Southern California - Wheel sucking Sunday

interesting day. I think for 90% of my ride there was someone on my wheel un-announced. Seems like every time I turn around there was someone there, or I find out when I hear "on the left" from behind me when I about to pass someone. No one ever passed me, just seat on my wheel. I just don't under stand it. They caught up to me so they are going faster then me, why then continue to seat on my wheel? I am chugging along in zone1 so it's not like I am going fast or anything. If they want some company why not to pull along side of me and say hi, I would enjoy chatting with someone.

The same thing happened to me today. I was chatting with one cyclist when another comes behind me and stays on my wheel. I even slowed down and moved closer to the curb so he could pass, but stayed right on my wheel. I finally had to make a left hand turn in traffic just to get him off. You weren't in Glendale when this happened?:D Is this considered good biking etiquette?:rolleyes:

I'm on the other side of the fence. When I 'onyerleft' someone, they speed up!:eek:

Umney, I ride alone a lot (I have no Friends) and a lot of the time I start Day dreaming then I see someone ahead a long way off and start Cranking, it just gives me a bit of incentive...
Most of the time I don't catch up with them but on the rare occassions that I do I've got nothing left to overtake...

BUT I when I do catch someone I ride along side them and say hi...you can usualy tell if someone wants to chat or not straight away...problem is, most of the time I can't talk, my "Hi" is usualy a combination of a gasp and a word :o

Plus I usually ask if a Rider minds if I hang onto their wheel if I'm tired and need a tug back to my turn off and they usualy say yes and just before I turn off I usually thank them and wish them a good ride...

I normally sit behind if I caught up to a group of cyclists (2 or more abreast). Usually, I find it a little difficult/too lazy to overtake them and so I take it as an opportunity to rest a little. I do introduce myself at the next stop though.

BTW on a related note, when you've announced and started your overtaking maneuver and you realized the rider you're trying to pass may not have enough room unless he/she slows down/stops (parked car/objects in bike lane), what do you do? Continue on like before, move further left to give room to that cyclist, or cancel/delay the maneuver?

Is there a problem wheel sucking a stranger?(please note I said "wheel sucking a stranger" With the whole Senator Craig issue at hand.. Just wanted to clarify.)

If there is someone going in the same direction I am and at a decent speed.. I'll say what's up and then ride behind them for a while and thank them in a jokingly way for the lift...

Is there a problem wheel sucking a stranger?(please note I said "wheel sucking a stranger" With the whole Senator Craig issue at hand.. Just wanted to clarify.)

If there is someone going in the same direction I am and at a decent speed.. I'll say what's up and then ride behind them for a while and thank them in a jokingly way for the lift...

You're the problem, not the solution.:eek:

Is there a problem wheel sucking a stranger?(please note I said "wheel sucking a stranger" With the whole Senator Craig issue at hand.. Just wanted to clarify.)

If there is someone going in the same direction I am and at a decent speed.. I'll say what's up and then ride behind them for a while and thank them in a jokingly way for the lift...

As long as you let them know you're there and they are cool with it, then its no problem. It's just a potentially dangerous situation as you don't know their riding skills.

It's very dangerous if you don't let them know you're on their wheel. For instance, I generally call out left & right turns if there's someone on my wheel or not, but I hardly ever call out stops/braking unless I know there's someone on my wheel. I'll also call out hazards if someone lets me know they are there. Hazards is a pretty low risk, but it's nice to get the heads up, braking is altogether dangerous though, especially as I'm a little hard to see around :)

You're the problem, not the solution.:eek:

Ok Ok, I'm lazy!!!!

Ok Ok, I'm lazy!!!!

I know I'm lazy, my ex wife said so...:rolleyes:

As long as you let them know you're there and they are cool with it, then its no problem. It's just a potentially dangerous situation as you don't know their riding skills.

It's very dangerous if you don't let them know you're on their wheel. For instance, I generally call out left & right turns if there's someone on my wheel or not, but I hardly ever call out stops/braking unless I know there's someone on my wheel. I'll also call out hazards if someone lets me know they are there. Hazards is a pretty low risk, but it's nice to get the heads up, braking is altogether dangerous though, especially as I'm a little hard to see around :)

Yep +1 on dangerous. Lets take my ride today as an example. Someone jumped on my wheel. They were actually overlapping it judging by the shadow. Now a car was making a right turn and stopped on the road, waiting for me to pass very unusual, there is another car waiting to pull out. Normally I would have went around the car, that is stopped in the left lane, on the left. I couldn't do it because the dude was overlapping, and I didn't have enough time to let him know I need to move left. So I had to pass the car on the right, and in front of the car waiting to pull out. Very bad situation. If the guy decided to continue making a right turn, or the car decided to pull out I would have been in big trouble. Good thing I noticed that the guy was on my wheel and overlapping. Other wise one of us, probably him, would have went down.

if i happen to creep up on someone who is going a reasonable pace, i'll just hang back out of draft range until i get tired of that pace and either pass or turn off. i don't really care to have someone invade my space, so i try not to do it to others when i'm just out for a ride.

if i happen to creep up on someone who is going a reasonable pace, i'll just hang back out of draft range until i get tired of that pace and either pass or turn off. i don't really care to have someone invade my space, so i try not to do it to others when i'm just out for a ride.

+1 I think it's rude to draft off somone you don't know. You don't know that rider's level and he/she doesn't know yours. Plus, if I'm out riding solo, chances are I chose to ride solo. I don't want/need a pull or to pull. I try to only draft off of riders I know and when in a group where everyone is aware that we're in a paceline (of such).

if i happen to creep up on someone who is going a reasonable pace, i'll just hang back out of draft range until i get tired of that pace and either pass or turn off. i don't really care to have someone invade my space, so i try not to do it to others when i'm just out for a ride.

Yup, that's what I do.

That must mean you guys are nice smooth riders.

Try riding like a "squirrel" - guaranteed to lose wheel suckers!

That must mean you guys are nice smooth riders.

Try riding like a "squirrel" - guaranteed to lose wheel suckers!

I'll keep that in mind next time. :D

Try riding like a "squirrel" - guaranteed to lose wheel suckers!


LOL! That's the best reply yet! :D

I was going to suggest that Umney just turn left, hook the guy, and put 'im on the deck, but I like your method better.

No one bothers to suck my wheel for long. No point. :(

I did try on one of the GMR rides going back on 39... and I got dropped. :cry: