...at least say something.

I was visiting family out in Florida last week. I keep an older Cervelo tri bike at my mom's to ride when I'm out there. So I'm out cruising along on the MUP and I happen to glance down for a second and see a second shadow right behind me. This rider is maybe only one bike length behind me. How or when he got there, I don't know. But even after I discovered the rider, he did not announce his presence. I kicked it up a little bit to try and put some space in between us but he matched pace. He stayed on my wheel for the next mile, mile and a half until we got to an intersection where he pull off right while I was continuing straight.

I don't mind a stranger drafting me, but I would at least like to know it's happening. Honestly, it kind of scared me a little bit. This guy was fully kitted out and also on a tri bike, so I assume he should at least know some basic cycling etiquette. So a quick PSA, don't creep on a woman cyclist and not at least say something.

I agree. Anyone grabbing the wheel of any other should announce that. Even if they are there just briefly to wait for safe passing conditions.

Only when riding with others in close groups or formal pacelines will I consider it not necessary. But only for the members of the group or paceline.

Larry gone cross country?

Anytime I've come up on people, I announce it an make sure they know I am there just to make sure everyone is safe.

Wow! A novel thread subject. What’s next? A chain lube thread?

Yeah, it wasn't the best etiquette. But, even when they're not drafting you, triathletes are pretty creepy.

Wow, I don't think this topic has ever come up on Bike Forums before.........


Truth! 😂

And I'm surprised they had the skills to draft without crashing around a corner. 🤪

I found that pulling 400 or so watts for 10-15 min ends any wheel suckers sucking behavior.

And yet it still happens.

What percentage of cyclists worldwide do you imagine are active on this thread?

Or were you referring to triathletes crashing going around corners?

Only a single bike length? He's not a pro obviously

Though I guess in this situation, it would also come across a little creepy if you announced that you were going to sit behind them, "if you don't mind".

Statistically? I'm sure it's a number >0.
Maybe, but at least give me the warning. Then I could decide if I wanted to slow down and let him pass or maintain my pace and let him stay. Just don't creep.

I used to always announce myself, but I find myself deciding not too more and more often, especially if they are on an E-bike. I don’t want them to get nervous and change how they are riding just because I’m there, and I’m ready to dodge them if they slam on the breaks.

At a certain point, I’m riding to work or somewhere and I’m gonna suck that wheel whether the other person likes it or not. If they don’t like it they can slow down or speed up (good luck.)

looking at the bigger picture, I no longer ride fast on my commute, hoping to catch another cyclist. It is futile as any similarly fast person will never get caught unless there is a light. If I sandbag and take it easy, I can save energy and avoid sweating until someone passes me, then I catch up and draft. I have poor vision and keen hearing, so it’s hard to sneak up and me and blow by me like one needs to do to avoid wheelsuckers.

End of the day, it’s part of the sport and getting upset about wheelsuckers isn’t worth your while. They have to seriously mess up to crash you out, to the point that worrying about your safety is not worthwhile. As for their safety, if they don’t announce themselves then it’s on them.

15 years ago on the MUP trails around Denver this was rampant. It still might be, I haven’t been there in a while.

The best move, though I no longer have the power to pull it off is to gradually increase my speed until I hear huffing behind me. At that moment, sit up and make a phone call. This has to be done with no reduction in speed, and it was a little bit easier on the flip phones of days past.

Other moves include erratic weaving, loud wet coughing (this was gold exactly 3 years ago), and frequent snot rockets.

As my username suggests, I have something of a trumpet in the rear. I haven’t yet been in a situation where I had the need at the same time as good ol butt bellows would be received at close range. One can dream though.

A bike length gap is not “sucking your wheel”.

With such a long gap, there really isn’t any “drafting” going on.

Status confirmed. Thank you.

@VegasJen - thank you for the thread. Totally agree this needs reminding.

Fully kitted tri - in the Olympics = drafting permitted. Maybe so pro, he thought a full bike length was not drafting? Maybe just pumped from watching his sport on the airwaves.

Totally thoughtless. But if you looked pro as well (rear disc, deep carbon rims?) - then maybe not creepy. But 1.5 mi is a long pull.

The appropriate arm signal is an elbow flick. If no response. Followed by left arm out and hand pointing to ground (slow). Followed by gently dropping/tossing a water bottle at his front wheel. Triathletes need occasional bike handling skills, as also proven at Olympics.

Are you sure he was drafting on you? Sounds like he was just riding along on the MUP.

6 feet back is sucking a wheel?

On an open road empty of other 'fast' cyclists (and not in a group, yourselves) then YES, that's a BIG YES. Anything under 10' to a stranger is a pain. And could easily, depending on the lead rider, be intimidating. A defining element to creepy, beyond weird. Give them at least a water bottle hard squirt, or the bottle at their front wheel.
edit: Exception: Unless one's full tri-bike, skinsuit and booties have a team logo, because nobody is supposed to be able to draft 'pros in training'.


Another pain is kitted out folks coming slowly from behind, passing me, then in less than 20-30m they slow to a pace just under what I am steadily spinning.

Can someone explain how a rider who is behind me at a safe distance, on a public MUP, is 'scary' and 'creepy'? I'm just not getting it.

Also explain why a rider who feels (for whatever reason) scared or creeped out by this doesn't just pull over for a moment or two and let the rider pass.

Sorry, but you’ve stumped me.

I have once got cut off and yelled at by another cyclist when passing him after riding 1.5-2 bike lengths behind him for 20-30 seconds while waiting for opposing traffic on the MUP to clear up; he too thought I was sucking his wheel. So I had to ride 3-4 bike lengths behind him for a minute before launching my attack.