Random Wheelsuckers

[karlboss]

If I'm holding an effort, ignore them. If I'm not, look around say hi, tell them what I'm doing today and ask what they are. Then decide to swap turns ride on front, or drop them. If nothing else it gives you a chance to see how Freddish they are.
For me the annoying ones are when I'm trying to hold an effort, you pass someone, they sit on and then pass you trying to help out. What do people do in this situation. Remembering you are trying to hold constant Watts. Dropping back is pointless, as doubtless this guy is riding slower than you. Accelerating is pointless as riding away will push you over the limit you were riding at. I've again resorted to talking, "I'm trying to do this...sit on, or ride away please" any better answers.

 

[42x16ss]

btw anyone experience random wheelsucks on a mountain bike ever? I dont think I ever have

As much as I love giving MTB'ers cheek I've always noticed that they tend to be a lot less snobby/elitist/rude than roadies...

In my experience the majority of MTB'ers take a second or two to say hi and either move on or come up next to you and have a yarn when they catch you on the trails.

Part time triathletes OTOH seem to be the worst offenders. With the Mooloolaba tri on this weekend there's been a few crazy things happening around here lately.

 

[42x16ss]

I really hate them. some guys got on my wheel today as I was full tilt to get back on time. I looked at the garmin and it was at 29 which is a healthy clip and not indicative of my fat a$$ but whatever,...you can feel tools behind you I swear man. I dont know how or why I just can. well I had enough of dude shifting side to side so I slowed right and low and behold he passed right and we clipped shoes and elbows. pysst me off like nothing before it. he actually thought I was like spent or he got the better of me. my buddy who was pushing his own air for his own reasons behind saw it all and had to remind me not to drop fbomps and get in his face at the light in full kit

my earlier posts were way too objective. these guys suck it hard

It's funny isn't it! Off the bike you sit down and think "why do I get so worked up?" but out on the road it's a totally different story

 

[ustabe]

It's funny isn't it! Off the bike you sit down and think "why do I get so worked up?" but out on the road it's a totally different story

I used to get worked up like that, but I've mellowed. I even manage not to get worked up at motorists' stupidity or rudeness these days. It's mutter an obscenity, flash a passing dirty look, and continue going about my business.

Generally, if I'm alone I'll ride with anyone who wants to keep pace with me. If I sense someone on my wheel, I'll slow down after a while, exchange pleasantries, and see if he wants to pull through. Pull through, great. Attack me on the next hill or drop off, well, have a nice day. Like road rage in a car, anger gets diffused once you've taken the time to identify each other as fellow humans.

But tagging behind serious training groups is rude and hazardous.

 

[BroDeal]

As much as I love giving MTB'ers cheek I've always noticed that they tend to be a lot less snobby/elitist/rude than roadies...

In my experience the majority of MTB'ers take a second or two to say hi and either move on or come up next to you and have a yarn when they catch you on the trails.

All the weed mellows a dude out.

More weed for roadies.

 

[DirtyWorks]

If I'm holding an effort, ignore them. If I'm not, look around say hi, tell them what I'm doing today and ask what they are. Then decide to swap turns ride on front, or drop them. If nothing else it gives you a chance to see how Freddish they are.

Not enough people talk to the wild card on their wheel. Works for me most of the time.

For me the annoying ones are when I'm trying to hold an effort, you pass someone, they sit on and then pass you trying to help out. What do people do in this situation.

I would back off wait a few minutes and do it again. I intentionally do this kind of training on a steady hill to minimize the "helpers."

 

[Wallace]

Every once in a while I'll be coming back into town and someone will latch onto my wheel and say something like "I'm wiped out--mind if I tag a ride?" I don't mind towing someone if they actually, you know, interact with me. Glad to help, really. It's the guys who think they're in some kind of a race, hang on your wheel, attack on a hill, won't make eye contact, get in front of you, stall out so you have to go around them, etc, who turn a pleasant ride into an aggravating experience. I'm older and don't race, so I just keep a good steady pace--there's something nice about being an old, non-competitive rouleur (at least that's how I pretentiously think of my riding style now), but the jerks who jack-rabbit all around you screw up your pace so I either have to push myself to get out of my comfort zone to drop them, or else just slow down to let them have their little triumph--which almost never lasts, because I invariably roll right back up to them when the hill gets steep--are they this way off the bike?

