Okay, so drafting is okay when the person you're drafting is okay with it. But that's not what we're talking about here.

Or are you saying that those who would rather people not draft them are being unreasonable?

I think that many are hyper-sensitive to cyclists they {assume} to be drafting, they then do something stupid as retalliation, risking an accident that might not have otherwise occurred. If you're unable to ride them off your wheel then, what's the harm, really? Once I've ridden over that section of pavement or, used that air, I don't what the next guy does with it. Remember, it's the guy in the back that's at much greater risk of crashing when wheels rub anyway. So, if he's too close and inexperienced, the problem may just take care of itself. Just ride and stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.

Because the guy in back has a greater risk of crashing, the guy in front may feel a responsibility to keep that from happening, i.e., not make any sudden moves, etc. (Depending on how close the person drafting is anyway.) I don't know... I still think it's impolite to impose that on someone without asking first, even if it's not the hugest deal in the world.

Weird thread.

My experience is that whenever I pass someone who thinks they have any kind of get up and go skills, they ALWAYS hang on my wheel until I drop them. No exceptions.

I can usually spot these guys as I approach them because they tend to step on it as I get closer. Once I pass them, they swing in behind me and give it the old college try, most fall off rather quickly. The few that hang in there are really not an issue; there are so few.

I guess my question still stands: Why not just drop these guys? What is the problem?

What if you just don't feel like it?

Or what if you're already going at at good clip, and you don't want to kill yourself for that extra 2 mph or so when the guy behind you (since he's drafting, obviously) can make up that difference much easier than you can?

Or what if the guy behind you is just stronger than you, but is sucking wheel anyway? Or you're really tired from a long ride?

Myriad reasons.

Then move aside and coast for a moment.

Due to these issues, I sort of evaluate the situation as I approach a slower rider -- because, I too do not really want some guy on my Sass. Typically, I judge my strength during the approach. If I am feeling weak, or if I can tell the guy is a strong rider who is just dogging it, I'll hang back a little and build up a second wind, even take a drink or two. I never pass a rider unless I am ready to go all out. I try not to pass a rider unless I am reasonably sure I can shake him.

I guess that is my etiquette. If I am going to pass you, I plan to smoke you.

I think it rude to pass a rider and then just hang there with my big butt waving in front of his face. I hate it when people do that to me. They either get re-passed and dropped, or I fall back and just let them go.

That is pretty much my rational. I ride as hard as I can reasonably sustain on my 30 mile ride home. That I can bump things up a few miles per hour, does not mean I want to waste the energy. I like to keep a steady 20-21 mph pace on the 15 miles of bike trail so that when I hit my 15 miles of downtown traffic, I have the legs under me to sprint from stops to keep up with 25-30 mph traffic and not get squeezed out.

I do draft with fellow centry rider and obviously on club rides, but on a century or club rides, you are all on the same ride, ridng the same distance, and knowingly working together.

Also, just because me in the front may have less of a chance of crashing if wheels touch, I have ZERO wish to make anyone else crash regardless of how rude I think they are.

You missed the part where it states I live and commute in NYC, LOL. (It's in bold bright red letters directly under my posts and also under my name to the left.) New York City coined the phrase "dangerously overcrowed".

+1 As long as they aren't riding dangerously close to you or trying to follow you home and ****/rob/murder you then just drop them, let them ride by you or deal.

Cyclists/bikers should be nice to each other. :)

Yuhbbit the OP is from Sacramento...?

It's really not that hard to understand.

People like keeping physical space between themselves and others for a variety of reasons. It's not hypersensitive and it's not asocial. It is normal. Now in certain situations people understand that maintaining that distance isn't always possible and isn't always desirable. People ACCUSTOMED to drafting and being drafted are willing to give up that personal space. People who aren't may not be and this thread and several past threads demonstrates that pretty well.

Do you want somebody walking inches behind you? You're done with the air right? My guess is that it would bother you. If you slow down and they bump into it's annoying whether you're actually hurt or not.

