# What to do when a guy gets on your wheel?



## silver7

What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


----------



## dwwheels

Pass a little gas, that will take care of just about anyone. As a guy I would feel quite uncomfortable sitting on a lady's wheel that I didn't know.


----------



## SadieKate

A gentleman wouldn't do it without asking, greeting you, something. Try a snot rocket.


----------



## vonteity

silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


I don't do much of anything, except give him dirty looks every once in a while. You know, the "Can I help you?" look. Slowing down, speeding up, etc. just messes up my workout and I'm not about to let some guy do that.

And yes, he should say something or ask if it's okay if he rides with you. If he doesn't, he's an ass. Feel free to grab the brakes rather suddenly, maybe he'll get the picture.


----------



## balzaccom

As a guy, I really try to avoid these situations. The last thing I want to do is intrude on someone's "ride time," and I certainly don't want them to do that to me. If I find that I am going more or less the same direction at more or less the same speed, I will actually try to either speed up or slow down so that this doesn't happen. I say something pleasant, and then make sure we are moving at two different speeds. 

I had a really awkward situation recently---going up a long climb, and I was on a very short timeline. I had decided to turn around at a specific intersection so that I could get home on time for a date with my wife. Sure enough, right at that intersection a woman comes cycling through in the other direction. I turn around, and realize that she is going to think I am stalking her. ugh. So as I rode by, I explained that I was really just late for a date with my wife. I am sure she thought I was a complete idiot. 

But it's not always a sexual thing. I was out riding yesterday, and passed two guys, one pulling the other. I said hello to the guy behind, and he smiled back--and kept his pace. His leader immediately looked at me and said: "Oh good, some competition." sigh. When I went past he immediately sped up, dropped his partner, and sucked my wheel. At the first slight hill I decided to drop him, so I did. And now he was a good 75 yards ahead of his riding "partner." Wonder what they said to each other...

Leader: "I could stay with that guy if I wanted. But after I dropped you, I thought I would come back and make you feel bad." 

Drafter: "Go ahead. You seemed to do fine as long as you were on the flats. Maybe if you just lost a little weight, you could stay with him on the hills, too." 

And then they ride the next 12 miles in silence....

PW


----------



## silver7

During the week, the hard-core guys and racers, for the most part, are very polite. It tends to happen on Saturdays and Sundays with the weekends warriors. Maybe it's just misplaced testosterone.


----------



## cat4rider

you know, sometimes a wheel is just a wheel...but then around here, any time I've sucked wheel from ladies, I've known them...


----------



## janetaylor7

As long as he stays behind me I don't care. What happens to me time and again is I blow by a guy which causes ego malfunction, they fight and spit to pass me and then slow WAY down once they're right in front of me. 

I hesitate to pass guys all the time because of this. I once had a guy huff and puff past me at the top of a hill I'd passed him on going over the golden gate bridge. He was beating his elbows like a chicken and his nice carbon bike was swinging way over side to side like his was a sprinter - only way out of control. Then he slips on nothing and crashes about ten feet in front of me. I was so embarrased for him that I pretended to look for what he slipped on while he cussed to show how manly he was. I felt bad because I never saw him again and I think cycling at all levels should be encouraged. I'm always hesitant to pass someone if I think they'll take it personally and 90% of the time they will kill themselves to catch up. I think it's a courtesy not to pass if you don't think you will continue to pull away after you pass. If they want to sit on my wheel I could care less. Just stay out of my way!


----------



## airforcegurl

Toy with him and them drop him like a bad habit! 



silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


----------



## tricycletalent

silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


Find out why he is sucking your back wheel. Like: "Hey, you're the fast one having caught up with me. Shouldn't you be riding up front?" 

Second, think of this as a GREAT opportunity for some mind training. What exactly is bugging you? Why do you keep thinking about how rude that guy is? The world is full of rude a..holes, as if that was something new. Why does that bother you? 

Do you feel you have to go faster when someone sticks to your wheel? Slower? Steadier? W..h..y..? Afraid dude on your wheel might try a cheeky comment? 

