Do/should you ask before sucking wheel?

[Ninety5rpm]

A variation of this question was asked on another forum. I wonder what folks here think.

 

[42x16ss]

Unless it's heavy traffic, a narrow bike path or similar at least be courteous enough to let the person in front know you're there. Sucking wheel for the sake of sucking wheel (especially when you don't know where the person in front is going/trying to get average speed up for strava) is kind of creepy IMO. It shows an inability to do your own thing.

Then there's the safety aspect. Over the years I've had a couple of people I didn't know were there run into my backside because they had their heads down following my wheel and I've had to slow for something. Also, if you let the person in front know, they'll be more likely to point stuff out for you on the road.

The best option by far is to come up next to them and start up a conversation - you'll never know who you can run into on the roads.

 

[JackRabbitSlims]

The best option by far is to come up next to them and start up a conversation

this

if the riding environment allows it of course

if you're riding quick enough to catch the guy / girl ahead of you

why then just sit in and suck their wheel
d!ck move
but very common

what rips my sack is when some d-bag rides full gas to get on my wheel and then has nothing left to come around and pull for a bit
then they expect you to carry them while they get their schitt together
d!ck move

communication is the key
all imho ofc

 

[BigMac]

I'm cool with it. But yeah, do at least say hello before creeping my ass down the road. And don't randomly jump off the wheel to sprint after leeching the other guy for miles.

 

[Irondan]

It's always kind of fun to ride someone off your wheel that snuck up on you in the first place....

 

[Jspear]

Re:

It's always kind of fun to ride someone off your wheel that snuck up on you in the first place....

Yep! Had a guy wheel sucking me once...wasn't helping with the pace or anything. I upped the pace, he was still there, upped it again and he was still there; did this several more times and then he dropped for good. I don't know if I should enjoy that or not.

 

[oncehadhair]

Its all right as long as you are going to do turns. If you are not up for doing turns you probably won't last anyway.
If you just want to sit, better to ask.

 

[carton]

Couldn't care less. Once I made my interval day a Zone 2 / Zone 1 day because a old man (90+) was on my wheel. Didn't have the heart to drop him. Still feel bad I finally rode him off at the end of a hill.

If they don't say anything I'll often say goodbye when I want to either up the pace or stop, I unfailingly get a thumbs up.

Also: viewtopic.php?f=11&t=29847

 

[winkybiker]

Re:

Its all right as long as you are going to do turns. If you are not up for doing turns you probably won't last anyway.
If you just want to sit, better to ask.

No need to ask, in my view. I couldn't care less if someone wants to sit behind me. I also don't care if they come around to win some imaginary sprint or KOM. Life is too short to be bothered by this stuff. Just ride your own ride. As far as the "safety" is concerned, there is no reason to assume a correlation between sociability and riding skills. I wouldn't want to ride close to some of the nicest people I know, and I've ridden with some extremely competent and strong jerks, whom I would trust completely (on a bike).

Having said that, a chat can be a good idea, but for other reasons. I came up behind a guy last week and said hello. We were both headed to the same place, but he was a little more familiar with the local roads. He guided us both through some stunning back-roads that I would never have found on my own. It added about 30k to my ride, but I had the time, and it was awesome. We continued to chat and sometimes traded turns until we went our separate ways at the end.

 

[42x16ss]

Re: Re:

Having said that, a chat can be a good idea, but for other reasons. I came up behind a guy last week and said hello. We were both headed to the same place, but he was a little more familiar with the local roads. He guided us both through some stunning back-roads that I would never have found on my own. It added about 30k to my ride, but I had the time, and it was awesome. We continued to chat and sometimes traded turns until we went our separate ways at the end.

That's it, I was trying to hint at this in my post earlier. Why annoy someone or creep them out when you could have an interesting conversation to pass the time. As you said, you can learn things about routes you never knew. I found out how to link two of my favourite training routes this way...

