Hi all,

I was out on a ride today with four other cyclists, and we had an odd moment toward the end of our ride with an interloper on a colnago. The guys I was riding with chatted a bit about it afterward, and I did a little search here but couldn't dig up much, so I thought I'd post. There's been a few good posts about what to do if you're new to group rides, or riding solo and come up to a paceline, but this is slightly different, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what the Emily Posts of BF have to say. Here goes:

We were nearing the end of a 40 mile ride of a popular loop out in Seattle (Mercer Island), and we were in a section that begins with a sharp climb up some switchbacks, and then descends through the UW Arboretum on a narrow, fast section of road. As we approached, we passed a rider on a nice colnago, and as we passed I said, "that's a beautiful bike!" and he smiled and said thanks. We overtook him at around 26 mph or so, and as soon as we did he sprinted to catch up and caught the end of our line.

We entered the switchbacks, and our group blew apart a little, with me and another rider topping out about 50 yards in front of the next rider. We started to wait, but then saw they were held up by a car, so figured we'd catch up at the light. We began the descent, and then the Colnago rider caught up and was aggressively on my tail. As we entered some choppy pavement, I pointed and gave the slow up sign, and he coasted out of the line (now just 3 riders, me in the middle), overlapping my wheel. The pavement smoothed out again and my friend in front hammered on the fun gradual downhill, and I followed suit. Again, Colnago was on me super close, but clearly was having trouble controlling his speed and would pop out of the draft and roll with his front tire parallel and about 3 inches away from my rear. We were doing 30+ here, and caught up to a car that had slowed for pedestrians and then reaccellerated.

At this point, neither I nor my friend picked up the pace again, hoping Colnago would pass, but he kept hovering along and behind the back wheel as I held it at 20 or so. My friend in front drops down again and shoots away, and I don't follow because I've got the Colnago lamprey on me. As I slow, he slows too, and so eventually I just speed up and ride (this exchange in the space of a minute or so). By this point, a third rider from my group has caught up with us, and I pull to try to catch the front rider, and then my third comes around trailing the Colnago when I start to fade. the Colnago doesn't even pull through! He just grabs the tail of my third rider and catches up.

So the question - after that ridiculously long narrative - is: What would have been a good way to address a rider like this? I was definitely not comfortable with how he was riding - not because I've got a large bubble, but because he was so aggressive in wheel overlap on a rough patch of road with strangers.

How would you have handled it?

It's rude to join in on unknown riders without it being part of an open group/club ride/organized ride, without asking first.

If someone joins in on your ride and you don't want them there, you have a few options: ask them nicely to please leave you alone, drop them, or drop back and let them ride away.

Guess he showed you his bike was beautiful and fast.

I was on a group ride. and I got dropped, and so did this other older guy on my club, so we relayed until we caught back up with the group. Didn't know who the guy was, never met him before, but since we were on the same team we worked together. Now that I've finished that somewhat irrelevant story I can now say I don't know how to answer your question.

i would have slowed down enough or stopped to force him to overtake me? and make the move early as soon as i noticed he is tailing.

We have this happen fairly regularly by the same 2 guys in our closed shop ride. They're from a different shop, and will usually find their way into the middle of the group. This is usually in the middle of the hammer section of the ride, with the sprint at the end. We just let them rotate through to the front, then shut it down. They ride away while we're doing a measly 25km/h.

Works every time, assuming they think they are a part of the group and therefore pull through.

Thanks to everyone for the responses.

UMD - You're probably right. I'm guessing had I just asked him to detach he would have. I attempted to slow down to let him pass, but he just rolled right along at the much slower pace behind. I should have just slowed way down when he was on the outside overlapping wheels, until he had to ride on. Annoying to give up the last of the fast fun stuff, but safer.

10W - Sure did. He latched right on after we passed him easily, dropped him again on the climb, got caught by him as we weighted for our group, and then he wouldn't pull and couldn't keep a steady draft. I should keep my mouth shut next time...