To sum it up: What is on your mind, and can you work with that? If not you gotta a) tell him to fock off or b) ditch him.


----------



## silver7

I find myself going faster when I should be sticking to my plan.


----------



## lookrider

Yeah, this is a weird one, especially for women. I'm a guy, but I'm kind of conscious of whether someone is uncomfortable.. If I'm gaining on someone quickly, I'll call out, "on your left" from way back and then blow by them. Slowly I'll also make my presence known but closer in a speaking voice. Then I'll say hi, and ask them where they're headed.

I can see where women have problems though, especially running, because a mid pack guy can keep up with a top 10% woman at least for a short time. They'll kill themselves for a quarter or half mile in a 5k while the woman is just gliding along.

Yeah I guess it's even worse on the bike. How long do they stay there(on your wheel) for? Come to think of it, that's nuts..

I don't know, I'm a solo rider for therapeutic reasons. If I run into someone, it's ok, but these competitive guys can be real jackasses. 

I think you're right though, most of the hard core people know where they stand, and aren't looking to show what they've got except in races. Most endurance enthusiasts are nice and laid back. That's kind of the nature of the whole thing.


----------



## Tugboat

Male or female it's pretty poor form to sit on someone's wheel unannounced. I've been known to make it very clear to people who do it that I'm not a taxi and there is no such thing as a free ride.

No matter how nice her ass looks the only decent thing to do is draw alongside and at least exchange pleasantries first. It'll become clear pretty soon if they are happy to ride with (work together) or if you should carry on your own way. 

Every guy likes to have a bit of a perv but there is a line between taking a look and being a creep that you really don't want to cross.


----------



## MB1

*This is a very good question.*



silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


One of the problems with someone like this is that you know nothing about them. 

Is it a stalker, a mugger, an old high school friend or just a very stupid/rude person on a bike? How can you tell and does it really matter what they are if you don't want them on your wheel?

All you know is that someone is invading your personal space.

My wife and I just *do not *let anyone we don't know ride on our wheels. First of all as much riding as we do we have seen plenty of accidents involving strangers drafting and we sure don't need to crash that way. The first thing we always do is ask them to back off-this is usually all it takes.

If polite words don't work we move on to;

If they have caught us from behind we just slow down as much as it takes to get them to pass (our workout is no where near as important as our safety). If we have caught them a quick sprint is usually all it takes to get them off our wheel otherwise we go back to slowing down to get rid of them.

In our experience almost everyone will back off fairly quickly if you ask them too but there are always exceptions. Stopping will get rid of anyone.

Jerks!


----------



## uzziefly

airforcegurl said:


> Toy with him and them drop him like a bad habit!


:thumbsup:

I was about to say drop him so baddddd. 

I never get on a lady's wheel coz well, I rarely meet any riding for one thing and even if it's a guy, if I wanna draft, I'll always ask if he wants to ride together or not and take turns pulling. Though this one time I asked and we rode together but this guy dropped me later on, although he kept looking back and waited for me. :mad2: I hope I meet the guy again as I'm pretty sure I can hang on now.


----------



## Keeping up with Junior

*My Cat Died*



silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel?


Well when we ride our tandem everyone wants to suck wheel. We will usually tell the uninvited wheelsucker that it is our anniversary and we wanted a *private*, romantic ride. Unless they are totally dense this gets rid of them.

When out by yourself just tell the _sucker_ "My cat died and I want to ride alone and mourn his death." This should get rid of all but the densist guy. If he doesnt get the hint right away start crying. 



silver7 said:


> ...In any event, I think it's rude.


Yes, it is rude.


----------



## Barbarella

Hijacking someone's wheels is poor form. Several weeks ago while recovering from a cold I went out for a spin on my fixie. Part way through the ride I passed an old duffer going up a hill, him in his little ring me standing on my one gear. Not because I was out to pass people but just because on a fixie your speeds are different. Headphones in, I was rocking out to some tunes, doing my thing and clearing copious quantities of liquids from my head. It was several miles after passing the duffer that I realized he was lurking on my wheel. I can only imagine how much snot and loogie splattered on him. Serves him right for not letting me know. So, my answer to wheel hijackers is to cover them in snot.


