[Closed] Roadie etiquette question

Good manners if you feel that way inclined. Personally if someone is hanging my wheel and not bothering to do a spell then I aim for potholes and do not give a wave. Sometimes I do just depends what kind of mood Im in or how strong I feel

If you're racing, then it's tactics, if you're not, then just enjoy the ride.

Swerve suddenly a few times as though you're avoiding a pothole until they stop copying then they'll hit the next real pothole when you swerve to avoid it 😉

I wouldn't even notice if someone sat on my wheel so I'd just carry on riding normally.

Every ride is a race. You say you catch and pass them, so why can you not drop them from your wheel ? Lift your game mate... and rip their legs... before dropping them (or blowing them up) is the only roadie etiquette you should remember. Plus stop this gay elbow flicking at once.

Brake hard

They won't be inclined to follow your wheel after a nose full of your arse.

i literally come to a stop and just look at them till they get bored and cycle off. Last time they caught me and then sat there for 10 miles ..... if they speak and say they are tired /long run where you going etc then I let them sit.

if you caught them and *are* faster than them, gradually turn up the pace til you drop them. then smile smugly.

or you could just get on with your life and stop letting it bother you.

oh, and

Plus stop this gay elbow flicking at once.

all this 'brake hard in front of them' and 'aim for pot holes' chuntering isn't really the sort of atmosphere i'd like to see between cyclists, after all they're not slowing you down, why not live and let live. or just say 'i'd rather you didn't do that'

oh that's right - people don't like to actually speak to people they don't know, do they?

Jesus!!! Someone is on your wheel, it's not a race, and you wish them harm????!!!!???

Maybe when you're 12 years old, but.....c'mon.... 🙂

Depends on my mood..If Im chilling then I might slow down & try & have a bit of a chat. If Ive had a bad day & Im feeling punchy & Id try rip their legs off! Sometimes though that tactic misfires really quite spectacularly but its good for a laugh.. 😈

meanwhile on another forum

some bloke pulled his arse out today to get past me, then blew up in front of me, I just sat on his wheel for a few miles, laughing at him as he tiredly weaved about on the road

/meanwhile on another forum

I don't know, I've never met anyone who could hold my wheel after being overtaken 🙄

I'm with stratobiker, I think you are confusing commuting/out for a fun ride with a professional race.

Relax, get real.

If you were in a car would you obey the rules of the road or act like an arse just because someone overtook you or got too close?

Hang on, don't answer that, I don't wanna know.

As someone once said, this place is full of bulls running around looking for a red rag...

Blow snot over them.

No, actually what RepacK says

Was just riding home from work. Not racing anyone, not going harder or easier than I normally do. Just riding at my own not-quite-comfortable pace .

I just think it's incredibly rude not to do a turn, not even speak to the person who you are sitting two feet behind.

And frankly I don't want someone I know nothing about sitting a foot behind me, especially when that someone who doesn't even acknowledge my existence. It just doesn't feel safe.

Just let them sit there, you da boss.

Doesn't bother me - I just cycle at the pace I want to cycle at. I don't see what effect it has if someone is behind me.

you might be doing more of the work, but you're getting more of the benefit - you'll be the uber fit one in the end, so let them hide in your shadow 🙂

and if you're really that bothered about them being there, go up some hills and make them suffer! 😈

If it bothers you that much stop pedalling until they pass and then sit on their wheel. Simple really.

[i]Just let them sit there, you da boss.[/i]

+1 aint that the truth baby!!!

But seriously, outside of a race/competitive ride it really ain't no thang unless you let it bother you.

Definitely don't do anything dangerous like braking hard or swerving, life's too short for that kind of lark.

Some people don't like the thought of an unknown rider drafting them for safety reasons. If thats the case, then just politely state that and ask them not to do it, we're all human beings capable of conversing with each other, right?

I almost did coast to a halt at one point and tell him to go through but he didn't even look at me. And he just stared straight ahead when we were stopped at some lights when I said hello, alright or whatever (which was about a mile after I picked up the wheelsucker - hoping a little banter might help).

