wheel then arrange for him to drop off, you
won't realise he has gone.

I think people simply consider it rude to take a free (reduced cost)
ride without the other persons knowledge.

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?

There shouldn't be any extra work involved, but drafting properly means
close and that means very little space to react. If I'm being drafted
and want to brake for something and someone is a few inches off my back
wheel there's a very good chance there'll be some sort of prang.

Racers should have the riding discipline to deal okay with that and it's
all part of the game, but for utility riding it's (a) rather
inconsiderate to force someone else to worry about you tailgating them
without asking them first and (b) people have no idea how good a perfect
stranger is at doing it safely.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Peter Clinch said:

There shouldn't be any extra work involved, but drafting properly means
close and that means very little space to react. If I'm being drafted
and want to brake for something and someone is a few inches off my back
wheel there's a very good chance there'll be some sort of prang.

Sometimes a touch on the brakes can work wonders ;-) [1]
And the person who tumbles is nearly always the following rider as they
lose their steering.

[1] I'd never condone doing this tho'

John B

On 19 Oct 2004 03:08:12 -0700, "MSeries" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?
--
yours S

Nihil curo de ista tua stulta superstitione

Wheelsucking is advantageous because the leading rider opens the space
in the air for the sucker to ride through. A sole rider still has to do
this so he does not work harder if there is someone wheelsucking. Get
your mate to suck your wheel then arrange for him to drop off, you
won't realise he has gone.

Ah, but G=(m-m'😉/r^2 or something like that. The closer the drafter
gets, the more he pulls back the leader back :-)

AFAIK the leader gains a very small benefit from being drafted, nowhere near as much as the drafter of course. Something about a slight reduction in the low pressure behind the leader.

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?

One concern is that if you have to brake suddenly you don't want to be
hit by someone just behind you...

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?

Unless you're in a situation where it's expected -- don't draft riders you
don't know.

soup said:

Looking for the definitive answer, we (TINW) all realise
that drafting someone saves alot of energy but does the
person bieng "drafted"(?) have to do extra work or is it
a "please don't invade my space" thing that means people
don't like being drafted by perfect strangers ?

Certainly in NASCAR racing, two (or three) cars drafting can go faster than
either one alone. Aerodynamically, the train of cars is a single long and thin
body, which cuts resistance for everyone. The lead car gets a performance boost
from being drafted.

However, an acquaintance of mine and an Olympic cycling hopeful was killed
trying to draft a dump truck, so be sure your leader knows he's being followed.

JohnB said:

Sometimes a touch on the brakes can work wonders ;-)
I'd never condone doing this tho'

[censored].

--
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Ewoud Dronkert said:

JohnB said:

Sometimes a touch on the brakes can work wonders ;-)
I'd never condone doing this tho'

[censored].

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

John B

"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unless you're in a situation where it's expected -- don't draft riders you
don't know.

It's very difficult to avoid the temptation to draft something like a moped if you
hear one buzzing up on your tail

JohnB said:

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

Is there a history here?

JohnB said:

Peter Clinch said:

There shouldn't be any extra work involved, but drafting properly means
close and that means very little space to react. If I'm being drafted
and want to brake for something and someone is a few inches off my back
wheel there's a very good chance there'll be some sort of prang.

Sometimes a touch on the brakes can work wonders ;-) [1]

braking puts you immediately in the clueless category!
'accepted' behaviour consists of
1 blowing your nose (sorry, didn't realise..)
2 throw your bike rearwards when you stand on the pedals
3 (for the really difficult cases) ride on the edge of a deep pothole.

if the follower survives this he/she is qualified to take the lead now
and again 😉

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Marc Brett said:

However, an acquaintance of mine and an Olympic cycling hopeful was killed
trying to draft a dump truck, so be sure your leader knows he's being followed.

you want something solid at axleheight you can put your frontwheel
against. To high or low a bumper, a rotating wheel or to much overhang
on the truck increases the risks a lot.
--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

Adrian Boliston vaguely muttered something like ...

Quoted message said:

"Simonb" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Unless you're in a situation where it's expected -- don't draft riders
you don't know.

It's very difficult to avoid the temptation to draft something like a
moped if you hear one buzzing up on your tail

.... Yet very satisfying when they turn round a minute or so later to see you
cycling merrily away, less than three inches from them, when they expected
you to be a mile away .. 😉

--
Paul ...
(8(|) Homer Rules !!!
"A [censored] is a [censored], no matter what mode of transport they're using."

Simonb said:

JohnB said:

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

I would do what, break to make a drafter fall? Never. I don't mind being
drafted. There's generally no extra risk for the person being drafted
except maybe when the drafter has wheel overlap and the draftee brakes
and turns sharply to that side. I do understand if anyone doesn't like
to be drafted, though.

The "[censored]" bit was the executive summary of my feeling towards you
for making jokes about causing bodily harm where a polite word ("Would
you please keep a little distance, I don't like being being drafted, I'd
rather ride alone"😉 would be appropriate and sufficient. Please prove me
wrong by explaining that the nerdy disclaimer was honest and that you
shouldn't have made the "joke" anyway. I am rather sensitive about any
kind of disrespect (or even straightforward attacks that you like to
make jokes about) for me a cycling road user. It's amazing how many
near-misses one gets when doing more than cycling along leisurely.

Quoted message said:

Is there a history here?

Not to my knowledge.

--
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Simonb said:

JohnB said:

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

I would do what, brake to make a drafter fall? Never. I don't mind being
drafted. There's generally no extra risk for the person being drafted
except maybe when the drafter has wheel overlap and the draftee brakes
and turns sharply to that side. I do understand if anyone doesn't like
to be drafted, though.

The "[censored]" bit was the executive summary of my feeling towards you
for making jokes about causing bodily harm where a polite word ("Would
you please keep a little distance, I don't like being being drafted, I'd
rather ride alone"😉 would be appropriate and sufficient. Please prove me
wrong by explaining that the nerdy disclaimer was honest and that you
shouldn't have made the "joke" anyway. I am rather sensitive about any
kind of disrespect (or even straightforward attacks that you like to
make jokes about) for me a cycling road user. It's amazing how many
near-misses one gets when doing more than cycling along leisurely.

Quoted message said:

Is there a history here?

Not to my knowledge.

--
Firefox Web Browser - Rediscover the web - http://www.getffox.com/
Thunderbird E-mail and Newsgroups - http://www.gettbird.com/

Ewoud Dronkert said:

Simonb said:

JohnB said:

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

I would do what, brake to make a drafter fall? Never.

Glad to hear it.
Rest of reply noted.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is there a history here?

Not to my knowledge.

John B

Ewoud Dronkert <[email hidden]>typed

Quoted message said:

Simonb said:

JohnB said:

From that I assume you would do so.
Why am I not surprised.

Quoted message said:

I would do what, break to make a drafter fall? Never. I don't mind being
drafted. There's generally no extra risk for the person being drafted
except maybe when the drafter has wheel overlap and the draftee brakes
and turns sharply to that side. I do understand if anyone doesn't like
to be drafted, though.

I never liked anyone or anything in my wobble zone. Best keep out of
others' wobble zones.

Others may just wobble or stop.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden]
Edgware.