----------



## BenWA

vonteity said:


> You know, the "Can I help you?" look.


ahahaha, von you just made me choke on my Orangina, that did NOT feel good. 

I think next time someone gets on my wheel I'm gonna turn around and say "Can I help you?"

LOLZ!11


----------



## CabDoctor

I remember when I was younger I was practicing leading out by myself. I passed a guy doing 28-30 and he jumped on to my wheel and I didn't know. Well the road forked, I went right, he fell cause he was half wheeling. I turned around and got off my bike to check on him and he threw me to the ground only to realize I was 15 years old.


----------



## CyclingChica

*Suck this...*

...oh, wait...that just sounds bad. I don't know about the rest of you, but where I live, we have pretty polite cyclists. If they are "real" bikers, they most always say hello, and make a point of chatting/riding next to you--ask how far you've gone, where you rode in from, where you're headed, etc. They don't truly suck wheel.

However, that being said, there is always at least one jack-a** per year who just can't let it go that a woman is riding faster than him. (It always seems to be on the trails systems, and usually they are an organ donor on top of it all). These are the "pseudo bikers," who try to have the "attitude" of a pro, but the skills and speed of a turnip. 

Sometimes I kick it in a higher gear and leave the poor sap wondering where on the tarmac he left his lungs. Sometimes I make a point of utilizing bodily fluids to the best of their abilities; no one likes boogers, snot, and spit (well, unless they have really weird fettishes). Usually, unless they are being dangerous (read: their skills are scary and non-existant, or you think they have some sinister motive, i.e., stalking you for the proverbial kill) I ignore them. Eventually, I go a different direction, and they peel off. 

However, if they suck for too long, make them suck spit or snot. Aim for the handlebars if you can...if they have to wipe their faces with your liquid DNA stuck to their gloves, they seem to slow down and back off.


----------



## ashpelham

It's really hard to imagine having this conversation in 2007. I mean, I would have thought that equality would be 100% engrained now, and all riders and racers are the same, right? 

I go on group rides with men and women both as frequently as I can. The women are great conversation, and some men can be too. I ride by myself mostly. If I come up on a woman while I'm riding, I usually try to engage conversation, if for just a split second. I would never sit on anyone's wheel that wasn't aware that I was there. I would smoke anyone who did that to me.

One thing to keep in mind is if someone's drafting too close, and makes a mistake, it's usually them that goes down, with some exceptions.


----------



## Sugahara

Agree with tugboat. It's poor form. 

However, some of the responses here remind me of a story that one of my good friends told me. She's a Cat 3 rider (really should be a 2) and she enjoys riding Cycle Oregon. She's a great rider and loves to go incognito. Last year she went out wearing a skort, a generic jersey and a funky helmet- looked like a total noob. But... if someone looked closer and saw her bike and bike handling skills, they would immediately realize she's a damn good rider. That said, on one of the long climbs of the day, she's noodling up when she passes a guy. Of course, he immediately takes offense at getting passed by a woman in a skort! So he pulls himself up to her wheel, wheezing and hangs on. Our woman then slowly starts increasing the pace while cheerfully saying hello to the wheel sucker. She could see that he was hanging on for dear life. Soon enough she could tell he was about to blow, and she turned said, "gotta run, nice chatting!" and just rode him off her wheel. She told me that she could hear the male ego "pop" as she started away.

Another one: Back in the late 90's when my wife did triathlons, she rode a pink bike. Not a subtle pink mind you, but a bright obnoxious pink. One time, she blew past a guy on the ride on "her pink bike." Following the stereotype of the weekend warrior testosterone ridden bozo, he takes offense at getting beaten by a girl. Well, he finally started catching up as they got to the transition area. However, he just didn't want to get beat so he ran hot into the transition trying to pass her. People were yelling at him to "slow down!" Well, he succeeded in passing my wife, but unfortunately realized he was quickly running out of room in the run up to the transition area. In a panic, he hit the brakes and lost control, putting his brand new $5000 Softride on the asphalt. Whoops. 

