Viewing 35 posts - 41 through 75 (of 75 total)
  • Roadie etiquette question
  • Onzadog
    Free Member

    Depends where I was. On a country road with no reason to stop in a hurry, I'm not sure I'd care. An unknown rider of unknown skill following that closely behind me in the city and I'd not be happy. However, unless I thought I could put a decent gap on him, I'd not have over taken him. If I'd messed up and got into that situation, I'd easy up a bit, coast if needed, let him come through and then follow at a distance that I know is safe.

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Blimey o wrigleys
    I wouldn't worry about it this much even in a race. Perhaps if it was the last few metres and I was chasing points.

    And two things, it's more the 'done' thing to pass cleanly and eficiently so the passed rider is unable to sit on you.
    Secondly, there's no gain to be had by sitting on a wheel apart from an easy ride.

    scaredypants
    Full Member

    so he sits behind you for a lengthy ride & when confronted gets all bashful with a faraway look in his eye ?

    nope, no idea what that's all about

    hels
    Free Member

    How about farting Stuart you normally have something in stock ??

    I hate wheel suckers too, although don't get many as I am low to the groung and not much use as shelter.

    Maybe he was foreign ? But you should really have pretended to turn left down a side street, then followed him home.

    ahwiles
    Free Member

    you roadies are weird.

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    It wasn't SFB looking at your bum was it?

    Oddly i overtook a roadie the other morning on the way to work, just 'cos i was going faster, not because i was after a scalp, then he goes into full on mode and flies past me! If you wanted to go fast why didn't you? It like when you're driving and overtake someone, then either speed up when your going past or you then pull in and they try and get into the back seat. WTF? Stupid and pointless!

    HoratioHufnagel
    Free Member

    fart a few times

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    I've whined about this a few times on here and gotten slated for it (more likely cos of me rather than the topic).

    To me it's rude, unsafe (I've been rear-ended in this situation) and socially inept.

    Someone (looked like AlanK I think) sat on my wheel this morning, after doing the same to a slow female (neither unsafely). Each to their own I guess, I just don't like it.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    the OP's question should be "commuter etiquette" not "roadie"
    no, it's fine as it is. This happens when you're not commuting too. People jump on and then don't take a turn.

    I don't like it – it shows a basic lack of manners – but as with Stu I wouldn't deliberately try to make them crash etc. Signal/ask them to come through. Or just stop and wait for them to come past. But no, I'm not prepared to ride along with someone I don't know holding my rear wheel and not taking a turn. It's fine on the track but not on the road.

    oh, and elbow flicking is the way forward. Anything else and you're probably the sort of person who would say 'darkside'

    njee20
    Free Member

    I find it a bit odd, and slightly irritating. Had someone do it a couple of years ago who kept touching my back wheel, but wouldn't even acknowledge my existence when I turned around and talked to him. I think he was just a cock. I bunny hopped a few potholes and heard him clatter through them, then he turned off.

    I was on a recovery ride, he sprinted on to my back wheel then sat there for about 5 miles. I could have just sped up and dropped him, but why should I, he clearly wasn't going to come through.

    It's not etiquette, it's common sense.

    epo-aholic
    Free Member

    This happened to me last year at the bottom of a long drag climb. As i turned onto the road i saw a rider around 200m back in the road, it was into the wind (gale in fact) and the road began to rise – he bust a gut to get on my wheel, the climb is about 3 miles or so long and i was F**ked, after about half way i did the elbow thing and nothing, i turned round and shouted 'hi – you fancy a turn?' to which he replied, 'no, i've knackered myself catching you up!' so i slowed down a few km/h and still nothing – the blood began to boil, so i pulled over and stopped! sulking obviously.

    Olly
    Free Member

    im no roadie, or at least, i havent confronted it if i am subconciously.

