burnthesheep

It's not like one of those nasty fast mover zombie topics on BF you stay away from.

This is a funny idiotic slow mover zombie. It's fun to just keep around for times you want to use it as a punching bag. You know it'll never die and always be around ready to take a beating.

genejockey 

When the sun burns down to a cinder, someone, somewhere, will still be asking, "Is it okay to hop on a stranger's wheel?"

Reflector Guy

There's a certain no-shirt-wearing, hybrid-riding, no-rear-brake forum member who really needs to be all over this thread. It's calling his name!

Mojo31

Some total stranger passed me last week as I was starting a ride and warming up. He then moved over and sat in front of my wheel for several miles. When it was time to turn it up a notch, I passed him and never saw him again. Neither of us ever said a word. I appreciated him volunteering for the extra work though.

MoAlpha

So, we've discussed the wheel; now, how about the stranger?

Mojo31

Old guy, really mashing it hard. He was too out of breath to try to converse. Thankfully he didn't fart or shart or anything.

MoAlpha

My question referred to hopping on the stranger, as opposed to their wheel, but I assume from your answer that you would vote against the propriety of doing so.

Mojo31

You are correct.

eduskator

Good old thread revive! Love it.

Never without consent. It's just rude.

I sneezed the other time and there was someone right behind, drafting me. He got some in his face. Looked at him like ''what the hell are you doing there?'', I waived my hand as an apology and smoked him on the next hill. Never saw him again.

LarrySellerz

People get so weird about this... all the danger is on the person in the back. I wheelsuck all the time, usually say something like "hey buddy im on your wheel for a bit" or something along those lines, just so they know im there. I don't really care though I dont want them to change how they ride or take special attention to point out hazards.

If youre going relatively fast people will assume you know how to ride and are comfortable with drafting. Take it as a compliment.

Have had a few people pull over or get upset (One dude was super upset, cursing and stuff, but that was mainly because he fell into my trap and tried to pass me. seen him twice and he's always salty.)

genejockey 

genejockey 

You may wish to avoid my wheel. For some reason, my nose runs when I ride, so I'm in the habit of forcefully clearing it, without warning. It's worse below 60 degrees, but it's a constant thing.

LarrySellerz

Ive seen this sentiment posted multiple times, I really don't get the thought process. "Man this guy is right on my wheel, this is annoying and dangerous, lets try to do something that causes him to crash, that'll teach him!"

terrymorse 

And most of the responsibility for the drafter's safety falls on the lead rider.

I don't want some stranger grabbing my wheel, because then I'm responsible for keeping them safe, and I have no way of judging their skills. If someone grabs my wheel, I pull aside and wave them through.

If I roll up on a stranger, I keep at least a couple of bike lengths spacing until I'm ready to pass.

MoAlpha

In early hardshell helmet days, I had a crummy lid with inadequate ventilation. On hot rides the sweat would collect at some critical point on the harness and fly in a steady stream directly onto whoever had the misfortune to be on my wheel. I received many complaints.

Bah Humbug

Doesn't matter, it's a dick move made by dicks with small dicks.

phrantic09

qft

genejockey 

That's the key thing, to me - without my consent, somebody makes me responsible for them. I ride at my own speed, and that varies a lot even within any given ride. If somebody's close enough, even my standing up for a hill could cause a touch of wheels. And I'm big enough that a lot of smaller riders would not be able to see around me, so I end up having to alert them to hazards, because I don't want to be a dick. And since I don't want to be a dick, I can't blow my nose or spit when I want to.

I will often ride off to one side or the other of their slipstream, so it's clear I'm not drafting them, and then I'll either pass or wait for them to go up the next rise faster than me, depending.

79pmooney

+1

You missed my point. In Portland, those brakeless fix gear riders latch onto my wheel when I think I'm riding alone. Riding alone, I use the brakes anytime it it makes my ride a touch safer simply because I've done my quota of crashes. I brake for pedestrians who might pull a surprise move, small animals, the pavement getting iffy ... For corners my 175 cranks won't clear (fixed). And I've come very close to taking out riders who parked themselves on my wheel without telling me.

I know many riders consider the open road the same as a closed race course; that any wheel out there is fair game to be sat on. Figuring the owner of that wheel is in on this game. Not me. I ride alone by choice. And I know full well racing rules and traditions. I used to race. Racing comes with touch of wheels crashes. So do pacelines. Like I said, I've done my share. I'm in my late 60s. I have the bones of someone who's ridden all his life. I crash, I break. I ride solo by choice and I do not want people grabbing my wheel unannounced. I live in a state where bicycles are governed by the same laws as cars (except where spelled out). Tailgate me and cause me to crash and you might be seeing me in court. And I'll let you explain to the judge that tailgaiting 24" back is safe, proper and should be legal.

Bah Humbug

And nevermind the (very real) safety concerns, imagine how you'd feel if someone followed you around the grocery store a foot behind you. No warning, no indication of for how long or their intentions. It's creepy and antisocial. I'm fine when people introduce themselves and ask if it's ok to draft (and listen if I say no), but it's revealing how many people think it's ok NOT to do that.

genejockey 

Something like this, I imagine...

LarrySellerz

my bad mooney, ive seen advice like "brake check them" on how to deal with wheelsuckers and must have read your comment with that in mind. Apologies. Jockey I don't expect some random I'm drafting to change how they ride, the only reason I alert them to my presence (only like 80% of the time, sometimes they obviously have headphones in or are in their zone) is to avoid being an antisocial weirdo. If you want to stop or do something crazy like swerve thats on the drafter, most of them aren't 2 inches off your wheel and franky if they are they probably know what you are doing and can tell that you know what youre doing as well

Bah Humbug

Too late.

genejockey 

It doesn't matter what you expect. If I find someone drafting me I become responsible for them not crashing because of a hazard I can see that they can't. It's an imposition, regardless.

Sometimes I don't mind much - I passed a guy at the top of Canada Rd last Sunday, after he passed me at one of the stop signs, and then I did what I always do, which is to get in the big ring and the drops and push as hard as I can. At Edgewood I noticed he'd tucked in behind me, but he seemed like a good rider so I just kept pushing all the way to the Water Temple, where I sat up because I needed to refill a bottle for the trip home. He passed and rode on. Didn't thank me, though.

LarrySellerz

He didn't even say hi when he first caught your wheel? the segment youre describing is at least 6 miles. People are too reluctant to say hi and exchange pleasantries with their fellow riders. "Avoiding" drafting on a road with heavy bicycle traffic like Canada is ludicrous, and people who get upset by it are IMO delusional.

are you mildly miffed at the silent canada drafter? yeah he didn't thank you but would you have preferred to be undisturbed? Honest question not trolling