Totally unrelated, there's a couple of the pro, 1, 2 women who race with the Cat 3 guys. Totally cool.


----------



## Blue Sugar

Maybe he's checking out your azz. Or maybe he's making a point. At any rate, wheel sucking is part of road riding. If you can't handle it, maybe you shouldn't be out there.


----------



## Hooben

The real problem here is that someone has caught up to you. That in itself dictates that he should pass you with no problem. The fact that he has chosen to wheel suck is a big cop out on his part. He just caught up to you to prove he could do it, then ran out of reserves. He should have gone past you with a polite good morning, then gone about his business.


----------



## Guest

Speaking from a 'guy' perspective I feel quite uncomfortable and self-conscious trailing a female rider (or group), so I either hang back 4 or 5 metres or go past.


----------



## MB1

*Since when?*



Blue Sugar said:


> ........ At any rate, wheel sucking is part of road riding. If you can't handle it, maybe you shouldn't be out there.


Drafting is indeed a part of mass start road racing and I suppose training for it and group rides if the group wants it to be. However I have never seen or been aware of any rule that "wheel sucking" as you so aptly call it is a part of riding a bicycle on any road anywhere.

If you can't ride without "wheel sucking" maybe you shouldn't be out there.


----------



## Chase15.5

I came up behind a girl one time, it was a serious headwind, and I wasn't looking forward to next 18 miles working the headwind alone. I asked her if she wanted to work together in the headwind, she said sure. So we took turns until our destinations diverged. We waived, said thanks, and we went our own way. As I guy, I asked first. If she had said no, I would have let her go on up further. No big deal.


----------



## pedaling pyrate

*it should work both ways.*

no offense but I used to commute to work and after a 12 hour graveyard shift used to have about a 2 mile headwind straight stretch about 8 miles into my ride.. Every so often I would see this gal who was out on her AM workout and she would draft off me until we hit the hill at the end of the 2 miles and leave me in the dust. I would do every thing I could without just stopping to get her off my wheel but I was carrying a backpack and it wasn't easy. She told me once she used it as a warm up and couldn't do a real pull. LAME!

So all I am saying is that if you draft - be respectful - ask - and don't get bent if someone else does it to you. 

(btw-slamming on your brakes only puts you at risk.)


----------



## Kawboy8

CabDoctor said:


> I remember when I was younger I was practicing leading out by myself. I passed a guy doing 28-30 and he jumped on to my wheel and I didn't know. Well the road forked, I went right, he fell cause he was half wheeling. I turned around and got off my bike to check on him and he threw me to the ground only to realize I was 15 years old.



Ok...now I am mad. The guy shouldnt have been drafting you anyway...and coming from a mtn bike to a road bike, the first thing I noticed was how quiet road bikes roll. You can hardly hear another rider coming up on you....he should have let you know he was there. I hope you got his info...and let your parents talk with him. 
ride safe...stay away from jerks.


----------



## venus

Just pull off & make him pass. How hard can it be? Maybe he doen't know any better. Teach him.
Just like a car tail-gating you. If he is a dork: Slam on the brakes a few times. Come to a full stop & ask what his problem is. Offer to help w/ his ediquette.
On the auto racing track, experienced drivers are often frustrated by beginners. Speaking for the newbe, it can be scarry dropping into a school of sharks.


----------



## silver7

In response to Blue Sugar, it's not a matter of being able to handle it. I do think it is a part of road biking. And if a guy is going to ride my wheel, he is going to have to work pretty hard to stay on it or pass me by. I think guys are weird, though. I observed this whole thing from the sidelines this morning. A big gal passed a handful of random cyclists, me included, along a flat section, going straight into the wind. A hard core racer, who had been obviously been spinning his legs, got on her wheel like there was no tomorrow. She dragged him behind like a dead mouse. Eventually, we stopped at a streetlight, and here she comes from behind (she must have made a pit stop.) She takes off up the hill, passing everyone in her path, including a group of three or four racer dudes who had been keeping their own pace. Sure enough, they all jumped on her wheel. I lost site of her, but I hope she beat them to a pulp.


