Would you let me draft on you?
Hey guys. Im a commuter cyclist, going 6.5 miles each way, trying to get back into cycling because Im fat and trying to lose my belly. I am a very experienced cyclist (albeit not with group rides) but it doesn't show because I ride with a janky setup. I go shirtless on a hybrid that has a 1/2 inch copper tube ziptied to the front as makeshift aerobars, milk crate on my wheel; I look kind of like a clown. I hear that drafting on strangers is bad etiquette, especially without asking, but I make a point to be friendly and talkative to anyone I see on the road. Unfortunately this hasn't come up much on my commute, not many road cyclists, but I had the pleasure of being called into work on a Sunday and was able to ride with a bunch of weekend warriors out on long rides. On the way in and on the way back, I found some fast dude and rode with them, Im sure both would have been fine with me drafting because by that point we were temporary friends, but how should I ask randoms riding on my commute if I can draft. The way I see it is they are a stronger cyclist and I want to get a "ride" to work. Im just not used to trying to draft with strangers, but I know a ton of people do it and I don't want to look like a dick.