I'm not advocating that anyone retaliate. Riding somebody off your wheel is one solution if you've got the gas to do it, but IMHO, the drafter shouldn't have put you in that position in the first place.

Perhaps the problem is that they can't. I know it really bugs me when grandma is sucking my wheel on her cruiser with the milk crates attached, and I can't drope her. I am wussy, so I come to BF to whine and feel better about my sorry-arsed self.

Don't equate the goofballs on your ride who apparently weave through your "dangerously on crowded MUPs" with me and my ride. On my MUP, on some mornings when I ride the full way in, I only see 10 people (cyclists, runners, walkers, and mom's with strollers).

And if riding a nice-ish bike, kinda fast (but nowhere near race pace), while wearing lycra means I am a Lance Armstrong wannabe, I guess I am guilty.:)

You miss the point. Some ARE riding dangerously close, though none to my knowledge are actually stalking me. And I *AM* being nice. For the most part I confrom to the normal drafting ettiquite whereby I keep a steady pace, I don't weave, I don't brake suddenly, I take wide paths around road hazzards all in an effort NOT to crash the guy behind me. Just because I am annoyed do not give me the right to deliberately cause them physical harm.

But I guess by some people's clock, I should also not be annoyed and deal....

I drove today, so on my next ride home, I will take people's advice and just chill out. But then again just about any ****ty ride home on my bike beats the drive home in the car.

LOL! I'm not talking about YOU! I'm talking about what I've seen and experienced HERE in NYC. I've seen some REALLY, and I mean REALLY, dangerous stuff going on with those "Lance Armstrong wannabes" (not including just clueless casual riders, bike messengers, etc.) going crazy on overly crowded MUPs here in NYC that put their lives in danger as well as the lives of the other people (mine included) using the MUPs alongside them.

I think we can agree on that. I see guys in full kit on the weekend passing 5 year old kids on tricycles at 20+ mph. They are supreme pricks in my book. A friend of mine, on his first ride on a brand new $2k bike (new rider, but a dentist with some money) was crashed when someone did the same to him on a tight corner (wannabe passed on the inside but could not hold the turn and drifted out into my buddy).

So yeah, I agree, there is a time and a place for riding behaviour like that. I am just making it clear, that I am not "that guy".

I am that guy.

Nope, I didn't miss your point but you missed mine: Drop them, let them pass or deal.

If they are trying to ****/rob/murder/mug/etc. you then that's a completely different story and you need to do whatever it takes to get out of that situation and fast.

I completely understand someone close up on your wheel creating a dangerous situation if you stop short or something, again, that's when you wave them by you, call to them to back off your wheel or pull off the path to let them pass you but spitting in someone's face, farting purposefully or all of those other nasty things that some of the other posters mentioned aren't okay if the wheel sucker isn't putting you into a dangerous situation.

Just enjoy your ride. Wheel suckers be damned, LOL! :)

Yep, that's exactly what I was referring to. Just dangerous riding on crowded MUPs (here in NYC) with dog walkers, slower bikers, razor scooters, joggers, walkers, runners, kids, rollerbladers, strollers, etc. I've had some people do some crazy things that have almost gotten me killed or seriously injured. It's scary. :(

LOL! :lol: ;)

NYC & Sac-town, from the sound of it, appears I should be really happy to be living here in the good old rust belt where the people know how to stay indoors and inactivity rules the day.

I pass up maybe two or three riders on my 27 mile commute -- and that's in the summer, on my afternoon ride home. OK, so I am exaggerating a tad, I may pass four or five, not counting the roller bladers and dog walkers. This time of year, I often wish that there was someone to pass.

Is it really that hard, stand on your pedals, look back and say, "please don't draft." Jeez...

Thanks Hirohsima,

I was worried we would not have the monthly "Wheel sucker rant" thread this month. But thankfully you came through before February ended.