[Closed] Wheel Sucking Moron

you should have told him to F off!

& what did you say?

oh and what is this 'spray' you speak of!!! 😆

I did

6 degrees and pissing down in Perth yesterday

twice?!

Is "wheel sucking" bad? I just started doing a bit of road riding and sometimes try to keep up with other riders.

I had better stop doing it.....although l don't ride right behind them. I never heard the phrase before!

I don't mind people sitting on my wheel for a bit as long as they're willing to come through and do a turn, sitting back there getting a free tow and not saying thanks is poor form.

There's a regular on my commute who tries to take a free tow off my wheel into a headwind that's almost always there then peels off just before the road ends and sprints ahead of me to 'win'.

jeffm as soon as he gets on your wheel,just slow right down,he'll soon get the idea.

I don't mind people sitting on my wheel for a bit as long as they're willing to come through and do a turn, sitting back there getting a free tow and not saying thanks is poor form.

I guess they should say thanks but it's not like it makes any actual difference to you if someone is behind you does it?

In indy car racing, you get an aerodynamic boost when someone is behind you.
No idea if that translates to bikes.

Cheeky to say the least (or downright rude). A bit like picking up a hitch hiker who then complains that you haven't got leather upholstery and heated seats.
Foxtrot Oscar.

you should have let off a silent but deadly wind of change 😉

Second that ^
A combination of eggs and curry in your diet should provide a strong deterrent to any dirty freeloaders!

AlexSimon - Member

In indy car racing, you get an aerodynamic boost when someone is behind you.
No idea if that translates to bikes

It does, Chris Boardman mentioned it at the track cycling a few weeks ago, technically I'd /they'd be doing you a favour.

I shall be expecting a hearty thank you next time, ungrateful barstewards. 😀

Clear your nostrils one by one, footballer-style into the slipstream,then use SMIDSY as a defence when he gets all uptight about it! 😆

I probably would've dropped the hammer or farted, or both.

Read the first bit of the OP and I was going to write something along the lines of 'well he was doing no harm...etc...etc...)

then I read the second bit...your response was more than deserved.

Has it been a week already?

Surely it's physically impossible to fart nonchalantly on a road bike unless coasting or sprinting?

don't forget to take some lemon juice to get your face just right when complaining about things whilst riding a road bike.

blowing snot always works for me!

I spit copiously and frequently over my shoulder. Saving some for cars that annoy me of course.

A nice twist on an otherwise tediously reoccurring topic 🙂

The cheeky mare!

If they can't be tempted into doing a turn on the front then just sit up and freewheel until they get the hint.

Or you could just ask them not to ride to close. Just say " sorry mate it makes me uncomfortable, do you want to come through or drop back a bit" maybe thats a bit hard for some people, better to spit in their face or blow snot all over them 😯

Seriously, no farting, nose blowing etc. I'm sure I would ride hard and try and drop him, unless he asked for a tow or wave him in front to do a turn or, as above tell him how I thought if none of those worked.

my personal preference is to sit on the wheels of guys that have dropped their wife/gf/so and wait for the sweet words of encouragement given thinking that I've caught up - I'm still waiting to be offered a good seeing to when we get home but I know one day it'll happen - bingo!

Can't you just drop them on a hill? Always works for me.

If someone snotted on me, I would have no qualms about throwing a stick through their front wheel.

It's gross.

My main problem with wheel suckers is that I feel as if my personal space has been invaded.

I think you're all far too uptight about it.

Could he have been joking after sitting on your wheel so long? sarcasm/banter/humour etc??
Like when I yell out to fellow midweek riders 'why aren't you at work'

In indy car racing, you get an aerodynamic boost when someone is behind you.
No idea if that translates to bikes.

Of course it does thats why the sprinters like Cavendish wheel suck until the last 400m of any stage they save so much energy .You must have ridden behind someone and noticed ?

Edric:

In indy car racing, [b][u]you[/u][/b] get an aerodynamic boost when someone is [b][u]behind you[/u][/b]

If someone snotted on me, I would have no qualms about throwing a stick through their front wheel.

It's gross.

Agree it's a bit grim, but seriously, how often do you carry a stick when you're out on your bike?

As for the op, like oldgit I'd have assumed he was joking. It's the kind of insane thing I'd say.

Quite often collect a roadie or two on my way back from the Chase along the lanes, especially this time of year when it's not properly dark in the evening. They freely admit they are making use of my thermonuclear lights which I don't mind too much except when they come past on the final climb back into civilisation without so much as an acknowledgement.

Now if I collect a wheel sucker I turn off down a bridleway, that really farks them up 😆

If a wheel sucker doesn't announce their presence and you're that bothered just get up to a good clip then bunny hop a decent sized pot hole.

A single, sharp expletive from behind generally indicates success.

Thanks scaredypants - Edric got the wrong end of the stick there.
Yes, basically the drag is reduced for the rider/driver in front.
Obviously the advantage is still far far greater for the rider/driver behind, but it's possible that someone has an easier ride with a wheelsucker than they would without. (apart from the building rage and frustration slowing you down 🙂 )

hatter, I like it - technique filed for future use!

A single, sharp expletive from behind generally indicates success.

he pulled up along side me and told me I should have mudguards on my bike as he was getting a lot of road spray

If you don't like drafters there's plenty of none offensive (and none verbal if you are shy) ways to get rid of them.

Why don't you have mudguards? Are you, perhaps, mental?

Couldn't you drop him? If not, you have no grounds for complaint...