Why, what difference does it make if you sit back 2 meters or 20 meters?
Commuting Etiquette
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Why, what difference does it make if you sit back 2 meters or 20 meters?
angrybadger
Likes Dirt
Absolutely fine with people drafting me. But some folk get offended, so I'll only draft people who have spent a bit of time behind me before moving in front.
Drafting off Ebikes is fair game and there are no rules. If I see one, I (try to) hunt it down to harvest some sweet free energy.
Drafting off Ebikes is fair game and there are no rules. If I see one, I (try to) hunt it down to harvest some sweet free energy.
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
Personal space. Same as walking close behind someone ;-)
That's a really odd mentality. Don't get me wrong. I have met plenty of people the same, but when you sit down and talk to them... It usually ends up a veil of self lies to cover up a lack of funds to have a better bike.
If you think a heavier bike makes you fitter. Your thinking about fitness wrong. It's not a barbell. If you are working at 60% of your Max heart rate at 32km/h. You can still do that on a lighter faster bike and get the same workout. Difference is you will be doing 38km/h and get where you going faster. If a shorter workout scares you... Take a longer route to work.
Back on topic, just thank them for the tow, give them a smile and a thumbs up. You shouldn't have a problem. I like it when people tow off me. It tells me I a making progress with my avg speeds and I use it as a challenge to see if I have the legs to drop them.
hifiandmtb
Sphincter beanie
Dramatic? Never said it was dramatic, I just find it disconcerting for someone to follow at a bike's length for a period of time without saying hello.
Yeah, I kinda agree - 2m behind is fine.. is being 20 metres behind even drafting anymore? I was more concerned about someone being 2cm behind!
scblack
Leucocholic
A drafting zone is 7m or 12m according to triathlon rules.
20m is way out of drafting distance - if you are concentrating on your riding would you even notice someone was there 20m away?
Right, I get you now and agree.
Wow, is there still a benefit at a distance of 7-12m?
Don't get me wrong, I definitely respect a person's decision not to have a draftee. It used to annoy me as well when I first started riding as it just felt like some one was freeloading off me and/or simply uncomfortable that I had some one I didn't know following me. But after I thought about it honestly and did it a few times myself I felt that I was just concerning myself needlessly. Each to their own, though.
Whoever said it's commuting, take no prisoners above is totally right. Drafting is fair game, usually changes in the road/traffic lights disrupt long stints of it anyway. I think it's usually polite to say something at a traffic light, etc (whether you're drafting or not).
Why hasn't the real topic been discussed: drafting trucks and buses. That's where real gains can be made.
Why hasn't the real topic been discussed: drafting trucks and buses. That's where real gains can be made.
scblack
Leucocholic
At 12m I don't see how much benefit you would get at all. And the draft zone is 3m wide too. For a vehicle the rule is 35m and 5m wide.
I wonder whether they have decided this on the basis of wind tunnel type testing - or is it simply a determinable distance so commissaires/judges can adjudicate easily?
I have to admit I did one triathlon in Newcastle in a team in 2012. I immediately thought how a devious competitor could enter mates, or pay training partners, to simply sit on track and join up with him to draft on the cycling section. But rules preclude that.
Calvin27
Eats Squid
I don't mind being drafted and will happily draft anyone anytime (usually big blokes on tt bikes). I care little for people who don't want to be drafted, if they don't like it they should just say so and I will back off or power up.
My only concern is safety. For me and the guy behind me. I am the type to brake hard and late, run through potholes, swerve aggressively and bunny hop obstacles - all of which roadies generally don't do (except maybe swerve). On one occasion, I can remember hearing some profanities when I last minute jumped over am overlapping bit of bitumen about 3cm high - I don't think the guy was happy with his bike plowing through that. And as mentioned before I've had too many brake overruns from draftees.
A huge part of drafting is to give the person up front some confidence you are not going to destroy them. This means your eyes should be on the road, not their back tyre. Your hands should be in a place where the brakes are accessible - preferably on the lever and ready to pull it. And keep the distance sensible. When the front guy turns around and you are too busy getting aero or watching his wheel, it doesn't give much confidence.
