I've only got 1000 or so roadie miles to my name, and none with a group / club run, so I'm very naive about this.
I get the drafting / aero effect of riding in the middle of a fast pack to save energy and working as a team so that the "star" rider can save their legs.
But on the climbs, teams and riders talk about their domestiques helping them up the climb etc. How? What is it about riding on the wheel of someone else who is in your team up an HC climb that makes climbing "easier" (especially when compared to doing the same perhaps behind a direct rival)?
You've still got the aero effect plus they're riding at the tempo you set as team leader rather than to another team's agenda.
For example, Sky yesterday would have had a plan to ride at a set wattage up that climb based on training that they've done with Froome.
At the speeds they go, there is still a drafting benefit, plus a team member will ride an agreed pace.
My thoughts are that it's more of a mental thing on a climb. You're not looking hundreds of metres up a steep climb and thinking 'oh shit that looks a bit of a 'mare' but instead you're looking at maintaining a small gap between you and the rider in front which feels much more manageable.
A teammate will be riding at an agreed pace, whereas a rival will try changes of pace to unsettle and hopefully drop anyone behind them.
how fast do you need to be going to get the drafting effect? You notice it with elite level xc racers too taking turns.
I think I've just got an idea which will make me a millionaire...
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Now replace the carrot with a wheel. And the donkey with a MAMIL... Constant drift even on solo cruises!!! 😆
ferrals - Memberhow fast do you need to be going to get the drafting effect? You notice it with elite level xc racers too taking turns.
At the speeds they were going up the climb yesterday (about 20kmph) I think it's around 12%, which is substantial. Yesterday the guys pulling on the front were visibly grimacing and drooling with the effort before their turn was over (both Movistar and Sky domestiques).
Thx all! So aero (mostly) combined with a bit of psychological.
Cheers, that is a massive amount! never realised it was so much. Means its actually relevant even in pretty amateur xc races. [off to re-think race tactics..]
i've even known drafting in fell-races.
Did some Box Hill reps full whack on Monday.
Legs were cramping by the last rep but I caught someone who was going just about the same speed as me and managed to stay on his wheel to the top (I think he might have sped up when I caught him). Without him it would have been a much slower time... I just focused on his back wheel, very occasionally looking up past him to gauge where bends were.
It was also a little blowy up there and that time up was noticeably less than the previous laps.
There's often lots of bobbins talked about drafted and aero kit benefits not working at slow speeds. Truth is there is always an aero benefit. In fact when measured in actual time rather than percentage of time gained, aero benefit actual increases the slower you are going.