Slipstreaming Strangers...
Poll: Slipstreaming Strangers...
Total Members Polled: 107
Discussion
I didn't mind people slipstreaming me when I used t commute through London - had one or two entertaining incidents when I stopped for red lights 
One slightly buckled slipstreamers wheel in one instance...
Edit: I don't tend to slipstream others as (like Pablo says) I tend just to overtake people I catch (running or cycling or occasionally cyclists I catch while running
).
One slightly buckled slipstreamers wheel in one instance... Edit: I don't tend to slipstream others as (like Pablo says) I tend just to overtake people I catch (running or cycling or occasionally cyclists I catch while running
).Edited by ewenm on Tuesday 13th September 20:29
Mac. said:
Fine, I take it as a challenge to drop them by upping the pace. Gives my commute some much needed motivation.
this /\had a cavendish wannabe tail me on the way the cycle path into Bristol once, i was in jeans and a t-shirt and he was in full htc replica gear. he caught up with me and sat behind me, i just upped the pace till i dropped him then slowed up. as he passed me i said "where did you go?" in a joke-y way to which he replied "w
ker".... i tend not to do it to be honest, if i catch someone i just overtake, if they catch me i either expect them to do the same or drop them. childish, probably, amusing, definately.
contango said:
It's only fun if an incline is coming up, that way you can give them "the look!" and then just up the cadence and clear off up the hill, all the better if they are wearing team kit, it's usually a local bike club rider though. 
I did that. Once. And got utterly destroyed by someone who clearly knew what I was up to. 
My commute avoids central central london thus there's less riders and the ones you do see are often not as quick as the ones you get along embankment, and I don't really encounter anyone worth drafting tbh. But I don't mind if people do, I'll step up the pace to see what they're made of though
pablo said:
this /\
had a cavendish wannabe tail me on the way the cycle path into Bristol once, i was in jeans and a t-shirt and he was in full htc replica gear. he caught up with me and sat behind me, i just upped the pace till i dropped him then slowed up. as he passed me i said "where did you go?" in a joke-y way to which he replied "wker"....
Cavendash Wannabe? How about he bought the kit coz he has good taste and it looks good.had a cavendish wannabe tail me on the way the cycle path into Bristol once, i was in jeans and a t-shirt and he was in full htc replica gear. he caught up with me and sat behind me, i just upped the pace till i dropped him then slowed up. as he passed me i said "where did you go?" in a joke-y way to which he replied "w
ker".... It is all about how you drop them though.
A steady increase in pace until they are really struggling to hang on, then lift off a little to give them a glimmer of hope before dropping the hammer, crushing their soul and destroying their dreams.
Under no circumstances are you to acknowledge their presence - if they know you are doing it, it makes you look like an ass, if they don't then it makes you look like a super euro elite road nazi and they go home weeping and wishing they were as pro as you. The only exception to this rule is if they pull alongside you to try and do some work - despite the fact you are on a recovery ride from the 120 miles of intervals you did yesterday, it is now your sacred to sneer at their bike and lack of any white, Italian cycling wear before and giving them "the look" and dropping them.
A steady increase in pace until they are really struggling to hang on, then lift off a little to give them a glimmer of hope before dropping the hammer, crushing their soul and destroying their dreams.
Under no circumstances are you to acknowledge their presence - if they know you are doing it, it makes you look like an ass, if they don't then it makes you look like a super euro elite road nazi and they go home weeping and wishing they were as pro as you. The only exception to this rule is if they pull alongside you to try and do some work - despite the fact you are on a recovery ride from the 120 miles of intervals you did yesterday, it is now your sacred to sneer at their bike and lack of any white, Italian cycling wear before and giving them "the look" and dropping them.
I don't mind it... as long as they fking take their turn at the front! Yesterday I towed some tt all the way from the city to fking barnes. What a cock. If someone isn't putting the effort in in return I start pointing out really obvious potholes etc to make them drop their guard, and then run them straight through a really nasty one and drop them. Ha.
king take their turn at the front! Yesterday I towed some tt all the way from the city to fking barnes. What a cock. If someone isn't putting the effort in in return I start pointing out really obvious potholes etc to make them drop their guard, and then run them straight through a really nasty one and drop them. Ha.I'm a 43 year old mountain biker who has only been riding on the road for a couple of years, I'm glad I stumbled across this thread because I'm trying to get to grips with the etiquette of following someone!
