BlazingPedals

My club is quite accepting of recumbents. I rarely ride in the pack; usually you'll find me hanging off the back, or if everyone is running a single line, I may be up at the front alongside whoever is currently pulling. In short, my position in the group is cognizant of the fact that I'm a lousy draft. When I'm at the back, I'm usually far enough back that I'm not getting a 'free' draft and only pile up behind them if they slow down unexpectedly.

I find it funny that cyclists will complain about car drivers only looking out for other cars and thus not seeing the cyclists - but then they turn around and do the same thing by only looking for cyclists who are at their height. If they looked for a wheel alongside of them, they'd see the 'bent every time, even a lowracer. There's a tandem in my club with a blind stoker. She says she can always tell I'm passing because of the distinctive hollow 'whoosh' sound my lowracer makes.

My natural rhythm for hills is different than theirs, though; and it's often easiest to go off the front, take the hill, and wait for everyone at the top. By the time they get there, I've had a nice rest. Hanging back and taking the hills like an upright makes for a good interval workout - loaf on the flats, charge the climb, ride the brakes on the downhill.