 

[the delgados]

No problem at all if the rider gives a nod and or says hi.
Otherwise it just feels kind of creepy, especially if they have no intention of coming through to take a turn.
I've had a few random encounters where I end up taking turns with a total stranger for ten minutes or so before turning down a street for home.
It's fun.

 

[Armchaircyclist]

If I'm caught by somebody faster than me, it's fun to try to keep up for a while. How much talking there will be Depends on the speed. If I'm about to get dropped, I always give a thumbs up or thank you, to the faster riders. If somebody latches onto my Wheel as I pass them, sometimes it's fun to have a chat, other times it's fun to ride them off the Wheel.. On a long slow ride it's just a big bonus to have somebody to talk to.

 

[Rapido]

Re: Re:

It's always kind of fun to ride someone off your wheel that snuck up on you in the first place....

Yep! Had a guy wheel sucking me once...wasn't helping with the pace or anything. )

ANSWER If someone is right behind you, their body helps break up the air movement created vacuum that actually swerrils/drags a little behind your back.

 

[wendybnt]

You should try being a woman in a male dominated sport. if I ride a sportive its like trying to fight my way through a sea of bad dicks.

 

[winkybiker]

Re:

You should try being a woman in a male dominated sport. if I ride a sportive its like trying to fight my way through a sea of bad dicks.

I suggest starting closer to the front then. Is the issue that ego-challenged dudes, somehow offended that you're as fast or faster than them keep coming around you and are then are unable to maintain the pace?

 

[wendybnt]

It's a mixture of that, the mansplaining to the dumb brunette, and the transparent attempts to go on the pull. There's always the creepy ones who don't say anything but hang back and stare at my ass.

Some cool guys too, tho.

 

[tomycs]

I'm not usually bothered to be honest. If I catch-up to people the likelihood of drafting is very small, most likely there's a clear difference between us/our targets for the day. I will draft behind people who attack/overtake me and freewheel at times for my own selfish fun, but it's never more than 1-2 miles that we are likely to ride together, any longer and I'll get into a chat to check if our objectives for the day match.

The harder question is what happens when you are on a fast ride on your own but stumble upon some random club doing a TT on that bit of road (that you also really like) that goes on for about 5-6 miles. Do you let every TTist go past you and soft pedal, do you follow let's say at 1-2m (so not drafting but they won't know that) behind someone that goes at a similar pace to you (the case I'm describing doesn't have an easy change direction/change route answer)? I genuinely don't think I should alter my speed or objectives to suit someone doing a TT that can't get clear of me ...

I like the ass staring subject as I always wondered how long it would be acceptable to draft behind some random woman on sportives on some of the faster groups (on the way back when most routes join). In the end I guess I'm not bothered if women stare at my ass and I think it should work the other way around just as well Anyway it hardly happens, on sportives I've yet to see a woman take a turn in a bigger group so I guess whatever ass-staring happens is reciprocal I also wouldn't draft behind a woman I'd randomly meet while training though that's hypothetical. If I want a group ride I'd ride with my club or friends. When I ride alone I have a purpose that is unlikely to suit others. In this context seeing how unlikely it is to find a partner for the ride while riding solo, finding a woman partner is almost unrealistic.

 

[ray j willings]

Re:

It's a mixture of that, the mansplaining to the dumb brunette, and the transparent attempts to go on the pull. There's always the creepy ones who don't say anything but hang back and stare at my ass.

Some cool guys too, tho.

And what about women staring at a fit blokes ass or for that matter a lady lesbian taking a peek or a gay man or a person with mixed up downstairs business or Boris Johnson ... best to ride alone and wear baggy clothes.

 

[winkybiker]

Re: Re:

It's a mixture of that, the mansplaining to the dumb brunette, and the transparent attempts to go on the pull. There's always the creepy ones who don't say anything but hang back and stare at my ass.

Some cool guys too, tho.

And what about women staring at a fit blokes ass or for that matter a lady lesbian taking a peek or a gay man or a person with mixed up downstairs business or Boris Johnson .....

You've found these things to be a problem? What an idiotic post.