RoboCheme

I'm sort of a newbie since I've only been riding for three months, but I have gone on a couple of group rides so I know the rudiments of riding in close quarters (don't overlap, call out hazards, signal slowing).

Anyway, I was riding alone today on this straight stretch, just practicing spinning. I felt good so I was going at 19-20 mph (slight tailwind) and I happened to look behind and, lo and behold, there were a couple of cyclists on my wheel. It was disconcerting since I could have inadvertently created a problem. I'm just not experience enough to have someone follow me.

So what is the etiquette here? Should they have announced their presence with a "Hi", or a "can we draft you for awhile?"?, etc.

What was my responsibility once I knew that they were there? Do I have to call out hazards and tell them my speed changes? Should I have slowed down and let them pass? (there wasn't much road traffic and why should I have to modify my riding?)

By the way, this is the second time someone snuck up on me.

Thanks for your advice.

UmneyDurak

Generally it's considered a bad etiquette and not really safe to jump in on a wheel of someone you don't know.
Since you were ridding solo it's really up to you on how you want to handle it. Some people will try to drop wheel suckers, others get mad. Since you just started riding I would recommend just indicating to them to pass you. Just don't make any sudden stops. Maybe strike a conversation with them, never know might find riding partners.

Smoothie104

here we go..........

catatonic

For negative brownie points, but positive jacktard points, get up out of the saddle and mash, throwing your bike side to side as you do this, at all of 15mph. Make sure to act about like lance does on his climbs during the TdF.

I find ninja drafting to be quite rude. At least a simple "sup!" would suffice. /shrug

look171

Well I am new here. I don't know what's been going on with this type of post. Here we go???

I think is Ok if someone comes up and sucks on my wheel w/out me knowing. We do it all the time here. You should be smooth anyway even when you're riding alone. Learn that discipline. No sudden movement, don't stop pedaling and sit up in the middle of the road. go around road hazards smoothly. One trick we use in racing is that you can see behind you by peeking through or under your armpit. Since you said you had been riding for only a few months, turn you head to see who's behind may not be a good idea. Most new riders tend to stop pedaling when they turn their head, this could wheel suckers to run into you. You could usually hear them breath or their chain slapping against the stay, or when they are freewheeling behind your draft.

Jeff

berny

Just take it as a compliment that they see you as travelling well enough to draft. Do a short turn on the front then wave them through and take your turn drafting.

Doggus

Get a Take-a-Look helmet mirror. You won't have anymore unknown tailgaters. I can see when someone is using me as a rabbit from 1/4-1/2 mile back. Only happened twice as I've only test ridden three bikes but I see 'em coming.

burtonbiker

Make friends not war....look at odometer, after your mile is up peel off and tell them they can have a mile now, rinse, repeat as desired.

skydive69

The last time some ahole drafted me uninvited, and unannounced, I watched his shadow for a couple of minutes, and when it was obvious he was going to continue, and not say anything, I dropped his useless ass. My Polar was telling me that I was about to suffer a cardiac event ( I was registering 100% of MHR), but the pain was worth making him feel like a girlie man!

You know anyone that does that is not an accomplished rider (the danger of not bing able to drop your prey) - if he was, he wouldn't draft someone unannounced.

sdastg1

I don't get it. If theyre behind you and not right up on your arse, what difference does it make?

RoboCheme

What do you mean by this comment? If it's sarcasm, it didn't do any good since it flew way over my head.

dcon

I had a similar experience recently, except I'm sure the folks weren't drafting off me since I was cooling down. Two later-middle-aged folks on very new, very custom Sevens roll up within about a foot of my rear tire, unannounced, and I don't notice them until I go to clear my nose over my shoulder.

I don't know why I didn't hear them coming up...anyway, I wanted to yell at them to at least call out something to let me know they were there, but I figured "why bother." I waved them around and laughed b/c once they got around me, I noticed their saddles were ridiculously low and they were both riding with legs bowed way out. Probably $8-10K worth of bike between them and they don't even have the saddles adjusted properly.

Moral of the story? I dunno. Take it easy and grab laughs wherever you can, I guess. That said, if I had really been working and they had been drafting, I would have gently suggested that they pull their own weight.