----------



## enki42ea

You know it may not always be about it being a woman passing. I know there are many times when I get passed that if I think I can keep up with them I try to. Granted I'm too slow to keep up with the serious riders and there are very few cyclists around where I live.

Oh and I do try to say hi and try to get to know the other cyclists. And I also find it much easier to push myself harder if there is someone somewhat faster then me to try and keep up with.


----------



## silver7

Good point.


----------



## Blue Sugar

Hooben said:


> The real problem here is that someone has caught up to you. That in itself dictates that he should pass you with no problem. The fact that he has chosen to wheel suck is a big cop out on his part. He just caught up to you to prove he could do it, then ran out of reserves. He should have gone past you with a polite good morning, then gone about his business.


Not really. The practice of "bridging gaps" and then sitting on someone's wheel while you recover is an accepted strategy in bike racing and even in group rides. It allows riders of varying abilities to ride together. The fact that you don't know this, Hooben, indicates that you lack a basic understanding of road riding, and that you're really not qualified to render judgements here. This Silver7 is just an angry woman with an ax to grind, and she's gone to pretty great lengths to find something to grind it on.


----------



## mikeyp123

I welcome wheel suckers.. makes my workouts more interesting. I usually take the intensity down just enough that when they make a jump I can get their wheel, and shortly there after put the hammer down and teach them a lesson.


----------



## silver7

Hey, Blue Sugar, lighten up. Life is too short for anger and ax grinding, especially when it comes to cycling. Making observations and relating experiences out on the road does not make for the end of the world. We're just talking here. It's supposed to be fun.


----------



## il sogno

Blue Sugar said:


> Not really. The practice of "bridging gaps" and then sitting on someone's wheel while you recover is an accepted strategy in bike racing and even in group rides. It allows riders of varying abilities to ride together. The fact that you don't know this, Hooben, indicates that you lack a basic understanding of road riding, and that you're really not qualified to render judgements here. This Silver7 is just an angry woman with an ax to grind, and she's gone to pretty great lengths to find something to grind it on.


 Sugar, take a deep breath and cool it.


----------



## Mark McM

*Group riding vs. random encounters*



Blue Sugar said:


> Not really. The practice of "bridging gaps" and then sitting on someone's wheel while you recover is an accepted strategy in bike racing and even in group rides. It allows riders of varying abilities to ride together. The fact that you don't know this, Hooben, indicates that you lack a basic understanding of road riding, and that you're really not qualified to render judgements here. This Silver7 is just an angry woman with an ax to grind, and she's gone to pretty great lengths to find something to grind it on.


That may be true for races and group rides, but then in that situation it is among a group of people who have already agreed to ride together. It is not at all the same as some random unkown person popping up out of the blue and forcing their presence on another person without their consent. That seems more like a lack of basic understanding of inter-personal interactions, rather that a lack of basic understanding of road riding.


----------



## Guest

Sorry to resurect this.

I am out on a longish ride, no intervals planned, a long spin if you like. I slowly gain ground on a lone female roadie. Now it is not practical to overtake someone at 0.5 k/hr (lets assume that is our speed difference), I cannot be bother to increase my pace to get past quick and also I often feel that overtaking someone is like 
'laying down the gauntlet'. How many times do we go past someone only to see them come back at us, and blasting past? Is it 'etiquete' to sit behind say at least 3 or 4 meters so as not to 'wheel suck', or should I really just go around.


----------



## Sprocket - Matt

I'd agreee with the general thoughts here... 

Group ride, gotta expect wheel sucking, and the ladies that I ride with in Group situations are A) my wife, and she always drafts me unless she's feelin great on a descent (she drops faster than I do with that lower center of gravity) or B) a couple girls that show from the local sororities riding teams (think Little 500 @ Indiana Univ) and they all know it's a group ride and they can all drop me anytime they feel like it, So it's absolutely not a "checkin her out" kinda time when I"m stressed just to hang in their group at the 21 to 23 mph range. This seem obvious to me though since those girls put themselves into a group ride made mostly of men.