 

[pralc50]

EBS (Elite Bike snob) is a psychological disorder that seems to affect a lot of cyclists. It often goes undiagnosed, but symptoms are complaining about wheel suckers, wearing team kits and Tri-athletes. I go trolling the popular bike loops and bike paths searching for them. I can smell them coming a mile away. I’ll wear my baggie cargo shorts and T shirt wearing Tennis shoes on my 78 Steel Trek or Fixie.I am the worst Fred nightmare. I‘ll let them pass and gain some distance, but then I close the gap and suck their wheels until their chain goes dry. So how do you EBS’s avoid random wheelsuckers? 1) avoid pike paths and Popular cycling loops! Hit the road and discover other places and new routes. This is where the real riders are. 2) My favorite - When you pass someone slightly slower than you…..offer them you wheel by pulling in front, slowing slightly and giving them a chance to grab on. Wait for them at the top of hills and pull them some more. You might actually make some friends. You’ll get more free beer than Tomkke in Belgium. Works great for picking up the ladies. The downside is your friends will want you to lead cycling trips to Italy, France, California, route 66 and all other cycling meccas. You’ll end up fanning the flames of cycling passion. If you don’t like 1 or 2, then I suggest 3) Buy a ticket to Spain and get a customized training program from a Gynecologist. Then all the bikepathaletes will wonder how a donkey got so fast. Be careful though you might end up with a positive “Papp smear” if your supplier gets busted by the Fed’s. 4) I’ll will never suck your wheel if you are wearing old Bibs with see through material or holes. Shorts that ride to low showing the cracks in your riding style with a shirt that rides halfway up your back……Unless you’re a nice lady, then I’ll suck you wheels until your chain goes dry and then I’ll re-oil it for you.

 

[Boeing]

what was the first part of that run on? was there something in there about trolling or something? hmmmm

 

[Stingray34]

I love it when roadies on $10K+ oltre carbon exotica latch onto the backwheel of my 50lb 1970s paperboy bike. I find the nearest 20% climb and drop them like a stone and...

Oh, sorry...I seemed to be channeling durianrider there for a moment. Phew, that was scary being inside the head of that man, but I did get to see his gf naked, though.

 

[hiero2]

That is my main fear, as most people who do this can be a bit, lets say, Freddish. Doesn't it bug anyone else?

Yeah - it used to bug me a little when I could ride fast enough for anybody to want to draft me. If they want to draft, they should know enough to pull through every once in a while. On the other hand, I can understand the desire to draft also. But you have suggestions for ways to manage it.

 

[BroDeal]

EBS (Elite Bike snob) is a psychological disorder that seems to affect a lot of cyclists. It often goes undiagnosed, but symptoms are complaining about wheel suckers, wearing team kits and Tri-athletes. I go trolling the popular bike loops and bike paths searching for them. I can smell them coming a mile away. I’ll wear my baggie cargo shorts and T shirt wearing Tennis shoes on my 78 Steel Trek or Fixie.I am the worst Fred nightmare. I‘ll let them pass and gain some distance, but then I close the gap and suck their wheels until their chain goes dry. So how do you EBS’s avoid random wheelsuckers? 1) avoid pike paths and Popular cycling loops! Hit the road and discover other places and new routes. This is where the real riders are. 2) My favorite - When you pass someone slightly slower than you…..offer them you wheel by pulling in front, slowing slightly and giving them a chance to grab on. Wait for them at the top of hills and pull them some more. You might actually make some friends. You’ll get more free beer than Tomkke in Belgium. Works great for picking up the ladies. The downside is your friends will want you to lead cycling trips to Italy, France, California, route 66 and all other cycling meccas. You’ll end up fanning the flames of cycling passion. If you don’t like 1 or 2, then I suggest 3) Buy a ticket to Spain and get a customized training program from a Gynecologist. Then all the bikepathaletes will wonder how a donkey got so fast. Be careful though you might end up with a positive “Papp smear” if your supplier gets busted by the Fed’s. 4) I’ll will never suck your wheel if you are wearing old Bibs with see through material or holes. Shorts that ride to low showing the cracks in your riding style with a shirt that rides halfway up your back……Unless you’re a nice lady, then I’ll suck you wheels until your chain goes dry and then I’ll re-oil it for you.