Yeah, for me the issue with drafting is having people run into you from behind. I tend to give warning of obstacles, even if im going to bunnyhop them or similar.
What is most annoying on the commute are people who filter to the front at the lights and then dawdle off and average 5-10km/h (or more) slower than you, so you overtake and then at the next lights they repeat the fiasco.
What is most annoying on the commute are people who filter to the front at the lights and then dawdle off and average 5-10km/h (or more) slower than you, so you overtake and then at the next lights they repeat the fiasco.
Pastavore
Eats Squid
WarbyD
Likes Dirt
Must... get... in.... front... !!!!
Yup. Shits me too. Ditto for those who insist on filtering to the front of vehicles queued at traffic lights, and then plonk themselves in front of the first car and delay everyone. This is the sort of crap that fuels anti-cyclist sentiment.. I'm fairly confident that the majority of cars on the road are able to accelerate faster than the majority of cyclists on the road, so WTF makes people think it's fair and reasonable for them to take off ahead of all of the cars?
IMO, get in line. I have no issue with vehicles behind you being held up - you're just a slower moving piece of traffic for them to deal with in that scenario no different from a truck, vintage car, tractor, whatever. None of those jump to the front of the line though and force those who were there before them to wait unnecessarily.
Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD.
John U
MTB Precision
Very dependent on the traffic situation.
Based on your logic you'd just sit in a traffic jam on your bike instead of passing stationary cars on the left, which you are well within your rights to do?
The law.
I am not saying that you should always do it. Also if you're on a road moving at 70 80 clicks and the cars don't have enough room to pass you you should definitely consider finding another route.
WarbyD
Likes Dirt
OK, perhaps my post wasn't clear.. I'm not referring to a traffic jam scenario. I'm referring to a queue of vehicles stopped a set of traffic lights in otherwise relatively free flowing traffic. Think say 8-10 cars, who were all happily pottering along at whatever the speed limit is, safely passing you on your bike pottering along at whatever speed you're doing. Light goes red, cars come to a halt, as do you.. Except instead of stopping, you pass those 8-10 cars, get in front of them and then make them wait while you take off... and they all then pass you again soon enough anyway. What have you gained? Nothing - but you have delayed them, and you have likely shifted their gauge a little more towards the "bloody cyclists, shouldn't be on the road!" side. I see this VERY regularly when commuting to work, and I have yet to come up with an explanation that makes it fair and reasonable for all involved (legal does not necessarily equate to fair and reasonable...)
No disagreement here - Some routes simply are not bike friendly, just as some routes are not truck or caravan friendly.. Such is life!
Edit: To be clear also.. If you filter to the front and sit off to the side (assuming there is a bike lane or otherwise sufficient space for you to do this safely) then I have no issue.. Noone is delayed, and anyone who complains is just a dick who doesn't like the idea that someone got in front of them.. Its the cyclists who take the front AND claim the lane in doing so that bother me.
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Calvin27
Eats Squid
I'm 50/50 about shifting to the front. If I know the road widens and the cars can overtake me easily, or there is more traffic ahead, I'll take the front. If not, then there really is no point risking a car overtake.
The worst is when i see people seated slowly pulling out. You should be standing to make it look like you are trying haha. Then there are people who cannot clip in. All the bloody time!
The worst is when i see people seated slowly pulling out. You should be standing to make it look like you are trying haha. Then there are people who cannot clip in. All the bloody time!
Jay Taylor
Likes Bikes
Rob_74
Likes Dirt
Not necessarily supporting it but
a lot of councils seem to try to encourage this type of behaviour by painting bike boxes at the lights and sequencing the lights. Inner city melbourne there are more and more lights were bikes get a 10 second head start with a green bike light before the cars get a green light. This is in effect just holding the red light for the cars and delaying all the cars 10 seconds.
i believe this is also done in usa and Europe and based upon studies showing it safer for cyclist to be in front and passed by cars rather than mixed up amoungst the traffic.
https://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t...ApGWqFzu5Fwl9zUg&sig2=G4qsTzeKjSjVBnaUSraB3A