As for the random encounter on the road, I always find myself playing catch to ANY rider I see ahead of me, (men, women, kids, anyone) then once I know that I can reel them in at any time, I'll hang about 25 feet back and get my recovery in for a mile or so, then I'll try to ride up next to them and strike a quick conversation... If they are working hard, then the conversation gets short, we discuss working together briefly, and the trading pulls up front thing happens. If it's a girl who is working hard, and she gives me that whole, short one word answer thing, I immediately ask her if she wants to work together, and if the answer is yes, I ALWAYS take the first pull since I did the catching... and if the answer is ANYTHING other than Yeah, Sure... I tell her to have a great ride, be safe, and maybe we'll see each other out on the road again some other day... Then I ride at my pace that I had when I was catching til I'm up the road by a hundred yards or so... 

If SHE caught me, then I'll wait to see how she reacts to my pace, and if she rides to the front without speaking to me (which doesn't usually happen, women are far more social then the guys) then I'll let her go, and absolutely not jump on that wheel. Simply cause I know that she might feel awkward having a Fred making her feel uncomfortable... plus if she caught me, she's working at it and doesn't need the distraction at that point.


----------



## Trail Punk

*suckin' wheel*



Blue Sugar said:


> Maybe he's checking out your azz. Or maybe he's making a point. At any rate, wheel sucking is part of road riding. If you can't handle it, maybe you shouldn't be out there.


Might be missing the point...many women might be uncomfortable, and perhaps intimidated, with a strange guy checking out their bottom. Let's keep bike riding free of the hostilities many women face in the workplace and at home. Its about the only place women (me) feel free.


----------



## Trail Punk

*pull off*



venus said:


> Just pull off & make him pass. How hard can it be? Maybe he doen't know any better. Teach him.
> Just like a car tail-gating you. If he is a dork: Slam on the brakes a few times. Come to a full stop & ask what his problem is. Offer to help w/ his ediquette.
> On the auto racing track, experienced drivers are often frustrated by beginners. Speaking for the newbe, it can be scarry dropping into a school of sharks.


It doesn't always work out this way. I can't tell you the number of times I have done all of the above and the guy becomes extremely abusive towards me (cursing up a storm) and if I had stopped probably would have taken me out. I have had to pull out the cell phone at least twice to tell the guy I am going to call the police. That scares them and they leave me alone. It is frustrating when all I want to do is ride my bike peacefully, get in a great workout, and go home to my wonderful life with my wonderful husband.


----------



## Chain

Barplugs4u.com - button for the saddlebag,=
https://www.barplugs4u.com/catalog/item/1044693/1230631.htm









Probably won't stop all of them, but might give some a hint.


----------



## bas

silver7 said:


> What do all you gals do when a guy chases you down and sucks your wheel? Slow down? Speed up? Smile? Swear at him? Or wait for a hill so you can drop him? I can't decide if it's a compliment or a taunt. I tend to wait for a hill to see if he can hang or be put in his place. Or ride me into the ground. In any event, I think it's rude.


its only a compliment if you're relatively hot.

never a taunt.


----------



## Christine

ooops, for a second I thought I was in the mtb site, and chuckled at the seriousness of the tone here. 

Then I realized when I ride the road on my hardtail (don't own a road bike yet- still awaiting the new track bike) I draft other riders just to see if I can even notice a difference..... which I don't. But I had no idea it was *rude*, just thought it was kinda funny, drafting random riders on the Central Park loop for less than 20 seconds at a time.

My apologies to anyone I've offended in doing so.......hey I've got a lot of roadie stuff to learn.


----------



## achiral

Christine said:


> ooops, for a second I thought I was in the mtb site, and chuckled at the seriousness of the tone here.
> 
> Then I realized when I ride the road on my hardtail (don't own a road bike yet- still awaiting the new track bike) I draft other riders just to see if I can even notice a difference..... which I don't. But I had no idea it was *rude*, just thought it was kinda funny, drafting random riders on the Central Park loop for less than 20 seconds at a time.
> 
> My apologies to anyone I've offended in doing so.......hey I've got a lot of roadie stuff to learn.