    +1 with stopping the elbow flick.
    surely you just stop pedalling, as you slow down eventually they WILL pass you (or youll both end up just standing in silence at the side of the road till judgement day) and once theyve passed get right up thier chuff, see how they like it.

    joemarshall
    Free Member

    I've done this before – was riding on a causeway with sea one side and estuary the other, into a massive headwind, after a long ride, and was pretty much bonked. Guy overtakes me and says hello, I jumped on and hung onto his wheel. He said d'you want a turn, I said I couldn't, he obviously still had working legs, so kept on the front and we were all fine. At the other side, once it got a bit wind shaded, he sped off like a fast person and I limped home a fair bit faster than I would have if I'd had to battle the wind over the causeway.

    i turned round and shouted 'hi – you fancy a turn?' to which he replied, 'no, i've knackered myself catching you up!'

    That seems fair enough. He is knackered and needs a tow, hence using the last bit of power to jump on your wheel. You aren't losing anything by providing the tow. We all get tired sometimes. I've towed people a few miles on my commute before, not a problem really, if they want to go on front that is nice, but if not, as long as they look like safe riders, I don't have a problem with it, I don't understand why anyone would have a grump about it.

    Joe

    AndyP
    Free Member

    He is knackered and needs a tow, hence using the last bit of power to jump on your wheel.
    or, he could have conserved that last bit of energy by not jumping, and ridden on his own, thus making him stronger for the next ride.

    joemarshall
    Free Member

    who kept touching my back wheel,

    Although that is out of order if you mean literally making contact with it. Hanging close behind = okay, contact = bad and naughty and dangerous and I'd have a good old rant at them.

    Joe

    ski
    Free Member

    I had two this morning drafting me!

    I new I had one, but spotted someone drafting him when I turned off.

    Must have looked quite funny two guys on road bikes tucked up tight behind me on my chuffing mountain bike 😉

    GaryLake
    Free Member

    I don't understand, you passed him because he was going to slow… even if he was able to keep up by drafting, surely putting him back on the front is going to slow you down again…

    Sounds like you busted a gut to pass him and couldn't make it stick… 🙄

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    I have little idea of roadie etiquette, I'd have no idea you wanted me to take a turn with your elbow flicking. In fact I only recently, on a ride with a roadie friend, learned why he was pointing at the floor at insignificant divots in the road. Let them tag on, if they're fast enough to keep up, but I wont pay them any special notice and I'll only point out holes/bumps/bricks etc to my mates.

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    And as for roadie etiquette – until recently I was commuting on my MTB with slicks – I had ONE roadie nod to me in a matter of months. Bought a road bike for the commute, I commuted 3 times now and I'm almost unable to keep up with the hellos and nods. That's odd.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    were you wearing comedy clown/scoutmasternonce baggy shorts when you were on your mtb? That might have done it…

    njee20
    Free Member

    Although that is out of order if you mean literally making contact with it.

    I do, although 'kept' is a bit extreme, he bumped it a couple of times.

    The thing I find with it is that yes, I could slow down, yes, I could speed up, but why should I!? I'm riding my own ride, if someone is sitting right behind me I personally do find it distracting. Particularly when they won't even answer a question when you speak to them. It generally only happened on the Bristol – Bath cycle path actually, round here you don't seem to get many wheelsuckers.

    MrAgreeable
    Full Member

    I agree with Hels. Find out where he lives, insinuate yourself into his peer group, and systematically ruin his life. 🙂

    juan
    Free Member

    Erm I don't get the elbow stuff? If someone was doing that in front of me I would assume that he/she has an itchy armpit.

    Plus do you guys really spend time pointing the pothole on the road… Christ you really must be bored.

    As for the OP, if you pass him and he stuck to yoru wheel as said just pedal harder.

    AndyP
    Free Member

    Erm I don't get the elbow stuff? If someone was doing that in front of me I would assume that he/she has an itchy armpit.
    even after reading this thread?

    Plus do you guys really spend time pointing the pothole on the road… Christ you really must be bored.
    it's not a boredom thing, it's a manners thing. But then I'm not French…;)

    MrAgreeable
    Full Member

    Get him sacked.
    Give his bank details to Nigerians.
    Seduce his wife.
    Sell his kids into slavery.
    Burn his house to the ground.
    Sow his garden with salt.
    Crush his car into a cube.
    Drug him and surgically alter his face so he looks like James Martin.

    That'll learn him.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    juan – Member
    Erm I don't get the elbow stuff? If someone was doing that in front of me I would assume that he/she has an itchy armpit.