Braden - That sounds way more annoying than this. Intentional disruption of a weekly ride? Boo. Along your lines, though, I tried to get him to move up so I could let him ride off, but I think he wasn't capable of pulling that hard, just drafting us. Ideally, we should have just dropped it hard and washed him off the back, but we were pretty blown from the earlier miles. This was the end of our ride - then again, it could have been the end of his. Who knows?

I don't know why people can't just talk to each other.

I blame society first, then negligent parenting.

if hes dangerous, call him out.

or drop him.

UMD has it right, you should have just either asked him to back off, or to take the lead and just slow up.

Why do you post so much when you have absolutely nothing of value to post?

I don't understand why you're actually typing. Did you read what umd said? The guy was on the same ride as you were in your club. How is what you're saying relevant to anything at all?

@ridethecliche: 12000 posts later and you still haven't learned the ways of the 41?

I would have just shouted "Don't half-wheel me!"

... or talk to the guy.
Whichever seems easier at '30+'.

I guess you should just figure out a few pertinent questions to ask the next guy upon meeting him.

eg 'So, you ride in groups much?'

Consider trying communication beyond the compliment about his bike.
The guy may not be as experienced as you. He could have become an asset to your group.

With the lack of communication skills in society you could have texted him or twittered him. . . really.

Everyone here has tooled along and been passed up and wanted to catch a lead group.. any group.
That is not the issue. The issue is the lack of communication once that happened.

He didn't want to lead out (because it is not his group or didn't know the route or didn't feel comfortable)

He overlapped the wheel INSTEAD of pulling around. Not smart. Chances are he has never raced.
Doesn't know control.

Every rider is in charge of his front wheel.
He was clearly wrong for endangering you guys. But you've got to say something BEFORE something bad happens at 25+mph.

Safety first.

Hmmm, I had some squirrely dude stuck to the back of my group ride this weekend too. Also didn't know what to do, after a couple of miles I was getting ready to tell him to get off our wheels but he stopped at a gas station and I didn't have to.

By the way, OP, in a sense you invited him by speaking to him. Not that you really invited him to join your ride, but you initiated contact, so it makes it less weird that he stuck to you.

More good responses, so thanks again. Seems like there's some resonance in others concerning the awkwardness of the situation, and I appreciate the comments.

RR - It happens all the time out here in Seattle - lots of popular bike routes covered with riders of mix school. Usually, though, the person who is jumping on to a group (myself included) will give a quick shot along the lines of "mind if i hop on back?" I'm comfortable with the etiquette on this side - I'll happily chat with a group as a solo - but it was odd to be on the other side as a guy who was lacking both courtesy and handling skills tried to jump on. Solution - slow and chat casually, i think. As in, "where are you riding from?" If he's seriously pushing, he'll push on, but if he's just looking for a group, he'll slow.

VG - totally right. I opened the door, and he jumped on. But it's totally awkward, right? Same thing happened on my ride - a few miles up, we were all at a stop light and the guy pushed for a yellow while i braked hard. But it takes a few miles to process.

Kimmo and Chas - There's the lesson - as UMD said, just talk to him early. Definitely had a little tunnel vision as we moved into the last, fast section of slight downhills.

sit up, slow down and look him in the eye whilst doing a gallic shrug of the shoulders...

+1 on communication. I wonder why we get labeled as elitists. On our training ride yesterday a new guy showed up, he is interested in training and racing with the team. At the beginning of the ride he announced he is new to riding with a group, during the ride some people started mumbling about him not knowing how to pull threw, rotate, etc. but never talked to him. I just pulled alongside and explained what is happening. He was appreciative for me actually talking to him and explaining what is happening. He was a decent rider as well, just usually rode alone.

Just explain to the dude in a polite manner how to ride or what you feel he should do. If he gets offended or confrontational then tell him to piss off.

Upgrade to Ceramics and deep section wheels. He is either in a more aero position, has more aero equipment, or a combination of both.

Say to said rider that you are "definitely not comfortable with how he (you) was (are) riding - not because I've got a large bubble, but because he (you) was (are) so aggressive in wheel overlap on a rough patch of road with strangers. "

I really don't care if people latch on. Usually I'm the guy on the Colnago, except that I don't ride a Colnago...