I was out on my road bike yesterday (Kona Jake the Snake Cyclocrosser if we are splitting hairs) I was wearing Mountain-bike baggy's & a Merino wool top, not full lycra & a bad attitude I came up behind an obviously quick guy on a carbon exotic something or other, I had a good idea he was faster than me (as his calves were thicker than my thighs) but he was doing 16mph on a road I like to do 18mph on (I guessed he was warming up as I had just passed a village) so after lingering behind him out of politeness for a while after he obviously 'clocked me' I was a) fed up of crawling along & b) concerned that it may be rude to tuck in without an invite, so I clicked it up to 20 to pass him, said 'good morning' & settled back at my usual 18mph in front of him, no malice, no: I think I'm faster than you.... Well, he snapped onto my back wheel (1mm gap max) then after a short rise where I got out the saddle as always, he shot past me & settled back to 16mph....WTF? luckily I was turning off shortly afterwards so it didnt escalate, but I would be most grateful if someone could give a brief outline of the accepted 'do's' & 'donts' I genuinely dont understand what is expected in these situations! Please help 
I was out on my road bike yesterday (Kona Jake the Snake Cyclocrosser if we are splitting hairs) I was wearing Mountain-bike baggy's & a Merino wool top, not full lycra & a bad attitude
I came up behind an obviously quick guy on a carbon exotic something or other, I had a good idea he was faster than me (as his calves were thicker than my thighs) but he was doing 16mph on a road I like to do 18mph on (I guessed he was warming up as I had just passed a village) so after lingering behind him out of politeness for a while after he obviously 'clocked me' I was a) fed up of crawling along & b) concerned that it may be rude to tuck in without an invite, so I clicked it up to 20 to pass him, said 'good morning' & settled back at my usual 18mph in front of him, no malice, no: I think I'm faster than you.... Well, he snapped onto my back wheel (1mm gap max) then after a short rise where I got out the saddle as always, he shot past me & settled back to 16mph....WTF? luckily I was turning off shortly afterwards so it didnt escalate, but I would be most grateful if someone could give a brief outline of the accepted 'do's' & 'donts' I genuinely dont understand what is expected in these situations! Please help 
marc2 said:
I'm a 43 year old mountain biker who has only been riding on the road for a couple of years, I'm glad I stumbled across this thread because I'm trying to get to grips with the etiquette of following someone!
I was out on my road bike yesterday (Kona Jake the Snake Cyclocrosser if we are splitting hairs) I was wearing Mountain-bike baggy's & a Merino wool top, not full lycra & a bad attitude I came up behind an obviously quick guy on a carbon exotic something or other, I had a good idea he was faster than me (as his calves were thicker than my thighs) but he was doing 16mph on a road I like to do 18mph on (I guessed he was warming up as I had just passed a village) so after lingering behind him out of politeness for a while after he obviously 'clocked me' I was a) fed up of crawling along & b) concerned that it may be rude to tuck in without an invite, so I clicked it up to 20 to pass him, said 'good morning' & settled back at my usual 18mph in front of him, no malice, no: I think I'm faster than you.... Well, he snapped onto my back wheel (1mm gap max) then after a short rise where I got out the saddle as always, he shot past me & settled back to 16mph....WTF? luckily I was turning off shortly afterwards so it didnt escalate, but I would be most grateful if someone could give a brief outline of the accepted 'do's' & 'donts' I genuinely dont understand what is expected in these situations! Please help
You scalped him. He had to retake, there was no other option. He wouldn't have got the points back though.I was out on my road bike yesterday (Kona Jake the Snake Cyclocrosser if we are splitting hairs) I was wearing Mountain-bike baggy's & a Merino wool top, not full lycra & a bad attitude
I came up behind an obviously quick guy on a carbon exotic something or other, I had a good idea he was faster than me (as his calves were thicker than my thighs) but he was doing 16mph on a road I like to do 18mph on (I guessed he was warming up as I had just passed a village) so after lingering behind him out of politeness for a while after he obviously 'clocked me' I was a) fed up of crawling along & b) concerned that it may be rude to tuck in without an invite, so I clicked it up to 20 to pass him, said 'good morning' & settled back at my usual 18mph in front of him, no malice, no: I think I'm faster than you.... Well, he snapped onto my back wheel (1mm gap max) then after a short rise where I got out the saddle as always, he shot past me & settled back to 16mph....WTF? luckily I was turning off shortly afterwards so it didnt escalate, but I would be most grateful if someone could give a brief outline of the accepted 'do's' & 'donts' I genuinely dont understand what is expected in these situations! Please help http://www.itsnotarace.org/scr-rules/
I used to be a 7 but now I'm a 4. 4 is a hard place to be.
Edited by BMWBen on Wednesday 14th September 10:48
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