    Plus do you guys really spend time pointing the pothole on the road… Christ you really must be bored.

    I wouldn't expect anyone that sat on my wheel to know that level of roadie etiqette (in fact if they are doing this then they are probably pretty lacking in knowledge of that).

    But if you are riding fast in groups this sort of stuff is essential, my lycra-hating friend!

    oldgit
    Free Member

    I never had a stranger hold my back wheel.
    I get guys overtaking me in towns and that sort of place. I guess I'm a target for their egos as I'm all roadied up, shaven legs the lot, but I don't weave in and out in busy areas.
    Had a little fella pass me last Sunday, he had the advantage of a hill and I was stationary at the lights, it must have made his day, only he was fecked after passing me. So (please excuse the mild willy waving content) I coasted behind him so he could hear my freewheel clicking away and he was out of the saddle furiously trying to press on. I let him have his moment, then as we left town I slipped into 53/12 and left him.
    Well you have to do it don't you.
    His probably on another forum boasting about burning up a roadie.

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    I'm sure I've suggested this before, but if someone is on your wheel and you want them to take a turn you move right and let them come through. If someone doesn't have great legs they're quite likely not to feel confident pulling round you to take a turn.

    Obviously if they just follow you across the road you can then start a series of vicious accelerations to throw them off your wheel if you're that bothered. 🙂

    Shandy
    Free Member

    Getting your panties in a bind over drafting (in general) is pretty lame. I ride my bike for the pleasure I get out of it, if somebody wants to cruise along behind me thats their choice. If they suddenly streak past me, and defeat me in our imaginary race, then fair play to them. If somebody beats you at something you can either accept it, make excuses, or train harder. Or maybe you are training too hard and becoming a grumpy person?

    I was coming out of town the other day on my mountain bike when I noticed a wee fella tucked in behind me on a commuter, wearing full business suit and a high vis jacket over the top, and his helmet falling into his eyes every hundred yards. I picked up the pace a bit and after a mile or so he was still there, sweating all over his work clothes, getting a bit carried away and having a great time, with a big smile on his face.

    Loads of keen cyclists commute. They are still a tiny minority compared to the average commuters who just like a bit of fresh air and have borrowed a bike their mate had in the garage. Most of them wouldn't have the slightest clue about drafting anyway.

    coffeeking
    Free Member

    were you wearing comedy clown/scoutmasternonce baggy shorts when you were on your mtb? That might have done it…

    No, just normal around-town shorts!

    BigDummy
    Free Member

    I objected once to a young man who had unhooked his brakes because his wheels were very buckled drafting me along Upper Street Islington at team pursuit sort of distance. He was having none of it, as he explained that by riding on my back wheel in heavy traffic with no brakes he was "using 30% less energy".

    But Shandy's attitude is clearly the healthy one in most cases. 🙂

    Shandy
    Free Member

    Coffeeking, its so true about the roadies. There are a couple who commute on a tow-path near me and it pains them to acknowledge my existence whilst on the MTB, despite the fact that I ride up the verge to let them pass.

    On the road bike I plenty of waves, except from the hardcore roadies where grim acknowledgement is more common. I think that is something to do with my top-to-toe Wiggle ensemble and painfully mainstream Focus bike.

    devs
    Free Member

    I may have to leave this forum as I find myself just wanting to take the pish out of you weird cyclists that take themselves far too seriously.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    I don't commute by bike but if I did it would be for the fitness aspect so I couldn't give a monkey if someone sat on my wheel. If I was an eco-nerd or couldn't afford a car and just wanted the commute over as fast and easy as possible then I might care a little and wouldn't waste my energy pointing hazards out (I wouldn't deliberately endanger a following rider though…)

    anotherdeadhero
    Free Member

    Happens occassionally, anyone is welcome to sit on, I've had a very welcome draft a few times, besides, its nice to have company. Pointedly not making conversation is odd though, I've had a few that seem completely unwilling to chat.

    Generally becuase I filter like a 'complete nutcase' (thats a quote) people tend to rapidly think again about drafting me in urban situations. That and stopping at red lights, most cyclists round here don't understand the idea of stopping at reds and get fed up with me for doing it in short order.

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