Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc
Subject: Re: Drafting etiquette?
Date: Wed, 16 Dec 1992 09:08:12 -0500

Thomas Beagle <thomas@datamark.co.nz> writes:

 TB> I only started riding again about a year and a half ago and have
never
 TB> ridden with anyone else.

 It's a worthwhile experience, especially if you can ride with a more
 experienced cyclist.  This is an opportunity to increase you cycling
skills.

 TB> I was riding to work the other day (about 25km) with a bit of a
headwind
 TB> when someone started drafting me. He followed for about half an
hour and
 TB> then passed me (nearly hitting a car!) and rode off.

 Perhaps the cyclist who drafted on you was not as skilled as he would
like to
 think. Drafting is a cooperative procedure. Except in a race, you
should
 always offer to share the pull with any cyclist that you are drafting
on.
 Drafting on another cyclist for "about half an hour" into a head wind,
 without offering to take a pull is bad manners. If a cyclist is so weak
that
 he can only pull for a couple of seconds, he should at least do that
much.

 TB> Having someone riding so close to me was quite unsettling as I am
not at
 TB> all used to it.

 You are in no danger from a cyclist drafting on you. If he hits your
wheel,
 then he goes over, not you.

 TB> I normally ride quite defensively, braking early for potential
hazards and
 TB> the like, and was worried that one of these maeuvers would have him
hitting
 TB> me.

 Cyclists riding in a paceline, drafting off each other in turn, try to
ride
 predicably and smoothly. They try to avoid quick or unannounced
breaking.
 Your riding sounds perfectly acceptable for drafting, if you just
announced
 when you were stopping or slowing.

 Like I said, don't worry about a cyclist hitting your from behind.
Your
 rear wheel is very stable. Only if the other cyclist hits your front
wheel
 do you have any real worry about going over.

 TB> As I was uncomfortable with it I probably should have just stopped
and
 TB> forced him to pass.

 That would have been a reasonable thing to do. You might also just slow
down
 to a speed that would not be worth his while to draft on you. He was
just
 sucking your wheel, and not giving back anything in exchange. You don't
owe
 him anything.

 However, I really suggest that you find out if there's an Effective
Cycling
 class available in your area. This kind of class will help you improve
your
 cycling skills.

 If you want to know where the nearest Effective Cycling instructor in
your
 area is, contact  The League of American Wheelmen, Suite 209, 6707
Whitestone
 Road, Baltimore, MD 21207    phone: (301) 944-3399.

 I'm an Effective Cycling instructor in the Houston area, and I will
holding
 a class starting on Sunday, January 17th, 1993. This is basically a
drivers'
 education class for cyclists. It will teach you how to do roadside
repairs on
 your bike, where to position yourself on the road, how to ride in
traffic,
 and how to ride in pacelines.

 I don't charge for the classes that I teach. It's a public service of
my
 bicycle club, Northwest Cycling Club. However, the text EFFECTIVE
CYCLING
 by John Forester is required for the course.

Newsgroups: rec.bicycles.misc