I don't mind sharing the work with someone on the way home (there's a bloke I see on the top road infrequently and we usually work together for a similar distance until he turns off), just someone who shows no engagement riding feet behind me for 15-20 mins is a bit freaky.

Agree shouldn't do anything dangerous like braking or swerving but frankly I didn't feel I had any obligation to highlight the branch and I think he clipped it - he didn't seem to sit in after that anyway

after all they're not slowing you down,

I though they were, because slipstreaming is not "free energy", the following rider is pinching energy from the leader.

But I was wrong, from wikipedia: "In addition, the leading object will be able to move faster than it could independently because the rear object reduces the effect of the low-pressure region on the leading object."

Thank them!

never mind that you missed out on cooked in the dark burgers n sausages.

mmmmmm blue cheese guacamole - dont think Fi was as impressed though

Owen

Parp ooo sorry didn't realise you were there 😉

Back up a minute........ blue cheese guacamole?????

the OP's question should be "commuter etiquette" not "roadie"

Also bear in mind that as unbelievable as it may sound...some people just see cycling as a mode of transport and may not versed in the lore of roadie etiquette. Maybe not the case if your wheelsucker was on a 5K rig and dressed head to toe in team kit...

And frankly I don't want someone I know nothing about sitting a foot behind me, especially when that someone who doesn't even acknowledge my existence. It just doesn't feel safe.

oh yes colnago - google nigella (tits) lawson's recipe tiz the dogs.

Yeah, both on road bikes. He in team kit.

Wouldn't have made Beecraigs after work Owen, sounds like a good one. Too busy ripping it up on the tarmac. 😆

I don't really get that one. If they hit your back wheel with their front wheel it won't be you who falls off.

I'm not sure I'd like to put that one to the test...

I agree with aracer. And I'm hoping that half the replies are trolls, because otherwise it's a pretty sad indictment of stw cyclists.

Would not bother me. But I have been asked for tow when one commuter was knackered. So I towed him to his home and carried on riding-him asking while I was training was a nice gesture but I've had more silent riders get towed and I'm not that fast anymore.

I've had a roadie sit on my tail for 4 miles of fast sprinting -I couldn't shake him and I laughed "Want to take your turn on your carbon bike?"

Instead he pulled up parallel and we chatted as we rode fast for the next ten miles. Nice chap. He beat me on the hill but it was my 72mile of the day and I was dead.

I reckon your guy didn't hear you or was tired but who cares?

Just overtake and don't let him catch you!-good training.

Seriously chill out and ignore them.

I just think it's incredibly rude not to do a turn, not even speak to the person who you are sitting two feet behind.

Maybe he didn't have a clue about the weird roadie unwritten rules about 'taking turns', and just thought it was a bit weird for someone to bother trying to overtake, then not really go any faster than them, plus start weirdly flicking his elbows and slowing down for no apparent reason.

It was like being followed by the truck from Duel. But on a bike.

(OK - I exaggerate slightly)

Flick your elbow at me and I'll think you've got a twitch.

I'm not sure I'd like to put that one to the test...

Maybe not the case if your wheelsucker was on a 5K rig and dressed head to toe in team kit...

Oh no, theya're usually the ones who have no idea about the flick of an elbow or doing a turn.

The only proprtionate response is to sit up on the tops looking all casual, and then turn up the pace to around 30mph. 😀

(In reality, I don't mind wheelsuckers, except in traffic, where the potential for being rammed at 20+ mph doesn't appeal.)

If they can keep up they're welcome to sit there. Being tailed speeds you up too. I don't point out things in the road though any of the time, that's their lookout.

if it bothers you though it's really easy, either slow down or find a big hill and drop them, either option will sort them out.

I have to admit if someone sits on my wheel I usually just completely ignore they are there and carry on. Sometimes they will come through and do a turn, or at least say thank you when they pull off.

There has been times when I have been wheel-sucking and the other person has been going too fast for me to do a turn (bear in mind other person usually has a "proper" road bike compared to my 15Kg commuter). I would always make conversation though and say thank you.

Take it as a compliment Stuart - you have been going too fast for them to take a turn 🙂

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.

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.

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

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.

you roadies are weird.