Originally Posted by big chainring

Whats your safe draft distance? I like the weekend group ride. Typically I jump in to whoever passes me by on Saturday and Sunday mornings. On Chicagos north shore its pretty much a constant parade of cycling groups heading northbound on Sheridan road. I'm questioning the safety, especially now at 62 yrs young. A spill now would probably put me in the hospital. But my instincts are still honed by my racing days when racing around the track in a line of riders with a centimeter or two of gap between our wheels was normal. I still catch myself following really close to a wheel and think...hmmm, maybe too close. But there is quite a difference in draft effect between a half wheel distance and a couple inches. What say ye?