Retro Grouch 

Try this:
"I'd rather you not draft behind me because it makes me nervous."

If you happen to be the following cyclist try this:
"Do you mind if I draft close behind you for a while?"

There now. Wasn't that easy?

skydive69

You will get it if someone ever taps your wheel and you wind up with a damaged bike and road rash. For example, if I need to suddenly stop, am I responsible for warning someone who just helped themselves to my wheel? If don't warn them, I have a potential tail ornament. Even if I do, how do I know what skill level they have should something suddenly happen? Bottom line: I don't want someone on my wheel unless I know them, and know what kind of rider they are - espcially someone rude enough to do it sans invitation or announcement.

skidmarx

As long as we're on bicycle etiquette, recently, I got a flat on my road bike, so I take to the grass off to the side, not too far from the shoulder, and begin the change but I find that my leverage tools were left in a pouch on my other bike and yeah that's stupid not to have all bikes equipped. So, I'm sittng there, wheel off, trying to figure the best way to maneuver this tire and I look up just in time to see this guy on road bike pass me with nothing more than a look over the shoulder. No question, like "are you all right?", "do you need help?" "do you have the right tools?"..Anyway, just thought it would have been much appreciated.
I had a keychain bottle opener, smooth, no rough edges, right kinda curve (ya know the ones with ski area logos sold at the registers) and also a post office key with the large round thumb end (pretty damn strong) and these worked well enough with no damage done. Lesson learned..check before leaving. And whoever you are that passed me..you're a dick head.

gajohnson

WOW!! That's meseed up!

I was riding in Brooklyn, NYC, I pulled over to adjust my seat and before I knew it a messenger on a "beat up-fix" (on his day off) stopped and asked if I was okay. It may have been because I was struggling with the seat post and he wanted to be a good samaritan.

Anyway of course not all riders are.... just like not all people are...

That brings to mind a saying that I saw in a militant and/or black nationalist newsapaper: "Not all black people are your friend and not all white people are your enemy"

Enthalpic

Just blow your legs up and be the bigger man... Funny! Thing is if the guy snuck up behind you on some highway, he has been gaining on you for some time. No reason to think you are much stronger of a rider. I prefer three little words "on your left" Even funnier when people go into some manly sprint and then sit up a mile down the rode...

PS When accidents happen it's normally the rear man who talkes the fall and dmg.

gordo23

if i ever come up on someone i always give them warning with a simple "on your wheel". I then pass when i have the chance and continue with my ride. I always expect someone to give warning to me if they sneak up behind me. If they don't then I just wait for the next climb and drop them like it's cool.

people:

always give warning when you come up on someone

clausen

I think it's pretty dangerous to draft without warning. Your taking your chances of them slowing or stopping suddenly. Whenever I approach someone from behind which doesn't happen that often but I always announce my presence and my intentions. The times I do draft, I keep back a few feet and always have offer to pull after a couple of minutes.

Doggus

Next time try stopping instead. I came upon a roadie laying in the middle of the road once. Thought he'd been hit by a car. Actually he had a cardiac while rounding a curve. We did CPR on him for about 20 minutes while the life flight came to get him.

They sent the life flight home empty...used the meat wagon that was already there instead. I never push my heart too much after seeing that.

thewalrus

A few months ago I helped a taxi driver change a flat tire, he was new to the country and through basic english I was able to figure out he'd never used a scissor-jack before. We eventually got his spare mounted and his car could limp away...

skydive69

People are unbelieveable. The guy was probably in a hurry to place his useless ass on someone's wheel uninvited. I always stop and ask all stopped cyclists even if it is not obvious that they are having problems. I do the same when I am riding a motorcycle.

climbo

Robo, you should pull over and let them pass if you are not comfortable with them there, then as they go by explain to them that they should be announcing their presence and that you would not want to cause a crash inadvertently. It's basic common sense NOT to do that to someone riding along.

Or, start a paceline with them.

Smoothie104

It means that this is a often visited and spirited topic, thats all.

Comatose51

I always found it motivating to have someone draft off of me A warning would definitely be nice.