Drafting

[ootini]

What is it ? Lots of ITT rules state you must complete the route under your own power - no drafting. That's all well and good, but I don't understand the term.

[ScotRoutes]

Tucking in behind another rider and therefore benefitting from being in their slipstream. Saves quite a lot of energy. You see it on the road a lot - riders take turns at the front but all benefit in turn

[Richard G]

About 30% supposedly. I've only done a couple of group road rides, but I did find the difference astonishing when tucked up behind someone.

Not that I was comfortable being so close to someone's rear wheel. I guess that comes with practice.

[ootini]

Ah ok. I've always heard that referred to as slip streaming.

[Dan_K]

I did a road race once and found myself in a bunch of about 40 riders. The drafting in a group that big is insane. It was effortless (until I lost my spot, got dropped and lapped!)
One of the benefits of living in south London is that I get to draft a lot of buses...

[Taylor]

It's a massive help on a velodrome, when it's your turn on the front its significantly harder until you peel off and join the back again.
I've benefited on a mountain bike on the road before too.

[Nevis]

Yes it's quite incredible what a difference it makes in a large bunch. Used to ride at Ilton airfield on race train evenings and if you got dropped from the bunch it was game over. The bunch is so much faster it practically impossible to get back on again. Great feeling riding in a big bunch at speed with the loud hum of gears etc.
Nearly as good as being caked in mud whilst hike a biking, but not quite

[Bearbonesnorm]

One morning we had a train running from Aberdyfi back into Mach', amazing just how quickly we could move. I do recall being at the front quite a while though

[Richard G]

Ah ok. I've always heard that referred to as slip streaming.

That would be the British term for it. Lots of references to that in motor racing.

[whitestone]

Riding in a road group is a definite skill, when our club started we'd be a wheel length or perhaps more apart and also you could have fitted another bike and rider between two riders riding "side by side", as we got to know each other's riding style the gaps reduced until there'd be only a few cm between riders to the side, back and front. You do have to trust in your fellow riders, being smooth and doing everything gently and lightly, especially braking, is the way to go.

Oh, and "wheel sucker" is the usual term for someone who doesn't take their turn on the front unless they've indicated that they are struggling to keep contact.

[Dan_K]

There are very few people that I'm happy drafting that ^^^ close to.
Our club run is so large now that I stopped going because there were silly accidents occurring when people only rode once a week and go straight into a group ride.
I'd much sooner ride with just a couple of mates.

[whitestone]

I know what you mean - I haven't been on a group ride with the club for about 18 months now for various reasons so certainly wouldn't jump straight back into the A ride.

There's a big (and I mean big) chaingang locally where egos and fists regularly meet Definitely not for me.

[Justchris]

There's a big (and I mean big) chaingang locally where egos and fists regularly meet Definitely not for me.

Same here. And it's a fashion parade. General rule is no more than two colours other than black. That includes the bike, or you get sneered at. Pink socks, gloves, helmet stripe, bar tape and custom pink decals on the bike. Black everything else is the norm. Definitely not for me.

[ootini]

99% of ny riding is solo, no wonder I've never tried this drafting thing.

[HaYWiRe]

Me and my partner draft occasionally, we mostly ride side by side (or way apart on single track) but when the trails get long and straight, or the roads get windy we fall in a line

Any road club would call her a wheel sucker, but I don't mind being infront as I'm the stronger rider. Can give her a break during headwind and if it means we both keep a steady pace then its all harmless

[jam bo]

If your gonna draft, make sure you have a noisy freehub. Then the person towing you along can hear how much you are freewheeling....

[GregMay]

If your gonna draft, make sure you have a noisy freehub. Then the person towing you along can hear how much you are freewheeling....

If in front when someone does that - I tend to aim for puddles.

[RobMac]

Ah ok. I've always heard that referred to as slip streaming.

That would be the British term for it. Lots of references to that in motor racing.

It's the layman's term for it most cyclist use the word drafting.

[Farawayvisions]

I reckon I'm a wheel sucker, though I did discover the joy of drafting behind a truck once, in Morocco. The driver went at a perfectly even pace to help me up a hill.
Easiest hill climb of my life.