Mr. Beanz

Why do riders do this? I myself get my exercise going up so when I head down, yeah, I can crank it up on the descent but I chose to coast down safely. Last year I was coasting down hitting 40 not trying on the straight away 4 miles up. I look to the side and see something out the corner of my eye. Some dude is about 6 inches off my wheel. WTF! He doesn't know me or what I might do. Yeah, if he hits, he is more than likely going down for sure on the trail. But GMR at these speeds, I'm probably going down too if he pushes my derailleur into my spokes.

I don't like it at all, If I don't know you and we aren't riding together, stay the "you know what" away from me!

Then last week, we are descending. I stay about 40 yards ahead of Gina so that if anything happens, she has time to react. We're doing about 30 mph when I look back to make sure she is still there and doing OK when I see some dude in a full blown race kit about a foot off her wheel. WTF!

I mean c'mon dude! She's a recreational rider, dressed like a recreational rider babying it on the descent. You don't know her or her abilities. I can't figure out why some dude playing Ricky Racer is drafting Gina down GMR. So I sit up and gently feather the brakes so that she will gently slow as well. She does and the guy goes around. I later asked if she knew the guy was there and she said she had no idea.

So he rolls by pedaling his arse off not going anywhere. OK, so you suck on the descent, that's cool but why jump on an unsuspecting female recreational rider's wheel? Why risk her safety so that you can brag about your downhill average speed!

Let this be a warning. If you take my wife down at 30 mph on GMR, when you are laying on the side of the road, expect to take about 20 punches to the face and 10 to 15 kicks to the ribs.

It's one thing to play games with your friends but if you see other riders minding their own business, maybe you should leave them alone for safety reasons. Some unsuspecting riders are trying to make it down safely and don't really care to play your stupid games.

On the trail, unannounced wheel suckers aren't a good idea but at 30+ mph on mountain switchbacks, it's freaking stupid!

jmX

I get annoyed when people try to draft me on the SART (3 seperate people did this on sunday), but on a mountain descent I'd be furious.

On a training ride I'd normally think its silly that anybody would draft (including beanz on sunday ), but on a training ride descent it seems really ridiculous. You can get going as fast as you please without help from others.

Mr. Beanz

I agree but Sunday was a fun ride and it was less than 10 miles. I rarely draft unless I'm goofing around. I'd say 98% of my 15 years of riding (coming up on 70,000 miles) has been solo or on the front.

But 30 mph mountain switchbacks, there is no goofing around.

ap1_alan

What do you guys consider a safe distance to keep between unknown riders on flat ground?

20 feet? 20 yards? more? I'm fairly new to road cycling and don't want to offend any riders, I always try to keep a safe gap between people i dont know.

KBentley57

if you can see the small details on their jersey you are too close.

dahvaio

Personally, I have no freaking idea why riders draft someone who they do not know. At least have the common decency to ASK. Riding along side someone and then falling in does not constitute ASKING.

I stay about 5 Bicycle Lengths back from someone and then will pass them when given the opportunity. I ride the SART 3-4 times a week but do not have to deal with too many drafters because I am usually done riding by 5:30PM.

haaseg

Has anyone had the reverse happen? On two recent occasions pedaling into a serious headwind on Back Bay, someone has come up beside me then cut in front close enough to suck me into the draft, and then pretty much maintained my average speed. It's a little odd, but in those cases I've just enjoyed the draft and pushed extra hard on other areas of the ride.

himespau 

drafting downhill like that is just dumb. someone had probably just gotten done watching the TdF and thought he wanted to be the cool guy who'd finished his ride after going into some barbed wire.

Mr. Beanz

What do you mean exactly, safe gap? Are you trying to keep up with faster riders that pass you? Are you racing them? Or just shadowing other riders?

Mr. Beanz

Never happened to me. If they had, I'd drop back and let them roll off for a bit. I don't like to draft other riders.

The only time something similar has happened would be a rider that I passed sucked wheel then tried to sprint around only to find they couldn't hold the pace. They usually fall back but never had an unknown rider jump in front of me to help.

But none of this is as stupid as unannounced drafting at 30 mph down mountain switchbacks!

Pamestique 

There are alot of uneducated cyclists on So Cal's roads now. I appreciate the enthusiasm but am concerned about the lack of road etiquette. Seldom if ever does anyone call out anymore and I can't tell you about many times I have been "buzzed" (both on the left and =gasp= on the right) by folks who think they are racing the Tour De France!

That said, my number one priority is my own safety. I am a fast and confident descender however, if I get someone on my butt I don't know, I wave them to come around me and I slow down until they pass. I have tried and wasted my time trying to educate folks, now I just go with the flow and let them go on by.

Funny story... several weeks ago I was mountain biking on a very popular trail in OC (Fully Loop). This group of guys kept passing my friends and I - very dangerously at times. At the last downhill, we stopped and waited (of course we passed them up every hill) so they could just get ahead of us as the trail got very narrow. As they came up we graciously allowed them to go first. We gave them sufficient time then went ourselves. As we assumed, there was a great, big pileup of bodies half way down. I could not help but grin inwardly as we rode pass the guys and asked "Everyone OK? Need anything?". I think they were surprised us old ladies just whizzed on by without any technical difficulty. Speed does not always equate to talent or ability. Unfortunately too many young dudes entering the sport right now that haven't discovered that little gem.

