Commuting - Suddenly, he was sucked onto my back wheel

I was commuting home the other night, cruising down the asphalt trail at my usual pace. It was a very nice evening, maybe 40 degrees, clear, no wind with a nice crescent moon out. I was really enjoying the quiet and the ride.

Ahead, I notice the blinkie of another biker and saw that I was overtaking him. As I came up behind him and was preparing to pass, he increased his pace as to not let me by. "OK", I thought, "that's a little weird, but I'll just ride here behind him for a while". So I stayed behind him for about a mile. My headlight is really bright so I did not want to ride right right up on his wheel and wash out his night vision, therefore I was not pulling a draft off him, rather just cruising along probably 20-30 feet behind him, a little annoyed that my solitude had been interrupted. He was riding slightly slower than my usual pace, but not so much slower that I felt like putting out the extra effort to pass him.

We came to a small hill on the trail and I heard him shift gears which caused him to slow down. Not needing to shift myself, I power past him and up the hill and then resumed my normal pace.

After about 20 seconds, he comes up behind me and the next thing I know he was sucked onto my back wheel. He was not inches away, but probably five to ten feet behind me. Now I was a little pissed, but I just kept riding along at my normal pace, trying to enjoy the evening. He stayed with me for about three miles when we came to another small hill and I finally dropped him.

When he was on my wheel, I thought about turning around and asking him to back off, but I did not want to provoke any kind of confrontation. I could have stopped and let him get down the trail, but when you have a nice pace going, who wants to stop?

The whole thing was not a huge deal, but it was annoying.

What would you have done in a similar situation?

To me 10 feet is still a respectable distance. I'd ignore it personally.

-R

Yeah if he is further than three feet he isn't sucking your wheel. I would have done nothing.

I'd have stopped and let him pass. My solitude in that situation is paramount.

Agree with other responders, 10 feet is riding in the same direction not wheel sucking. I am learning that passing other cyclists seems to constitute a challenge lately. On my commuter bike I don't care who passes me or who I pass. I'm just traveling from point A to point B. Sometimes someone will say hellow or strike up a conversation, other times not, no big deal.

It's the Sammamish River Trail. Things happen, people are constantly coming on to and off of the trail at all the parking lots and intersections. I've learned to just deal with the fact that on a nice day, eventually, someone will be close behind me or I'll be close in on someone else.

Just last week I zipped onto the trail at Wilmot Gateway Park and found myself keeping pace with a guy who was coming down from the Bothell end of the trail. Granted, he was really haulin' arse and I couldn't hang for very long, but I at least did my share of the work and took a pull for a while.

buy a mirror.

I have a mirror. That was part of the issue, the glare from his headlight was bothering me.

I ignored him, but it was slightly annoying.

buy a mirror.

A mirror makes no difference in the situation the OP described. It wasn't that he was startled to find someone on his wheel. He knew the guy was there, but was annoyed with the guy's persistent efforts to stick with him.

Wouldn't be surprised if the guy I described in my earlier post thought similarly of me: "OK, so he took a 21mph pull for a little while, but why is Chunk-Lor of the Fenders trying to hang with me on my super aero Ridley? Let's see what he does with 23mph."

Does it bother you when other cars drive behind you too? How about when they walk behind you?
Get over it - at 5-10 feet he wasn't drafting or putting you at risk in any way. If his light bothered you, you could have either dropped him, stopped and let him pass, or adjusted your mirror a bit. T'aint nothing to get all hot and bothered about.

Sounds like it could have been a fun, impromptu bike race!

He wasn't hurting anything but your solitude, and you were doing as much to his.

I thought this thread was going to be about a squirrel or something like that. Oh well, live and let live and try to enjoy the ride. While the other rider wasn't all the way in the hassle zone, he was close, but was probably just looking for a temporary ride partner to pace along with and get a break from the monotony (sp?).

If he really was bothering you then either out pace him, or lift up off the seat and pass a little gas, either will often get you some breathing room (so to speak).

At 5 -10 feet behind me, I would wonder why he did not pull close enough to benefit from a draft.

what would I have done ?

rode him off my wheel immediately and be done with it. and then, continue to increase my speed
to make him wilt and wonder why he even tries to ride a bike....I'd have done this for 5 miles continuous
until I was long gone.

why wait for a hill ?

Does it bother you when other cars drive behind you too? How about when they walk behind you?


I get a little miffed when cars walk behind me.

To the OP--I would have stopped while he was still ahead of me, viewed the crescent moon for 60 seconds, then continued merrily on my solitary way, well behind him. Problem solved before it becomes a problem.

Does it bother you when other cars drive behind you too? How about when they walk behind you?

You bet. I 'bout popped some kid in the mall the other night who was pacing me. I gave him the look a time or two, and just when I was about to drop the hammer his mom turned the stroller into Baby Gap.

He got lucky.

Dial it up to 400W and ride him off my wheel.

You annoyance is totally understandable. I really enjoy those solitary evening rides, sometimes just I don't want to be bothered either.