Wow. Almost an entire year to come up with that incomprehensible rant. I'll give you a pass since it seems that you bonked your head a few too many times without a helmet.

 

[42x16ss]

EBS (Elite Bike snob) is a psychological disorder that seems to affect a lot of cyclists. It often goes undiagnosed, but symptoms are complaining about wheel suckers, wearing team kits and Tri-athletes. I go trolling the popular bike loops and bike paths searching for them. I can smell them coming a mile away. I’ll wear my baggie cargo shorts and T shirt wearing Tennis shoes on my 78 Steel Trek or Fixie.I am the worst Fred nightmare. I‘ll let them pass and gain some distance, but then I close the gap and suck their wheels until their chain goes dry. So how do you EBS’s avoid random wheelsuckers? 1) avoid pike paths and Popular cycling loops! Hit the road and discover other places and new routes. This is where the real riders are. 2) My favorite - When you pass someone slightly slower than you…..offer them you wheel by pulling in front, slowing slightly and giving them a chance to grab on. Wait for them at the top of hills and pull them some more. You might actually make some friends. You’ll get more free beer than Tomkke in Belgium. Works great for picking up the ladies. The downside is your friends will want you to lead cycling trips to Italy, France, California, route 66 and all other cycling meccas. You’ll end up fanning the flames of cycling passion. If you don’t like 1 or 2, then I suggest 3) Buy a ticket to Spain and get a customized training program from a Gynecologist. Then all the bikepathaletes will wonder how a donkey got so fast. Be careful though you might end up with a positive “Papp smear” if your supplier gets busted by the Fed’s. 4) I’ll will never suck your wheel if you are wearing old Bibs with see through material or holes. Shorts that ride to low showing the cracks in your riding style with a shirt that rides halfway up your back……Unless you’re a nice lady, then I’ll suck you wheels until your chain goes dry and then I’ll re-oil it for you.

Well aren't you awesome

If I do a recovery ride before work, I make it in close to the city because

1: If something goes wrong (puncture, mechanical etc) I have plenty of time to get to work.

2: When I'm taking it easy for 1 - 1.5 hours I'm not going to get far out of town because I live in the city.

So that usually means a variation of a popular loop that goes through the suburbs. It also means Fred's who latch on to any wheel that's slightly faster and sit on it as long as they can.

If they pull up next to me and say hi, let me know they are there, fine. However, if they are trying to hold on thinking I want to race them, to avoid working or to bring up their average speed, that's a little different. Especially if they are at their limit and getting a little sloppy.

 

[k_gibbo]

