SpeedyBlueBiker

I'm assuming that "LA" stands for Lance Armstrong otherwise I could care less what a Pantani or Ventoux is. Never heard anyone yell "wheel" before whether in the US or Asia. Don't think it's that common really. Have heard and used "on your left" or just "on left" a zillion times.

Carbonfiberboy 

I guess it's good that your caring threshold is quite high, but curiosity is also a good thing, IMO. I think you're right. Judging by this thread, folks announcing that they have arrived on someone's wheel probably is rare. Shouldn't be, IMO.

cxwrench

Yelling 'wheel' is stupid. I've NEVER heard anyone do that. Not a single time. I guess if you know the person yelling 'accelerate' isn't quite as stupid but if you did that to me you'd get 'f**k off *ssh*le' in reply.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yelling? Who said anything about yelling? I agree that yelling at someone in close quarters would be greeted with disapproval. OTOH, saying something important to another rider so that you can't be heard would also not be a good idea. Thus I said, "I always simply say, "Wheel" loudly enough that the rider can hear me." Most riders glance back to see who it is and leave it at that. I've never had a rider tell me to move on, but then I only ride with experienced riders.

In the case where you shout obscenities, I would ban you from the group for antisocial behavior. I don't have to ride with antisocial folks. There are plenty of kind, cooperative riders. I get that antisocial aggression finds a certain amount of applause on the roadie forum but I don't have to put up with it in person. If it weren't on a group ride, I'd never say anything to you. Why would I care?

I might mention that I do ride differently when I'm pulling. I know some riders try to keep their power number steady on the flat. I learned to ride with other riders decades before there were power meters and learned to hold my cadence steady instead. Makes a big difference on a windy day at the head of a line. If there's just one person back it's no big deal.

genejockey 

Honestly, if someone did that to me, I'd assume there was something amiss with my wheel, and I'd probably stop pedaling and wobble all over hell trying to see what you were talking about, because I've never, ever heard anyone say that on a ride.

Atlas Shrugged

A contributor to BF for 14 years and over 17,500 posts averaging over 3 posts a day and this is the level of contribution? I can’t imagine a more obnoxious interaction with another cyclist than what you described when rolling up on someone. As for your story between LA and Pantani on Ventoux if you recall Pantani considered LA a real asshat on that occasion.

SDkid605

Why would you want to follow so close to someone else's ass ??
A few seconds of time are that important to you ??
Yes, that's creepy,, I'd pull over & punch you in the face, idiot.

spelger

One of the friendliest threads on BF I've read in a long time.

stuff shredman

I agree they made the choice, but my issue is that they can take me out if I don't know they're there. Perhaps I'm doing intervals, my interval ends, I sit up and naturally decel. If that guy's not really paying attention, he could come into the back of me. Yeah, he'd prob be the one to go down, but might take me with him, damage my derailleur, etc.

That's the main issue for me.

If someone gets on my wheel, I'll either lay down some sparkle watts to drop them, or start riding a little erratically so they'll naturally want to GTF away from me

MinnMan

I wish I had sparkle watts.

MinnMan

Pretty much everybody I know who is a group rider is still riding in groups. Even with Delta, I don't know of any transmission from group rides. Some may not find that too comforting.

I assume that everybody with whom I ride is vaccinated - just knowing them, I think that's almost completely true. But I'm not checking cards and I could be wrong.

And yes, it's all crazy. Has been for a year and a half.

rsbob 

Don’t mind or care if someone drafts me. However i do feel responsible for pointing out hazards. If they are there long enough, I will swing behind them so they can take a pull. Grass, gas or @$$, no one rides for free.

Carbonfiberboy 

Well, my explanation is that I didn't feel like writing whole paragraphs about my personal contributions on group rides and thus to whom I contribute and to whom I don't and all that complicated stuff. I only tell my buddies who love to sit my wheel when I be going around at a substantial speed differential because I know they'll want to get on. I remember one fellow who thought, well yes he's passing so I'll just go a little faster and get on. Problem with that is that I was on the tandem with my wife. By the time he was up to speed I had a good 100' on him and even though he's the strongest rider in our group, we were gone. We waited at the bottom for him. Context is everything.

On the "Wheel" issue, I've said that a zillion times, never had anyone have an issue with it. I don't care for it when people get on me without announcing. What would you say to the rider in front? I think announcing is the polite thing and the safe thing. Seems to me we have a tiny minority of folks here who are not cooperative riders. I don't see why they're posting in a drafting thread.

Yes, Pantani probably was POed at Lance for making him ride harder than he wanted. OTOH Lance gave him the stage win in return for helping Lance put a little more time on the competition. It is tough to not be the strongest rider anymore and then have someone mess with you. I suppose Pantani would have been happier had Lance taken the win. Lance was a definite ahole in the peloton, but there wasn't a boss anymore who was strong enough to put him down. I've never had anyone make me ride harder than I wanted to. If I was strong enough, I'd ride harder than I though possible. If I wasn't, I'd drop off. I think that's very very common and one of the most fun things about riding. My wife and I once held the wheel of a local team who'd won AG tandem nationals, about 30' at 28 mph, 6" off their wheel. They finally slowed down and let us pull for a while.

tomato coupe

I think yelling "zucchini" or belching very loudly would be just as effective as yelling "wheel".

rsbob 

Ah Carbonfiberboy you bring back such great memories of my tandem years. Had a Rodriguez racing tandem locally built in Seattle. Rode 10s of thousand miles on that beast. Did the Seattle to Portland in one day several times and Ride ‘Around Mt Ranier a couple on it besides a several centuries and tons of group rides. Was mostly a two man team until my pal moved abroad and then it became my wife and my preferred way to cycle.

The downside is that my guy friend and I seldom could draft because we were always the fastest bike unless there was a faster tandem, but I can recall only one. There were two Cat 1 guys on an tandem, on RAMROD, but they were so fast we didn’t have a chance of riding their wheel.

Being a tandem, we pulled countless singles on our long hauls. Never had an issue except when they wouldn’t reciprocate on long climbers when our sheer mass worked to our disadvantage. But the great fun was on long fast descents when we were doing 50+ watching the would be drafters doing their damnest to sprint to catch our tail and never having a chance. Then we didn’t mind so much not being able to draft. Land speed record on that bike was 62.5 MPH, passed an RV doing 55 (the posted limit) and several other cars, but that was back in my crazy 30s.

Those were some fun and scary times.

ejw

I would avoid drafting anyone who isn’t a seasoned rider, and preferably only one you know well.

stuff shredman

preferably seasoned with paprika or oregano

PepeM

Hi, I am new here.

When someone jumps on my wheel without asking, I dial it up to 400 watts and keep it pegged until they disappear. Am I being rude?

Maelochs

not if before turning up the dial, you give the wheel sucker "The Look."

PepeM

Well, of course. I am not a monster.

Mojo31

And yell, "Accelerate!"

cyclezen

It would seem the way to interpolate this thread, given the variety of responses, is to not ride on another's wheel, whom you don;t know or haven't had some positive interact beforehand...
LOL !
Thx
Yuri

Eric F 

I rub my chest with salt and cayenne pepper before every ride.

big john

Oh, so you're one of those people?

tomato coupe

Everyone knows red pepper is fast.