If someone's on your wheel without your knowing it's a sign that you should be paying better attention to what's behind you.

If someone sits on your wheel and you don't feel like pulling them, move over and slow up for a second so they come up beside you and start a conversation. (For the socially awkward, you do this by saying "Hi! How's it going? Where are you headed?" Or ask about their bike. It's not hard). Once you have broken the ice, you're someone to (temporarily) ride with, not just a wheel to draft. You might meet someone interesting. I've met all sorts of cool people on the road this way. It's a lot more enjoyable than riding along silently resenting the rider on your wheel.

Sometimes if someone passes me, I chase them. I never ride on their wheel, might get close to them if we're dodging people on a crowded MUP, but I'm never sucking their wheel. Just following and hoping they play a long and give me someone to chase. Now that I type that out, it sounds a lot creepier than I mean it to be...

But yeah, you gotta at least give them a bike length or two to manuever (and so you have stopping distance).

If they dont think it's wrong to draft me, then they better not think it's wrong if I blow my nose and the result hits them.

I do. Every other day or so. That's why they get tedious.

I don't particularly care about training results or sense of satisfaction - I already have all the work I need. I ride because it's non-work and enjoyable as well as sociable. Informal drafting is a way to socialize and meet people. I put my competitive personality into my business (where there's actually something to win), and switch it off while on the bike (where there's nothing to win).

Yeah, something about "nagaboort-ya" and "klootzak". :wtf:

So you think it really was a belgian dude and not just some hipster with a screen printed shirt proclaiming himself as such?

He was a chubby poser in his 50's in Orangutan County--not too likely he was the current (or former) Belgian Nat'l Champion. And I was only kidding about his knowing Flemish epithets. I was so startled at seeing him back there with my snot on him, that I started to apologize. THEN I realized they'd just been sitting on my wheel without so much as a "hello" for several miles.
The moral of this story is: if you don't feel capable of taking a turn at the front, at least say hello to the workhorse you are sucking.

What a coincidence, a few months ago, I did the same thing to a guy near the memorial bottles north of SONGS. I passed him in the campground and didn't know he'd caught up to me.

If you can't show the common courtesy to ask permission before putting someone in danger, why should they bother to pull over before sneezing?

So you're really trying to justify blowing snot all over someone? Because they came up behind you?

Seriously?

Montoya: You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

or just a little pre-mature.

I assumed he was trolling. It appears I was wrong. Can't win them all.

Haha--mine happened on the campground road, about two miles before the concrete bewbs. One'd think this poor guy would learn his lesson.

**** = In Before The Loogie?

First lesson of posting on BF:

The more you want to drop it, The less likely that is to happen.

Some dead wealthy people's kids aren't complaining neither are a few ex-spouses. Not to mention all the tapeworms...

I have no problems with wheel suckers as long as they know what they are doing. They keep alert to the road situation out front, not just my rear wheel, and they don't allow wheel overlap. In appreciation of their skill and for my own protection I will give them signals for approaching hazards and for changes in speed or direction. I do appreciate one that will take a pull and share the work but it is not necessary unless they want to travel at a faster pace or for the long haul. If they take the lead I will assume they are okay with me sucking it up as well, quid pro quo. Sprinting out is just a dick move after sucking up my wheel for miles :notamused:

I will pass carefully and quickly if when I am out riding solo and I come across a rider who is obviously much slower. If I come upon a rider I had to reel in slowly I will approach and remain at a safe, non-intimidating, distance behind the rider for a period of time to assess their ability and to give them the opportunity to out pace me once he is aware of my presents. Many riders out casually will ride at a slower pace until they are approached from behind, not liking to be passed. I will pass safely if after becoming aware they remain at the same pace. They may latch on or drop off as they please.

I will let a rider proceed without pursuit if on the road he passes me quickly or increases his pace beyond my limits. If I see signs of slowing then it is time to reel this guy in and turn on the pain :mad:

In organized group rides I take it for granted that we will be drafting each other. Hello? The operative word here is GROUP. If you are a squirrely rider then you will get yelled at or at least kindly schooled.

That's "West-By-Gawd" feller.

A guy suddenly cruising directly behind you,grinning, is sort of................,you know what I'm thinking.

I definitely hate when people I pass latch on to my wheel instantly and just cruise behind me. Since they were going slower than me to begin with there is little to no chance they are going to take a turn out in front. If I've been riding with them for a while or they've come from behind me and said something then I don't have an issue with it at all, its only the people who latch on because they see an opportunity to get pulled. I pretty much always give as much as it takes to drop people when they attempt this.

If I am just out riding I don't like drafting anyway. If it isn't a group ride and I happen on someone who is going a similar pace to what I'm doing I'll either ride side by side and chat or I'll stick far enough back that I don't gain an advantage from them being in front. Anything else is laziness.

An action that is contrary to acceptable practice is by definition unethical (ethical just means in accordance with right practice). For those concerned with whether "unethical" was used correctly or not.

I don't ride closer than a bike length without permission, and nobody has ever drafted me without permission. For what it's worth.

Is it unethical to hang your toilet paper roll with the paper coming off the wall side?

rodruguez i believe u are in miami???, what else do you expect?? People run over your windshield in a red light using a base ball bat in miami, of course if you suck their wheel a little bit they will get pissed off :), besides for some weird reason here in the states to hang up to somebody's wheel is such a huge deal.

Not friendly groups here in the states, too much competition being that some people really suck big time. The cruel reality is that if at 35 y/o you never got to race cat 1 or 2 is because you already did not make it in the sport (aka, yes u aren't that good) and it is time to have fun riding, not being an a$$.

After a few years i got use to this type of stuff and really sucks, americans are friendly but in general the cycling community is so close also, just nutz.

In europe not a problem with attitudes, in a matter of fact if you look amateur and you are hanging in the back of the pack they will smile big time for being there :) South america the same thing, the other fact is that the guys will go talking to you and teaching you w/o even asking, so next time the experience is different. In my experience no "training racers" in other countries, racers and racer attitude is for the week end when u are "racing."

Good luck OP, that's the way it is. :D

i rode someone's wheel the other day without giving him notice. a kid cut us off and he stopped abruptly without warning. i almost crashed.

This thread needs to die.

Crap. I just gave it new life with this post.

Nah, I don't think you were "wrong."
Strangers have jumped on my wheel without asking and I generally don't mind at all.
If get an uneasy feeling, I'll: 1.) try to drop them or b.) slow enough to force them around me.
BTW, your sarcastic response sounds like it would be more "mature" than a direct f'-off response
I'd most likely deliver in similar circumstances. I tend not to give unsolicited advice on bike riding,
and I tend not to like receiving unsolicited advice on bike riding.

I never see other cyclists, out where I ride. Im in the country and generally cycling alone. I wouldnt know what to make of another cyclist swooping up on me and hooking on my rear wheel. Id probably pull out my gun and wing a shot at him.... shouldn't sneak up on others.

Ya think. That's probably the only reason he said it. He knew he couldn't kick his *ss so he resorted to the unethical, read lame, remark.

You can say ass

If you don't want snot on you, perhaps you shouldn't be following people who might have to sneeze unannounced.

If you are unaware that they are there how is it your fault?