EBS (Elite Bike snob) is a psychological disorder that seems to affect a lot of cyclists. It often goes undiagnosed, but symptoms are complaining about wheel suckers, wearing team kits and Tri-athletes. I go trolling the popular bike loops and bike paths searching for them. I can smell them coming a mile away. I’ll wear my baggie cargo shorts and T shirt wearing Tennis shoes on my 78 Steel Trek or Fixie.I am the worst Fred nightmare. I‘ll let them pass and gain some distance, but then I close the gap and suck their wheels until their chain goes dry. So how do you EBS’s avoid random wheelsuckers? 1) avoid pike paths and Popular cycling loops! Hit the road and discover other places and new routes. This is where the real riders are. 2) My favorite - When you pass someone slightly slower than you…..offer them you wheel by pulling in front, slowing slightly and giving them a chance to grab on. Wait for them at the top of hills and pull them some more. You might actually make some friends. You’ll get more free beer than Tomkke in Belgium. Works great for picking up the ladies. The downside is your friends will want you to lead cycling trips to Italy, France, California, route 66 and all other cycling meccas. You’ll end up fanning the flames of cycling passion. If you don’t like 1 or 2, then I suggest 3) Buy a ticket to Spain and get a customized training program from a Gynecologist. Then all the bikepathaletes will wonder how a donkey got so fast. Be careful though you might end up with a positive “Papp smear” if your supplier gets busted by the Fed’s. 4) I’ll will never suck your wheel if you are wearing old Bibs with see through material or holes. Shorts that ride to low showing the cracks in your riding style with a shirt that rides halfway up your back……Unless you’re a nice lady, then I’ll suck you wheels until your chain goes dry and then I’ll re-oil it for you.

That is actually pretty funny! If someone wants to suck my wheel they are more than welcome. I consider it a compliment if all they can manage is to just hang on. I have been guilty of this crime when I am not able to take a pull on the front, but I would not wheel suck then hammer them on a hill..... unless its a race....

 

[Cycle Chic]

Well you wont be laughing when that wheelsucker takes you down...i,m fed up of Sunday cyclists latchin on without a clue what they are doing.

 

[k_gibbo]

Well you wont be laughing when that wheelsucker takes you down...i,m fed up of Sunday cyclists latchin on without a clue what they are doing.

If they are that crap it should be no problem to just ride away, and leave them in your dust.

 

[Michielveedeebee]

That is actually pretty funny! If someone wants to suck my wheel they are more than welcome. I consider it a compliment if all they can manage is to just hang on. I have been guilty of this crime when I am not able to take a pull on the front, but I would not wheel suck then hammer them on a hill..... unless its a race....

What I absolutely love are wheelsuckers that try to hammer it on the hill only to realise I'm next to them and about to drop them big time

 

[Cycle Chic]

If they are that crap it should be no problem to just ride away, and leave them in your dust.

Well of course - but when they are riding on their limit it takes some time to shake them - and in that time they can knock you off the bike.

 

[Master50]

Well of course - but when they are riding on their limit it takes some time to shake them - and in that time they can knock you off the bike.

If you keep them behind you. How can they knock you down. The guy at the back always crashes

 

[Sidbike]

Depends on the workout. I don't mind when riding alone or doing tempo but twice/week I and 4 other guys do drills with a trainer....motor pacing...pace lines...escape and catch kind of things and it not only screws up our workout but if a stranger doesn't know what's coming when our trainer blows his whistle it could be dangerous.

One evening I went to the back of the line to find a triathelete in full tuck at the back of our group. I explained we were doing a drill and would he please detach from the group. All he did was back off a touch and let me in. Same thing happened when the next guy dropped back. When our trainer blew the whistle to end the drill we all sat up except the triathlete who smacked into my friend at about 29mph. When the tri guy stopped rolling all his shoulder bones were poking out where your pecs should be and my buddy's rear wheel and chain stay were cracked apart.

To directly answer your question, we typically explain to people that we are a group paying a trainer and would they please back off and exept for the above example people are usually very courteous. In fact, there may have been a language barrier with the triathlete...although if you see 4 guys in the same uniform motorpacing behind a scooter it should be self explanatory.

 

[ustabe]

To directly answer your question, we typically explain to people that we are a group paying a trainer and would they please back off and exept for the above example people are usually very courteous. In fact, there may have been a language barrier with the triathlete...although if you see 4 guys in the same uniform motorpacing behind a scooter it should be self explanatory.

I would no sooner jump in behind a training group in full hammer than dive into a lane of swimmers doing an interval session. It doesn't matter that you might be strong enough to keep up. These people are busy and that should be respectd. This should be clear to anybody.

 

[42x16ss]

I would no sooner jump in behind a training group in full hammer than dive into a lane of swimmers doing an interval session. It doesn't matter that you might be strong enough to keep up. These people are busy and that should be respectd. This should be clear to anybody.

