thesmoothdome

Just a quick question about etiquette while riding solo. I know it's poor form to join a group without asking, but what about when a solo rider passes you? Is it acceptable to suck his wheel for a while?

I was completely spent at the end of my ride today and ended up catching the wheel of a guy who passed by me for about 1/2 a mile. He knew I was there and gave me a few hand signals to indicate debris in the road and slowing at the light we stopped at. I came up next to him, smiled, said thank you and turned off the road we shared. While it was obvious that he didn't mind that I latched on, I wonder if it is acceptable ettiquette since I put an additional burden of having to worry about me on him.

urbanknight

You should ask and give the guy the option. Most riders won't mind, but they want to be informed. Other riders might not be comfortable with you back there, and honestly, you don't want to be behind those riders either.

Reynolds 

On my usual route and among roadies, it's generally OK to catch wheels unless explicitly told not to. However, it's polite to say hi or announce yourself.

Caad 8

On one of my 50 mile rides the other day, some guy decides to sit on my wheel because there was a killer head wind. He didn't say anything but my cycley senses told me someone was there. Then he rode up next to me, asked if him being back there slowed me down, I said no, and then he went back to sitting on my wheel.

neurocycler

+1 always good to ask, a little polite communication goes a long way.

Phiberglass

I don't mind it for a little bit, but not if they are continuously drafting. The worst is when you power by someone, then they proceed to pursue you and sit on your ass.

recon455

I go my own pace pretty much regardless of who I pass or who passes me*. I think it would just be weird to say "Mind if I hang on for a bit?" If they are going faster, let them go faster, unless you are dying and won't make it home without some help. If they are slower, say "hi" and continue on like normal.

As far as groups go, I don't tag along on groups I don't know very often, but they can actually be pretty nice. Pull up a stop light next to them, ask where they are going, if it sounds good and they seem nice, join them.


*Not to say that I don't push it when someone is catching up behind me, or that I don't chase a rabbit when I see one. But sometimes, it's nice to do some work with someone else to get somewhere faster or get some speed work.

umd

Ask

Machka 

It's creepy having someone suck your wheel without introducing him/herself.

There you are riding along, and all of a sudden you notice you've picked up a tail ... but you can't see who it is very well, and you don't know why he/she is there or how long he/she is going to be there. All of a sudden you feel vaguely responsible for this person. Instead of relaxing and enjoying your ride, you feel like you probably should point out potholes and debris, and you feel like you should probably try to focus on riding in a straight line, being more careful when you drink from your bottle, etc., so the person behind you won't have an accident or something .................... although it is very tempting to just carry on as usual and not bother about the person behind you. And your main thought is ... "GET OFF MY BUTT!!"

And then, it's frustrating having that creepy person pass you or turn off without taking his/her turn at pulling. How rude!!

I had someone do this to me on an organised ride a couple weekends ago. He rode right behind me for several km, despite the fact that I was one of the slowest riders out there, and then when a slightly faster group of riders passed me, he hooked onto them and sucked their wheels. I'm OK with someone riding behind me ... as long as they introduce themselves, make small talk, offer to pull for a while, or otherwise be polite about it.

But ... why would you want to ride close behind an unknown rider? Seems dangerous to me.

Metzinger

Here I've been pleased to observe that fast moving packs often form then dissolve wordlessly on the busier routes.
But people ride with good awareness. Weekday rush-hours near the central train stations, you're often in a pack whether you like it or not.

botto 

people who hop on while you're riding with a group, as long as they don't get too close, is not a problem.

people who suck wheel while i'm riding alone: irritating.

patentcad

If you jump on a group and you don't eff up their pace line with bad riding, I've never seen this as a big problem. Never bothered me. Hell, another body in the line helps the pace line.

Jquest

If a rider passes me and I jump on his wheel....as soon as I'm rested enough...I will jump in front and pull him for a while. If the guy was decent enough in allowing me to hang on his 6 and I can surely return the favor. It has worked out for me pretty good.

^oZ

Don't

EventServices

ALWAYS make sure they know you're there. And ALWAYS ask.

Otherwise, unsafe and rude.

DXchulo

I agree with botto here. I mean, 9 times out of 10 I'm riding solo because I want to (I feel like being alone, I'm doing intervals, etc.). If some guy comes up behind me and asks if he can ride with me, I'm going to look like a real ******* if I tell him no.

RiPHRaPH

There is a rabbit in every rider.

Just call out "hey, mind if I hang on for a while?"

99% of riders wouldn't mind

Grumpy McTrumpy

I so rarely come across another bike rider around here that I would probably just drop back and talk to him.

sharky nrk

Kinda the same feeling on my rides, I am just excited to see someone else.

PhilNYC

Yeah...I always ask, and have never had someone say "no". Occasionally, if I'm having a bad day and I get dropped somewhere by my group, and another group (or solo rider) comes along, I have asked if they could help me back to my group, and again have never received a "no"...in fact, in those particular situations, the rider/group I latch onto seems to really get into the whole pursuit/help thing....

Psimet2001 

You're in Sullivan, IN.....of course you are.

Grumpy McTrumpy

We had a team ride last season that was pretty much of a hammerfest. I was sitting second wheel at one point and (so I was told later) a young lady grabbed on to the back of our little group.

At this point came the first real hard climb of the ride and the lead guy put the screws to us. We stayed together, but she got blown off the back pretty badly. It was the topic of discussion for the second half of the ride though since all the married pricks on our team didn't say a word and I only found out after the fact that we blew off my potential future ex wife..

I still get **** about that.

brad06ag

I hate unannounced wheel suckers when I'm riding solo. If you are going to grab me wheel, let me know and it will be no problem at all. i can't stand it when I pass someone at a pretty good clip and then a short nondescript time later get that feeling that I'm being followed.

If you don't announce that you're on my wheel, I will not do anything to help you avoid a crash. I will do things like bunny hop pot holes/road debris without announcing its there so that you hit it. Yes, I'm an jack ass, but so are you if you don't announce yourself.

Now if you simply say, "mind if I hang onto your wheel for a while?". I will gladly pull. I'll point out hazards and avoid them with plenty of room, give you proper hand signals and I won't even mind if you don't take a pull, although it would be very nice of you to do so. I'll also let you know if i'm doing some kind of workout like intervals so that you know that I'll be changing speeds.

umd

If it takes you a few minutes to notice that someone is following you, then you aren't very observant.

Keith99

I generally don't miind at all if someone is on my wheel. But the creepy factor is a bit different since I'm a 230 lb. male. But letting someone know is just smart. If I think I'm alone IO'm lazy come drink time, I sit up, I dring and perhaps even spray a little water on my face or sometimes even down my back. Any of those can be bad for someone behind me. If there is a headwind I often end up doing the lions share of pulling, sometimes all, if the riders are all about my ability. I don't have a problem with someone sitting on if they are tired or slight enough that the wind is harder for them. But if they have the legs it can be nice to get even a brief break.