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Slipstream etiquette?

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  • February 5, 2018 at 3:04 pm #28110
    Kempston

    I’m quite new to cycling so I thought I’d put this out there, as it seemed rather odd to me at the time.

    While out on a solo ride yesterday, on a rather windy day, I suddenly realised there was another cyclist right behind me. I wasn’t sure at first, as I only noticed a shape in the corner of my eye while checking for traffic.

    After a few moments I looked again and was sure there was someone there. I had a left turn coming up, signaled, and sure enough a chap who had been hugging my rear wheel said “Cheers mate” and carried on.

    I’m used to riding tight together on club rides, especially in the wind, but never had a complete stranger steal my slipstream like this, without saying a word. We’d been on the road for probably a couple of miles before I noticed.

    I didn’t mind the slipstreaming (even though I was doing all the work); it just would have been nice if he’d told me he was there. If I needed to swerve suddenly to avoid a pothole, we’d both be in the gutter.

    Anyone else encountered this? What’s the best thing to say to an unannounced visitor on your rear?

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  • February 5, 2018 at 9:59 pm #911779
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    PeakBoy

    Really windy weather will

    Really windy weather will tend to bunch cyclists together. Very tough to break out of a pack in a headwind. I used to commute in Melbourne and windy days did create the largest groups.

    Having someone slipstreaming me has never concerned me, after all it’s about a 5% benefit. If they take the front then great, a 20+% benefit. If it’s properly windy then any help is good as far as I am concerned. 

    Crosswinds….now that is tricky on an open road…..

    February 5, 2018 at 8:33 pm #911777
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    don simon fbpe

    Stay quiet and don’t blame me

    Stay quiet and don’t blame me if the snot rocket hits target.

    February 5, 2018 at 8:23 pm #911775
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    Welsh boy

    Just be pleased that you have

    Just be pleased that you have helped a fellow cyclist who was in need of some shelter, one day that older, slower less fit rider will be you and wouldn’t it be nice to think that you could have a bit of respite on someone elses wheel.

    February 5, 2018 at 7:24 pm #911773
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    Jimmy Ray Will

    Never bothered me in the
    Never bothered me in the slightest. As long as they stay fairly tight, then I’m getting a benefit from them. Wonderful.

    February 5, 2018 at 6:29 pm #911771
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    Crampy

    Swing out to the right (left

    Swing out to the right (left on your quaint English roads) and let them through. 

    February 5, 2018 at 5:10 pm #911769
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    HLaB
    Kempston wrote:
    fenix wrote:
    Say nothing and power away from them…

    I wish I could have, but it was windy and I was knackered!

    If you’ve not got the energy give them an elbow signal to come through.  After a bit you tend to know who is good at it and can trust you just need to do your bit too (pointing out potholes etc) and you’ll both work together good and it’ll be mutially beneficial.  If I don’t trust them I do the powering away thing.  I can’t recall not being able to drop someone untrusty but I guess I would drop my pace first then maybe pull off and stop if I was too knackered 🙂 

    February 5, 2018 at 5:03 pm #911767
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    LastBoyScout

    Annoys the hell out of me,

    Annoys the hell out of me, too, because it’s dangerous – I’ve actually had a complete stranger crash into the back of me because he was too close when I eased off and he didn’t (seems he couldn’t take a hint when I’d tried to drop him 3 times).

    Sportives, friends and club rides,  when you have a pretty good idea of where you/they are going, then fine, but you wouldn’t drive that close to a complete stranger’s car, so why do it on a bike?

    February 5, 2018 at 4:55 pm #911765
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    nniff

    At least he had the courtesy

    At least he had the courtesy to thank you.  If it bothers you, flick your elbow after a while and let him have a go.   

    I tend to announce my presence, usually by declaring myself to be a parasite, and then take my turn in due course.  There’s a certain rudeness involved in catching someone, recovering on their wheel, and then dropping them.  I tend at least to give them a fair chance to sit on if they’re minded to.

    I have a good working relationship with a chap on an electric bike who shares a decent stretch of my commute.  I sit on his wheel into the headwind, and we have a chat and the lights and repeat.  It all stared when this bloke on a mountain bike eased in front of me at the lights an dthen took off like a scalded cat.  The battery sits in a very discreet, largish under the saddle mountain bike style saddle bag

    February 5, 2018 at 4:48 pm #911763
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    Kempston
    fenix wrote:
    Say nothing and power away from them…

    I wish I could have, but it was windy and I was knackered!

    February 5, 2018 at 4:31 pm #911761
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    fenix

    Say nothing and power away

    Say nothing and power away from them…

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