I've had similar happen before. A few weeks ago I was taking one of my LBS Saturday morning rides, mostly newer riders there to learn bunch riding and handling. We were doing a basic paceline drill at about 35kmh when some random decides to jump in thinking he had a nice bunch to suck off. He was so oblivious to what was going on he had no idea what to do when he got to the front

Everyone stayed upright, but man, was it disruptive.

 

[Boeing]

I've had similar happen before. A few weeks ago I was taking one of my LBS Saturday morning rides, mostly newer riders there to learn bunch riding and handling. We were doing a basic paceline drill at about 35kmh when some random decides to jump in thinking he had a nice bunch to suck off. He was so oblivious to what was going on he had no idea what to do when he got to the front

Everyone stayed upright, but man, was it disruptive.

What exactly are do you do up front man, i gotta know.

 

[fatsprintking]

The racer in me expects that people that I pass should try and hold on to my wheel. It does not stress me at all and if they are a bit all over the place I just tell them where to sit and encourage them to ride smoothly. Its a good way to teach people.

Most of my riding is in the country and alone. I have to ride down Melbourne's Beach road every now and then and find the supposed "ettiqutte" re riding now to be a total PITA. With so many people riding that road, there are going to be plenty of times where you are going to have to ride with people that you dont know. I have had times where I have doubled back on a roundabout to get home and have come out behind a small group that is riding at a similar pace to me. What do you do? Ride past and sit 20 meters in front (people hate that too), slow down and let them get a couple of hundred meters only to have another group pass you now at the pace you were going, or just sit in with the group for a while?

I have had people give me a mouthfull for no real reason and there is always the assumption that the mouthfull giver knows "the rules" and you are some sort of idiot. I have to admit that the rules perhaps have changed. When I started cycling you spent years earning the right to ride "scratch" at club handicaps or opens, but it seems now that for many riders you "earn" the right to be one of the cool kids who can ride in a certain bunch. It is often framed around safety, but my experience has been that what allows you to ride with certain people is more to do with their look, and their believe that they are pretty hot s--t and they just dont want some bloke in daggy old knicks to be seen with them.

For the original poster, I would say that if you really dont want someone to follow you, just turn around and say "No offence mate but would you mind if I rode on my own?" That has worked for me when doing intervals and the like. The other option is to just take a few deep ones and concentrate on the road ahead. Lifes to short for looking back in anger.

 

[fatsprintking]

The racer in me expects that people that I pass should try and hold on to my wheel. It does not stress me at all and if they are a bit all over the place I just tell them where to sit and encourage them to ride smoothly. Its a good way to teach people.

Most of my riding is in the country and alone. I have to ride down Melbourne's Beach road every now and then and find the supposed "ettiqutte" re riding now to be a total PITA. With so many people riding that road, there are going to be plenty of times where you are going to have to ride with people that you dont know. I have had times where I have doubled back on a roundabout to get home and have come out behind a small group that is riding at a similar pace to me. What do you do? Ride past and sit 20 meters in front (people hate that too), slow down and let them get a couple of hundred meters only to have another group pass you now at the pace you were going, or just sit in with the group for a while?

I have had people give me a mouthfull for no real reason and there is always the assumption that the mouthfull giver knows "the rules" and you are some sort of idiot. I have to admit that the rules perhaps have changed. When I started cycling you spent years earning the right to ride "scratch" at club handicaps or opens, but it seems now that for many riders you "earn" the right to be one of the cool kids who can ride in a certain bunch. It is often framed around safety, but my experience has been that what allows you to ride with certain people is more to do with their look, and their belief that they are pretty hot s--t and they just dont want some bloke in daggy old knicks to be seen with them.

For the original poster, I would say that if you really dont want someone to follow you, just turn around and say "No offence mate but would you mind if I rode on my own?" That has worked for me when doing intervals and the like. The other option is to just take a few deep ones and concentrate on the road ahead. Lifes to short for looking back in anger.