If I were on my geared road bike I'd put the hammer down and ride him off my wheel, then resumed the solitary moment. But since I generally commute on a single speed, dramatic and sustained accelerations can be difficult to achieve, so in that case I'd probably sit up and let him get out in front for a minute or 2 and resumed my ride.

Get over it. People can ride 5-10 feet away from you. It's a public road.

(Now if the person had actually been drafting you, and you were annoyed for whatever reason, my post would be: What the hell's wrong with you? Haven't you heard of politely asking a person to stop?)

Racing ... you are doin' it wrong.

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I had a simalar thing happen a couple of years ago. This guy was drafting me and I didn't know it. A new spur on the MUP opened up that I wanted to try and I grabbed some brakes and BAM. He hits me and I ride out a front wheel wheelie and he goes down. He was pissed at me at first but then calmed down. I didn't know this guy at all, I had seen him a while earlier behind me about 20 yards. I assumed I dropped him.

I guess I should get a mirror. I don't like someone I don't know or ride with drafting me. Anyone else have this happen? I guess if you see it what do you say? I don't draft riders I don't know and I expect the same.

Just wondering what is the consensous.

Jeff

Well, the whole thing before you passed was a bit weird and with that in mind it would be annoying to have him start drafting.

That being said, I've never seen what the big deal is with people behind you. If you come in ahead of somebody and your pace is about the same it's an effort to NOT draft them. It ends up being an effort to go around, but if you maintain your normal pace, you're in the slip stream and tend to run up on them. I see no reason to hit the brakes. Drafting someone I don't know worries me, being drafted doesn't.

That being said, I don't seem to get in nearly the tight scrapes most folks around here do. JoeyBike has 5 close calls every day. I have 5 close calls in 2 or 3 years.

I'd have made a joke or struck up a conversation with the guy. I like solitude, but I also like hearing myself talk.

+1 to mirrors.

I think sometimes "ego" takes over and some guys will speed up a bit when they're about to be overtaken just so the other rider won't think they're so slow. As for him being about 10 feet or so behind you, like the others have said, I wouldn't count that as actually drafting. Maybe the guy isn't a very experienced rider and he wanted to draft but was afraid to get any closer.

I've ridden with people who draft as a matter of course, nothing meant by it. Perhaps this guy is used to pace lines.

So do you think you own the bike path? As long as he wasn't endangering you, chill.

Big guy? Beard? Surly Crosscheck?

It was Clifton.

[Edit: oops, forgot to add a smiley face. Already had one fight today with Clifton on another thread...]

Big guy? Beard? Surly Crosscheck?

It was Clifton.

Coincidentally, I rode on Saturday with a guy named Clifton who owns a Crosscheck. Smaller, no beard, and in Texas, though.

<snip> My headlight is really bright so I did not want to ride right right up on his wheel and wash out his night vision, therefore I was not pulling a draft off him, rather just cruising along probably 20-30 feet behind him
<snip> He was not inches away, but probably five to ten feet behind me. <snip>

Could they potentialy have been using your light? You mention washing out his night vision so your light must have been alot better or am I misreading that?

I always have a problem with other riders on the road. I slow down on hills and go fast down hills due to extra gravitational effects. When I see another rider it is hard to judge what to do and not get into some situation. As a recumbent rider the problem is twofold. I have to be a good representative and all that so I can't go slow on hills but well I got this gravity thing and when I pass uprights it is like I'm throwing down the gauntlet and it's go time!

I'd have ridden along side him and chit-chatted for a while, then took off. But I'm a woman from the south, we talk to anybody about anything at anytime.

I'd have made a joke or struck up a conversation with the guy. I like solitude, but I also like hearing myself talk.

+1 to mirrors.

I would have talked to him. Did that the other night. The rider had a Coast Guard Strobe Light on his arm, no head light.

If it really bothers you, buy a DiNotte 140L or 400L taillight...I guarantee you won't have anyone tailgating after you mount one of those bad boys to your bike.

I wouldn't have done anything. It sounds like you're overreacting. If it bothered you that much you could have stopped and taken a 5 minute break so you wouldn't see him again.

Hey All - thanks for the comments. I just wasn't sure what the typical ettiqutte is in the situation. I am a long time Mountain Biker, and only started commuting last October. Still figuring this road stuff out.

I agree that everyone has a right to the trail, but that should include my right to have a nice ride in solitude should I want it. I mean, obviously he was riding slower than me when I came up on him. Maybe he wanted to race, but I was just having a nice ride home.

So next time, I'll either speed up for the drop, or as others have suggested, I'll stop for a while and let him go on his way.

I do have a Dinotte 140L on the back of my bike (and a 600L on the front of my helmet), so I guess he enjoyed looking into that baby! :)

And don't take my comments wrong. I'm not pissed at him at all, I was just a little perplexed and annoyed at his behaviour.

Happy commuting!

Perfectly fine ettigutte-wise. Two cyclists going the same way, at night. You passed, he(or she) paced. No big deal. He wasn't willing (or couldn't) overtake you, so he stayed behind you.

it's all good, they would just have to ask (and subsequently back off) if they wanted to draft. And IMO, I don't let people draft unless I know them/are comfortable enough that can brake/swerve if
something comes up in the roadway.

