When a stranger wheelsucks.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by maydog [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

All the more reason to distrust hop on's.

You should include enough of the context to avoid misrepresenting a person's intent.

I will suggest that if you are not happy with the people who ride on the public roads, that you can always stay off the pubilc roads.

An old Guy said:

...when I am bored or not paying much attention.

People who are "not paying much attention" should stay off the roads and most definitely should not be wheelsucking.

I have been off the bike for a week and went out on Sunday morning for an easy roll, with a bit of a hangover to boot. It's was a bit comical when I discovered someone had latched onto my wheel, on my first "warmup" lap no less - I couldn't have been going more than 16-17mph. I ended up riding side by side with the fella for a couple laps and we chatted a bit - it turns out he had just started riding this summer. I bet 9 out of 10 times wheelsucking strangers are relative newcomers unsure of etiquette.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Mark 86 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

It seems like when you're not in a group ride, wheelsucking without permission is sort of like taking a french-fry off of someone's plate without asking...

Actually pulling another rider in his draft makes the lead rider go (slightly) faster with the same effort. More like a stranger putting a french fry on your plate. An even less appealing analogy, I must admit. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]

when triathlon first came to my area the athletes were easy to spot when training in a road bike because of the complete lack of understanding in how a road cyclist train, which means drafting with your peers-competitors a lot, creating racing like situations spontaneously while training, for them drafting was like cheating, so i always tried to stay away from them and leave them alone with their beliefs and bad attitude on this matter, sort of non of my business ok bye bye, (nothing against triathletes just an anecdote)

There may have been a misunderstanding about how road racers train, but the reason triathletes don't draft in training is because drafting is not allowed in triathlon competition.

I did my first century this past weekend and rode in a group of about 50 riders. We finished with a time of 4 hours and 35 minutes and I learned ALOT about ridding around a very tightly packed peleton. I dont have many people to ride with so my drafting skills were lacking alittle but after 50 miles or so I really started to get it. I am very lucky to have come from BMX racing and vert ramps (I have a huge ramp in my backyard right now) so my bike handling skills are very good and I needed it to stay out of trouble on those sudden slow downs and speed ups that come from alot of 90 degree turns. So anybody I find on the road that I can draft with a little right now I will take them up on the practice. After I get their permission of course.

I don't mind really...I think it's only neighborly to say hello. I haven't had anyone crash me yet, (hopefully that won't happen) I'm not too crazy about people passing me just to slow my pace down. Seems like sometimes on century rides you run into those guys.

I hate leap-frogging with people who can take a pull... for like a minute.

Who cares? If the wheelsucker makes a mistake HE is the one who "goes down" not you or me

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by qdc15 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

There may have been a misunderstanding about how road racers train, but the reason triathletes don't draft in training is because drafting is not allowed in triathlon competition.

hmm drafting was allowed inthe last triathlon I saw

Who cares? If the wheelsucker makes a mistake HE is the one who "goes down" not you or me

Usually, but every now and again we run into a sufficiently talented idiot...

Pat Stowe said:

Who cares? If the wheelsucker makes a mistake HE is the one who "goes down" not you or me

Not always. It's very possible for the guy in front of the wheelsucker to go down if contact is made.

It's very possible for the guy in front of the wheelsucker to go down if contact is made.

Yup. Me.

Road race...pack rolling along easily about 25 MPH on a sunny day on a stretch of billiard table flat, straight road. It took a couple of contacts, but he took me out, took himself out and a couple of guys that flew over us.

It's racing. [censored] happens.

Out on the bike path or public roads, size up your riding company carefully and go from there.

I do think it is odd when people do this, however it doesn't really bother me if they are just pacing, but if they just want to draft i usually leave them in the dust. I kind of do this on trails, but not wheelsucking. If someone passes me going a mph or two faster than me, i'll stay back about a hundred feet and just try to stay close to them just to pace myself, i dont think theres anything wrong with that, unless i was any closer.

Last time I checked no-one here owned the road. People can ride wherever they feel like, including in your draft. If you don't like, then speed up or slow down.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by alienator [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

People who are "not paying much attention" should stay off the roads and most definitely should not be wheelsucking.

You should include enough of the context to avoid misrepresenting a person's intent.

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I have learned over the years to pay enough attention for the situation at hand. Often times that is "not much attention."

One day I found myself riding 5th wheel in a very fast group with 4 strangers. It was foggy out. Could not see the road beneath my tires. I could only see part of the tire of the bike in front of me. And only when I was very close to it. Since there was little to see, no matter how much attention I paid, it certainly was not much but it was enough

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You are so cute. You try so hard to be hateful. You must be what? 5 or 6. Maybe you will grow up.

Actually it's really simple: when you're on the road, you need to pay attention, especially if you're wheelsucking. Part of paying attention and being responsible is being alert to where you are with respect to other riders, being alert to the road conditions and potentially problematic weather conditions, and being prepared to take action to avoid an accident. That's all there is to it. If someone can't do that, be they on a bike, motorcycle, or in a car. They need to get off the road. Being blasé about paying attention is just stupid and irresponsible. We've seen inattentive riders take many other riders down in races, charity events, and the like. We've seen what havoc inattentive motorists can do, and cyclists call them out and revile them for said havoc. To not hold bike riders to the same standard is ignorant and hypocritical.

I really don't mind someone sucking my wheel, see it as an opportunity to make a new friend.

Personally, if I catch up with someone, I alwayst try to start a chat. Think I can only remember once when a rider had no interest and when I followed him he said "I'd rather not you ride there", so I backed off.

Two of the guys in our training group joined this way.

I guess this is one of the reasons I tend to ride by myself. There is a group that invites me to ride and they stated that they don't drop, but I knew that I was not strong enough to hang with them being that I just started riding. Also, I don't want to slow folks down. One rider keeps saying that's it's all in my mind, but I know it's all in my legs right now. My goal is to ride with them this season as I've gotten much stronger and faster. I just ride my ride. There's some faster and slower than me.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by alienator [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Actually it's really simple: when you're on the road, you need to pay attention, especially if you're wheelsucking. Part of paying attention and being responsible is being alert to where you are with respect to other riders, being alert to the road conditions and potentially problematic weather conditions, and being prepared to take action to avoid an accident. That's all there is to it. If someone can't do that, be they on a bike, motorcycle, or in a car. They need to get off the road. Being blasé about paying attention is just stupid and irresponsible. We've seen inattentive riders take many other riders down in races, charity events, and the like. We've seen what havoc inattentive motorists can do, and cyclists call them out and revile them for said havoc. To not hold bike riders to the same standard is ignorant and hypocritical.

In most areas of the US there is a concept of safe following distance. It applies to both motor vehicles and bicycles.

What makes you so special that you can violate the safe following distance laws? If you have a complaint about someone following to close, tell them. Don't blame them for doing what you are doing.

It is best if you do not confuse racing and charity rides with normal use of bicycles on the road.