rykoala

Yesterday I managed to draft a backhoe that was on the road, doing almost 25mph. Easiest 25mph I've ever done on flat ground. Had to hold back so I wouldn't overtake him. I drafted him for about 2 miles. Another time, at a stoplight, I drafted a big 3 trailer truck for a good block, up to around 30mph, when he out accellerated me. LOTS of fun both times.

Does anyone else do this? Any neat experiences drafting something other than a bike?

Joe Gardner

Constantly. Everything from 49cc scooters to big rig trucks @ 45+ mph. As long as you can stay up with the acceleration, 45mph is rather easy to maintain.

Just use caution, drafting vehicles may be illegal in your area, and it can put you in some very un-safe situations.

operator

Drafted a slow moving bus, but usually people are going faster than I can bike. I do and try and keep up, and yes it's dangerous as hell especially if you're following close enough and the vehicle is big so you can't see in front of it.

Talk about tailgating, run-into-the-back-of said vehicle collision.

astompa

I'd never do it. Too dangerous for me.

caloso

I do it all the time. Everytime, I say to myself that I should never do it again, but the next day.... I wonder if there's a 12-Step program for drafting.

Mini-vans on a 35mph street are perfect. Buses and delivery van provide a bigger pocket and accelerate slower, but you can't see through them.

Michel Gagnon

Never. And I don't even draft bicycles either.

First, it's dangerous.

Second, I cycle for utility – getting from A to B is often faster on the bike – and also to relax. Drafting wouldn't allow me to relax.

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

Kestrelman

When I lived in Amsterdam, I found the easiest way to get through the crowded areas (and there's a lot of them - like the Leidsestraat) is to draft the trams. Easy to keep up, easy to see them stop. I saw lots of inline skaters doing it too.

erraticrider

They can draft all of the big trucks, SUVs and Vans if they want and send them to Iraq; but don't draft my bike or my kid.

Brains

In London the old traditional red double-deckers are great for slipstreaming, cruising speed about 25mph and have wonderful acceleration 0-to 30mph in about 30 secs, about the same as a bike.

slvoid

I was doing 18 mph in a headwind today when I ducked behind a truck and shot up to 27mph on my mtb on rough ground. Drafting is fun but always remember:
1) They can out brake you.
2) At an intersection, a car making a left turn will not see you behind another car.
3) You won't often see the large pothole that just went between them.

EDIT: I've also found that when it's chilly, the exhaust behind a car keeps me warm.

F1_Fan

I love 49cc scooters. They top out at 55km/h which is perfect. The problem is that unless you find that 1/1000 scooter driver that's smooth (i.e., he knows you're there and is a good pilot) it's too dangerous. The tourist scooter drivers in this city are morons.

Once I randomly hooked up with a guy who must've been a cyclist (because he watched me slip in then gradually accelerated without any sudden movements) and he paced me for a few km.

operator

Bottom line is if you're going to do it, be very f&*#$ careful

Rogerinchrist

[QUOTE=Michel Gagnon]

Third, I don't want to smell exhaust fumes too closely.

Ahh...... Confushus(sp?) say, "Man who ride behind car get exhausted!"

rykoala

Ah yes the danger. VERY dangerous, I noted. Still fun. Interesting to see other peoples takes on it.

brokenrobot

That's the only use I've ever had for the buses

caloso

Oh, yeah! On a cold, damp January morning, drafting the RT #34 on the way to work, that hot diesel exhaust is like a toasty quilt! Just hold your breath until the fumes clear.

gcasillo

LOL! Rogerinchrist++ It is Confucius, BTW.

Dchiefransom

Then you certainly wouldn't have drafted me on today's ride after we stopped at a bagel shop for our rest stop, and I had a jalapeno/cheddar cheese bagel.

Chris L

All valid points. I know that I won't draft anyone around here simply due to the unpredictable nature of people in this part of the world. I don't even feel overly comfortable drafting other cyclists unless they're people that I know and trust. I'd rather challenge myself by passing them.

turtlendog

I drafted a house once, awesome draft. (it was on a trailer).

Also have drafted a truck loaded with pigs. Good draft, because it was a tall and low trailer. Talk about dangerous, I was envisioning one of those pigs relieving themselves.

Tried to draft an Amish horse and buggy once, but it was going to slow (even though I was facing a headwind).

turtlendog

Speaking of drafting safety, you can see around the lead vehicle on days when a strong wind is pushing the draft off one side of the vehicle. Of course that doesn't make it completely safe, but safe enough for me to try it from time to time.

I wouldn't be too inclined to draft straight behind something I couldn't see through/over.

seely

Theres one hill going downtown here in Grand Rapids where I set my record of 43mph while drafting a Geo. The driver kept going trying to shake me, but I actually pulled in the left lane and passed him for a brief second... it was fun, especially since its a 30mph zone :-D

Da Tinker

One of my regular routes has a 6 mile straight stretch where the road parallels a railroad track. One day there was a cross/head wind from the tracks. When a train came along, it was a great draft!

slvoid

If you're real good and can ride on 1 track, you can REALLY draft a train.

HereNT

I love drafting buses. The only problems are that we play leapfrog with one another, and they smell bad. But staying right behind them a lot of times gives me the extra speed that I need to get around them... Often, they disappear behind me, and I am stuck having to endure the wind myself.... Then the bus catches me, and I have to draft it again.

It's a fun game on the ride home.