Pamestique 

Unless you know the rider and are familiar with his riding style and you routinely draft each other, you need to stay way back. If you are coming up on the rider, and will be pasing, move to the left and annouce your presence and intent "Coming up, passing on your left!"

I have on occassion been riding back behind someone (safe distance about 20 ft or more) and have been invited to draft. If by observing the person's style I deem it safe, I may do so obviously providing a pull or two as well. If a person seems squirrelly, I will decline.

BTW I never draft downhill... don't need to. I am usually the fastest descender. Drafting is reserved for "flat land" riding...

Mr. Beanz

Exactly right!

If any of the riders know me and Gina, and ony of those that ride with us at the time, we're riding at a steady pace. Good pace but no fast accelerations, group tricks to drop others. We're all about smooth sailing. If a rider sprints off, we let them go. I hold pace and Gina stays with me, I don't play games, just doing our ride.

Every so often, I don't know if the guy lacks handling skills, lacks common sense or is just downright a stupid idiot but a rider will pass, then swipe his rear tire inches in front of my front tire. Almost seems like an attempt to take me out. Why? I would not know. We're holding a nice stead pace and a staight line. Could just be that Lance isn't as fast as he thinks, but either way it's downright stupid. We never pass a rider then hard sweep to the right. I always look back to make sure we are clear before moving back right.

calamarichris

Two words for ya, Mr.B:

Mr. Beanz

Actually my nose is too big and I can't build up that kind of pressure!..But I will have Gina practice!

Schwerelos

I've had that happen to me a bunch of times. Probably because I look slow on my hybrid and they might not realize that I'm getting back up to speed at the point that they move in front (like after some of those blind turns I don't like to take too fast or something). I just follow along if they are not squirrely but usually I'm dropped pretty quickly or I move ahead if turn out to be too slow.

I feel like it's not my problem if they've sucked me up. I shouldn't have to adjust my speed because they felt they just HAD to pass me. However, I generally stay about wheel length behind so I don't really feel like I'm really "drafting" like those people who are inches from your wheel. I'm just there where I was before they passed me.

But drafting down hill insane and rude.

calamarichris

Perhaps if you just turn around now and then and act like you're about to fire that mighty nasal howitzer?

Dear... Draft-Ninja... S'not your... &$^%#... superdomestique...

aprevo15

Next time move over to the side and stick your arm out while braking.

Mr. Beanz

Ahhh, the ol' lock 'n load!

allroy71

Great topic.
Got me thinking about the time I was going up Seal Beach Blvd, has slight rise near PCH. This guy decides to pass me on the uphill. Then decides to drop his gears in front of me. Going slower than when he passed. What!! Pass me then slow down. So I decide to tail him for a bit. Didn't want to pass him. He might turn into me!!

idoru2005

Yeah, I wouldn't like a downhill drafter taking my wheel. I don't really mind it on the flats. I just keep going my pace, or if I'm feeling good, I'll pick up the pace and see if they can stick.

On my morning commute while riding on PCH, I routinely have the same wheelsucker take my wheel. It's uncanny how we take to the same stretch of road day-in-day-out. She's a fast, petite rider like me, so I drag her through Newport Beach until I peel off onto the SART heading inland. We usually nod to each other if we get stuck at a light. Turns out she is on her return leg towards HB by the time our paths intersect (she does a HB to Irvine loop).

Just yesterday, I was climbing up Newport Coast, working hard and just about to take my pace down to rest, and she's there on my wheel! Totally snuck up and passed me. I gave chase and stayed on her wheel to the top of the hill where our paths diverged. I continued on my commute, but hammered the whole way through CDM and NPB. Again our paths met up on PCH and I pulled her all the way to my turnoff at the SART. Fun stuff!

GP

Rig this onto one of those triathlon saddle bottle holders.



Someone might still try to draft off you but only once.

Mr. Beanz

LAriverRat

I don't care if someone drafts me or not, on the flats anyway. However, coming down a mountain No way. I would either slow or get my fat ass going even faster. Today, after resting at Seal Beach, was going 20 to 21 mph into a headwind going to Huntington beach when this 20 something dude on a mountain bike with nobby tires pulls up beside and asks if its ok to get my wheel, I pull this guy from Seal Beach blvd to about half way through Bolsa Chica when he takes the lead and is hammering out 21 to 22 up the hill. I get tired and wish him well as he goes blasting off into the distance, he never slowed. He was on a borrowed bike. He was nice enough to ask, he knew i kept a steady pace and i was blasting a hole into the wind, life is good.

ap1_alan

I try to keep at least 20 feet between.

None of the above? I've really only had the issue when riding on streets with stop lights. With lights a short distance apart i'm not trying to keep up, pass, race, or shadow them. I'm trying to get to my destination, trail, path, etc.