Rude or no, drafting someone who doesn't know you are there can be sketchy and dangerous. If they brake, crash, or otherwise change directions suddenly, it's your front wheel that gets clipped. Also, if you are tucked in tight and the front rider isn't aware of your presence, you won't have any warning about obstacles (potholes, glass, etc) on the road. 

Usually the person being drafted is far less likely to crash in a collision situation, but the potential carnage is the reason for drafting etiquette.


----------



## coralhead1

LOL! Gawd, I love strong women! Being a guy who has no problem getting dropped by a good woman rider (physically and mentally), I didnt even realize this was a problem. I like riding with groups, and do so more than I ride alone (more fun, pushes me harder), so I have no problem hitching a ride on a girl-wheel in those cases, and Im a better rider for it. Riding alone is different, tho, and I would never grab on a lone girl rider unless she asked me to ride with her. 

damn, now every time I see a woman and a man riding together, Im going to wonder if she needs help....


----------



## Tugboat

Quite simply unless racing or on a specific group ride, no one is welcome to draft off of me without at least asking if it's ok (do that and I'll be fine with it). If you don't ask I will brake check you. 

Unannounced, unwelcome wheelsucking is the cycling equivalent of tail-gating and I decided I'd had enough after being abused by someone who clipped me as I slowed to turn into my own street after a training ride.


----------



## dougn

i don't mind at all when someones on my wheel. i take it as a compliment and pull them as far as they want. no skin off my back.....


----------



## wankski

eh? drafting is part of racing...

sure in commuting it can be weird.... but on the road in specific road biking events/occassions (including well known training areas for cyclists) to get pissed off about it is antithetical to the sport.

usually the fear of incompetent cyclists bashing into you is remedied by the fact that you should be going too fast for them to trail u... if not... well don't act all superior b/c the truth is you're in the same 'class'....

i've never copped grief trailing a decent pack, everyone going that speed is happy to pull and i haven't been close to an incident.. knock on wood....


----------



## terzo rene

janetaylor7 said:


> As long as he stays behind me I don't care. What happens to me time and again is I blow by a guy which causes ego malfunction, they fight and spit to pass me and then slow WAY down once they're right in front of me.
> 
> I hesitate to pass guys all the time because of this. I once had a guy huff and puff past me at the top of a hill I'd passed him on going over the golden gate bridge. He was beating his elbows like a chicken and his nice carbon bike was swinging way over side to side like his was a sprinter - only way out of control. Then he slips on nothing and crashes about ten feet in front of me. I was so embarrased for him that I pretended to look for what he slipped on while he cussed to show how manly he was. I felt bad because I never saw him again and I think cycling at all levels should be encouraged. I'm always hesitant to pass someone if I think they'll take it personally and 90% of the time they will kill themselves to catch up. I think it's a courtesy not to pass if you don't think you will continue to pull away after you pass. If they want to sit on my wheel I could care less. Just stay out of my way!


That is a great story, capturing the quintessential essence of manliness. Girls are so nice - were you a man you would have stopped, pointed and laughed until you choked while calling him a number of obscene names intended to convey his pathetic stupidity. Then you would have ridden off, without offering assistance, in search of some female cyclist to draft while leering at her posterior.


----------



## Rollo Tommassi

*Aim for potholes*

This is the funniest thread in this neck of the forums I"ve read in a long time. Great stories.

I aim for potholes, cracks in the pavement, sand (on the lakefront in Chicago), rocks, twigs, etc. Of course, I aim so that my tires just miss it, but the CLANK behind me makes me smile.

The best story I ever heard was from a friend of mine, cruising up a narrow city street. He's riding close to car doors, and he's very aware - but isn't aware of the sneaky sucker who's gotten on his wheel.

Ask yourself, what would be the WORST sort of car door to hit?

An ARMORED CAR DOOR.

Tom sees the door start to open, flicks to his left to clear, then hears a percussive BLAMMO, guy totally nails the door and the security officer. The officers' partner, thinking it's a robbery, hits the alarm and draws his weapon. The poor guy on the pavement is now being wrestled to an arrest position by the officer whom he hit. Tom, who stopped after hearing the bang, decides that he'd better just keep on going. We kept looking in the paper for days afterwards to see if there was any news, but we never found out the end of the story.

