Originally Posted by
gregf83
+1. Despite popular belief, roadies are not all ******** and generally don't have a problem with riders hanging on the back provided they stay back and don't disrupt the paceline.
+1.
If you aren't getting dropped but can't pull through then hang at the back. As a rider drops back after their pull leave a gap and say "in". They should understand and the tempo of the group should be uninterrupted and unaffected by your presence.
That's exactly how people eat during a ride so there shouldn't be aproblem. I'd be far more comfortable seeing and hearing that from a rider I don't know who joined our ride that having someone hit the front and kill the tempo. That causes overlapped wheels and then an unnessessary surge. Both should be avoided.