CastIron

on what kinda racing tactics are being talked about here?

Seems to me it's a bit more than the usual dick measuring trash talk, and frankly, not what I sign up for.

DrPete 

I think the answer can be found in this issue:

curiouskid55

It happens when you race for prize money and you have to pay the rent on your trailer.

DrPete 

On a more serious note, our team usually fields between 6-12 riders in most cat 4 races around here. Merely by being at the front, we're constantly accused of "blocking." I found it particularly funny when we were accused of "blocking" when there was nobody off the front.

They keep using that word. I do not think it means what they think it means.

CastIron

I generally agree, but being a longtime lurker there, I noted some 'old salts' nodding in agreement. Frankly I'm half in the dark about what they're talking about in the front half. Instinct tells me there's something to this.

Lithuania

are you asking what blocking is?

Cromulent

Blocking: When their team shows up and yours doesn't. It's completely unfair.

DrPete 

I just hope they don't race around here and they're not in my cat, because anyone who's willing to crash someone out intentionally deserves to never race again, IMHO.

El Diablo Rojo

When anyone says that to us my first response is to say "go ahead and take the front'' they generally shut up after that. If they don't like the pace we/I are laying down then come on up and go faster.

DrPete 

+1.

EventServices

If it's OK with everyone else, the pace I'm laying down is going to be about 2mph slower than my teammate in the breakaway.
If you want to drag us all up to the breakaway, I'll attack JUST before we make contact.

zimbo

Taking the front and going slow is not blocking. Slowing down slightly when it's your turn in the paceline is not blocking. Blocking is actively trying to keep someone from moving to the front or from having enough room on the road to get away in a break.

Blocking is for wussy. The other things are just smart (frustrating for someone who is under-represented, but smart nonetheless).

--Steve

CastIron

ES, you're the old salt I was hoping to derive better understanding from. That didn't help.

zimbo

Seems like the trick is to go fast enough to discourage a bridge effort but slow enough that the breakaway continues to stay away. Not nearly as easy as it sounds. Bringing 5 guys to the front and blocking the road is easy and cheesier.

--Steve

Lithuania

what dont you understand?

CastIron

That they're talking about knocking someone down/out because the race isn't going their way. Seems there must be more to it than that. Win some, lose some. It's the whole point.

Snuffleupagus

A few teams around here do that...after the first couple races last year the guys who were worst about it stopped having any success with it. Probably because everyone else figured out what was going on, and moved around them.

EventServices

I've seen teams go to the front and form a blockade from curb to yellow line (in a road race), and I've seen other riders break the yellow line rule to get past them.
I've seen riders get frustrated to the point of pushing riders out of the way. I've heard PLENTY of swearing by frustrated riders yelling at either A. the riders doing the blocking, or B. other riders who aren't helping (or don't know how) to overcome the blocking.

I think it's bad form to form the blockade. And I find it amazing that one smart rider can work over a bunch of guys and completely disrupt their ability to move forward.

DrPete 

Yeah, the "blockade" is lame. Even though we have the representation to pull it off (we had 14 riders in one race) it's just stupid.

DrWJODonnell

When our guys show up in big numbers, though we may protect and shield certain riders (causing us to ride two or three wide) we always move out of the way to give people a chance to chase down one of our own. I know that personally, evertime I attack, the team moves aside to let other people chase if they want.

As to the original question, I believe that the discussion dealt with a person being unhappy with wheel sucking or "leeching" and so threatened to Flick the rider - that is, intentionally be not so nice.