gsteinb

shovelhd

bg, your pinky doesn't scare me. ******.

waterrockets 

It depends on the context.

"Vould you like to touch my pinkeee?"

bostongarden

(no comment; I know when to pack it in.)

Dolamite02

Packing what now?

ridethecliche

Heat in his jersey pocket.

#41

aicabsolut

I am not a large person, although I'm far from the smallest in the women's fields. I spent my first year as a 3 getting moved off of wheels by the 1s and 2s and feeling like a pansy. This year, I've been more successful in defending my position and have intimidated my way onto many wheels (no contact). For me, it's a change in body language. I instinctively now puff up--elbows out, slight lean towards the encroaching rider or slight lean towards who I'm encroaching upon. Gradual lateral movements when taking a wheel. I will also do moves similar to what WR and CDR describe to make it clear that the door is not open to someone trying to take a wheel, though I haven't needed to move way up on the person ahead. Having done some sprint nights lately with a bit of a crosswind, I can see how this could be effective, though maneuvering in a bunch racing and fighting for wheels in an echelon is a bit nervewracking sometimes.

chicagogal

Earlier this week on a race-paced shop ride, I moved up the outside to get away from some riders who were on the rivet and looked ready to pop. I didn't want to move all the way to the front, so I tried to back into a spot about 15 or so from the front. As I was taking over the wheel, the rider who I was forcing off (all he had to do was soft pedal a couple strokes to let me slot in . . . and this wasn't a race or anything so he had nothing to lose) said something along the lines of, "hey, no. Don't". I IMMEDIATELY backed off! I was surprised by how quickly I responded to his vocal instruction. I realized that I'm used to a quiet fluidness in the peloton, where more is said with body language than with words. Words tend to startle me, and make me sit up. Is this just me? I have been pushed off my fair share of wheels, and never tried just saying, "hey, no it's mine".

Psimet2001 

This reminds me of what a local female ex-pro told me once about racing with Jeannie Longo, "She takes the wheels she wants to take. She is never really mean or nasty, but she is going to take what she wants and you're not going to stop her."

jameskpolk

So I just need to follow Jeannie's wheel and I'll be all set! Course, first I need to be able to get on it.

@chicagogal - I think words would have a similarly jarring effect on me. Though, judging by my response to suicidal pedestrians, I'm more like to let out an inarticulate shout than something as collected as "You can't have that wheel; it's mine."

@aicabsolut - I've been working on spending more time in the drops and getting my elbows out when in the pack. I haven't been hooked yet, so it must be working. Either that, or I've only raced with cat5s who are more scared of riding close to someone than I am.

I was talking this over with a couple of cat3 friends, and we decided that my hairy legs + cervelo + lack of team kit = strong fred signal. They might have just been humoring me because I was handing it to them on hill repeats, but apparently I ride a good enough line that it's apparent that I have some notion of what I'm doing. So we decided that a look of panic on my face and a few, small, judicous wobbles might allow me to fool folks into thinking I'm not a threat during races. Maybe it will keep folks from trying to take my wheel, too. Fred camoflauge, as it were.

cheers

Creakyknees

A quiet word or two is my typical response when someone is trying to push me off a wheel... usually something along the lines of "uh no" or "hey man I really don't want to get into a pushing match with you" for the more aggressive guys. But, delivered in a way that makes clear, I will absolutely get in a pushing match with you.

jfmckenna

My point being that I take up a lot of space and often times people let me move around. That and who wouldn't want to be on my wheel anyway

waterrockets 

Last night a guy tapped me twice on the hip as he was trying to move me off a wheel from behind me

I just said "a little lower, please"

carpediemracing 

I'm in red. The guy in blue/white couldn't get me out of the way.

From here.

Incidentally that guy in blue just returned to racing this year and has soloed to at least 2 victories I know of.

shovelhd

On top of it, he's a genuinely nice guy. His solo at New Britain wouldn't have been a solo if I was a little closer to the front when he went. I knew he'd stay away.

Love these vintage photos.

kvangundy

Two Tips from a Kierin Rider:

1.) "Bow" your elbow while in the drops, as if you were holding a large sleeping bag between your chest and the bars. It's less aero, but you're significantly more stable.

2.) If your bars are in front of mine, you're in control. If your bars are in front, when things come to heavy contact, he's going down before you do. (It takes a lot more force to sweep out a rear wheel than a front)

Fun drills to get comfortable with contact?

Buy rollers --> Ride rollers-->Ride rollers next to a wall, practice riding while leaning on that wall--->Ride rollers with a buddy tapping your shoulders ---> Win lots of races because you're super awesome.

The more comfortable you are on your bike the looser you'll keep your upper body; thus, safer you'll be, the better you'll be able to defend your position, and the more fun you'll have worrying about winning rather than not crashing.

jameskpolk

I hadn't thought about using rollers in that way; thanks for the tip. I especially like the bit where it leads to winning races.

@CDR - dig the photos!

cheers

carpediemracing 

I missed the rollers instructions after the bumping the wall part, i.e. winning races. But it's a good way to learn how to bump without leaning so much.

The old school pictures are pretty interesting to see now. No aero. UNI-disc for me. Homogenous tires. Downtube shifters (except me - right side bar end).

mollusk

Hairnets? Toe clips?

Youngsters!

shovelhd

Hairnets and toeclips?

mollusk

Now you are talking!

Fat Boy

Due to an error in judgement I was at the pointy end of a 35+ 1,2,3 race. Thurlow decided he wanted the wheel I was on. Thurlow got the wheel I was. See X's rule #7.