That'll teach a guy never to suck a wheel!


----------



## Doggity

silver7 said:


> In response to Blue Sugar, it's not a matter of being able to handle it. I do think it is a part of road biking. And if a guy is going to ride my wheel, he is going to have to work pretty hard to stay on it or pass me by. I think guys are weird, though. I observed this whole thing from the sidelines this morning. A big gal passed a handful of random cyclists, me included, along a flat section, going straight into the wind. A hard core racer, who had been obviously been spinning his legs, got on her wheel like there was no tomorrow. She dragged him behind like a dead mouse. Eventually, we stopped at a streetlight, and here she comes from behind (she must have made a pit stop.) She takes off up the hill, passing everyone in her path, including a group of three or four racer dudes who had been keeping their own pace. Sure enough, they all jumped on her wheel. I lost site of her, but I hope she beat them to a pulp.


 I think your comments above speak volumes about your attitude. ALL 'guys are weird'?
ALL guys are ego driven? You've had a lot of very considerate and emphatic responses from a lot of those...'weird' guys.


----------



## il sogno

Doggity said:


> I think your comments above speak volumes about your attitude. ALL 'guys are weird'?
> ALL guys are ego driven? You've had a lot of very considerate and emphatic responses from a lot of those...'weird' guys.


She never said ALL guys are weird. And she did not say anything about ALL guys are ego driven. She just told her story.


----------



## cheddarlove

*The most fun time drafting ever!*

I was in Italy on an organized Tuscany tour and we were going through Paolo Bettini's home town when I came across a picture of him on a town sign. I stopped to take a photo but my buddies continued on at a nice pace and quickly disappeared in the distance. I was mildly annoyed but so be it and at least I was going to get a cool photo. As I was fumbling to get my camera back in my jersey, I glanced over my shoulder and saw a cyclist heading towards me at a good clip! My first thought? FREE RIDE! I got my camera away and clipped in just as he blew by. I threw the hammer down and sprinted as hard as I could to catch his wheel and then that joyous feeling of relief and freedom when you feel the sweet spot of someones draft hook you and pull you along! The next thing I knew I was flying along through Tuscany on some guys wheel on a perfect rolling road in total sync with a total stranger. He looked around and all I could do was smile and dig deeper as he went a bit harder. We came to some risers where he was up and out of the saddle swaying the bike back and forth and me right behind him doing the exact same thing. I don't know what he thought! He glanced at me a few times to see if I was there and I'm sure a few times he saw me gritting my teeth trying to hang on! It was great pain. The kind they tell you to ignore and when you do, you feel so damn good! This went on for about 10 minutes? Maybe 15 and as we rounded a corner I saw my buds and I said; "Grazie signore grazie" and I pointed at my friends and then I think he understood and he said "benvenuto" and I waved and said "ciao" and he waved back and smiled and said "ciao" and then he was gone.


----------



## lookrider

il sogno said:


> She never said ALL guys are weird. And she did not say anything about ALL guys are ego driven. She just told her story.


She did say "guys are weird." If I had wrote "gals are weird" I would have been lit up on this forum...Also "guys are weird" is pretty inclusive....


----------



## il sogno

lookrider said:


> She did say "guys are weird." If I had wrote "gals are weird" I would have been lit up on this forum...Also "guys are weird" is pretty inclusive....


"Guys are weird" is not necessarily a bad thing. Guys can be weird in a cute way.


----------



## Spinfinity

*and gals can be cute in a weird way*

but I still don't draft 'em without talking to 'em first.




il sogno said:


> "Guys are weird" is not necessarily a bad thing. Guys can be weird in a cute way.


----------



## silver7

*Lots of amazing responses*

There have been a lot of opinionated responses. I don't know if we really figured it out. What I do know is that cycling is a great sport. I guess we all just need to be courteous with each other and keep riding hard. See you all on the road!


----------