Actually, I prefer to ride in packs.

I have a mirror. That was part of the issue, the glare from his headlight was bothering me.

I ignored him, but it was slightly annoying.

I have this issue with the sun at times. I just flip my mirror.


A mirror makes no difference in the situation the OP described. It wasn't that he was startled to find someone on his wheel. He knew the guy was there, but was annoyed with the guy's persistent efforts to stick with him.

Wouldn't be surprised if the guy I described in my earlier post thought similarly of me: "OK, so he took a 21mph pull for a little while, but why is Chunk-Lor of the Fenders trying to hang with me on my super aero Ridley? Let's see what he does with 23mph."


A mirror you can easily gage how strong your opponent is. That and make sure he is back at least two feet.

In the end I would have stopped or given hand signals for him to pass as I slow down.

I was commuting home the other night, cruising down the asphalt trail at my usual pace. It was a very nice evening, maybe 40 degrees, clear, no wind with a nice crescent moon out. I was really enjoying the quiet and the ride.

Ahead, I notice the blinkie of another biker and saw that I was overtaking him. As I came up behind him and was preparing to pass, he increased his pace as to not let me by. "OK", I thought, "that's a little weird, but I'll just ride here behind him for a while". So I stayed behind him for about a mile. My headlight is really bright so I did not want to ride right right up on his wheel and wash out his night vision, therefore I was not pulling a draft off him, rather just cruising along probably 20-30 feet behind him, a little annoyed that my solitude had been interrupted. He was riding slightly slower than my usual pace, but not so much slower that I felt like putting out the extra effort to pass him.

We came to a small hill on the trail and I heard him shift gears which caused him to slow down. Not needing to shift myself, I power past him and up the hill and then resumed my normal pace.

After about 20 seconds, he comes up behind me and the next thing I know he was sucked onto my back wheel. He was not inches away, but probably five to ten feet behind me. Now I was a little pissed, but I just kept riding along at my normal pace, trying to enjoy the evening. He stayed with me for about three miles when we came to another small hill and I finally dropped him.

When he was on my wheel, I thought about turning around and asking him to back off, but I did not want to provoke any kind of confrontation. I could have stopped and let him get down the trail, but when you have a nice pace going, who wants to stop?

The whole thing was not a huge deal, but it was annoying.

What would you have done in a similar situation?

I would have shot him for daring to annoy you.

Get him to draft you, slowly build up the pace then suddenly and without warning pull a 'crazy ivan' which is simultaneously hitting the brakes and swerving hard.

Turn back and ride a victory lap around his road-rashed azzz.... ride away as you punch your fist victoriously into the air while crying out "they will never take our freedoooommmmm"


Edit: nah, don't do any of that.... just pull up beside him and ask him if he has invited jesus into his life yet.

Did he not have a light? Was he using you to see to get where he was going?

FWIW that guy could have easily been me (except I'm talkative) my natural solo pace is about 2mph slower then when I ride in a group. I'm not sure why this is but there it is.

If I were in a situation like that and it began to bother me, I would have tortured him by riding him off my wheel but not too far and that would have given him the hope that he could get back on my wheel if he just increased his effort for a bit then I would keep doing that till he exhausted himself. If you want you could also add "the look" after he exhausts himself and drop him for good. Its all just to make a repetitive commute a bit more fun.

In Holland, pacelines magically form and disappear wordlessly on the bike roads. I like it. In the past, i've been miffed if another driver followed too close.
But a bike?
Do you hate people?

Unless someone is just inches off of my back wheel I don't consider it drafting. Someone riding 5 to 10 ft. behind doesn't seem like much of a threat. In fact, if he/she appears to be a strong rider, it might motivate me to step it up a little. I don't like the attitude that many cyclists seem to have; that they own the air/pavement behind them.

I don't see a big deal with this, but it does annoy me a little when people treat everyone who passes them as a challenge to a race.

I see this kinda as kinda like when you're at a fairly uncrowded beach and someone decides to sit down like five feet away from you. Or when you're on an empty bus, but someone decides to sit in the seat next to you. Slightly annoying.

Say hello? He is a fellow bike commuter. After a bit of chit chat, if you find him annoying, wave bye and stop to admire the scenery.

If it really bothers you, buy a DiNotte 140L or 400L taillight...I guarantee you won't have anyone tailgating after you mount one of those bad boys to your bike.

+1 A PB Super Flash will for just fine as well. All of those do a great job making you visable. In the dark you would NOT want to be close behind one as it will extreamly anoying.

It does however sound like the person kept a reasonable distance. I've red here about riders on the forum that had other riders stick to within inches of the their rear wheel... now that would scare me. I would not trust a stranger to ride that close. Any little thing could cause a crash.

I know at times I enjoy the solitude, but every so often we do have to share the road with others 8-).

Happy riding,
André

This is what we have to look forward to in a car-free society. "Real" cyclists complaining about all the other morons fouling up the roads...oh, wait, we have that now only with cars.

Reminds me of one of my favorite "Onion" headlines: "95% of drivers favor mass transit for other people."