Riding wind shadow - bad habit?

it wasn' that buisy, empty buslane really, but yeah i see the point, so i better be faster next time ;)

It's not just how busy it is, he does not know you, he does not know your skill level, he does not know how you will react to signals e.t.c.

silly thread, with a hint of macho masturbation.

If this guy really was a messenger on his way to work he had a long, grey & damp day ahead and some guy on a unipack drafting (which as dovoneil points out is about 6 inches) was both frustratingly dangerous and a poor assessment of the situation.
*

^oliver Germanismism ha!

Throw in a 180 skid then ride backwards facing them

If the LFGSS CC thing kicks off, 360 degree skids will be the way we do changes in the track team sprint.

That makes a lot of sense TheBrick(Tommy)

Nah, wall riding the stands is the only real way to change in the team sprint

If the LFGSS CC thing kicks off, 360 degree skids will be the way we do changes in the track team sprint.

How the fuck would that work? unless you rode up the banking and then did the 360 skid as you came down the banking and rode onto the back of the group?

I draft people up holloway road all the time. But I make sure that I take my turn on the front. Its a two way thing.

That is unless someone overtakes me (and to be fair not many people do up there), then I draft them all the way to Archway roadabout, see with hill they go up and blast past them leaving them humiliated and crying in shame that even with all there gears they couldnt keep up (or they were just knackered after dragging some other bugger up holloway road).

How the fuck would that work? unless you rode up the banking and then did the 360 skid as you came down the banking and rode onto the back of the group?

Don't trouble me with details, just fucking do it.

cycling forums has loads of threads on the subject of drafting on the road, have a look there Reeen

re op: bad habit. next question.

Vauxhall Bridge lights is like Brands Hatch in the morning, so, you pick the dude that will definitely race, give it squirt when the lights change (to show you mean business) and then tuck in behind and let him tow as far as you can along the Chelsea Embankment to Lots Rd.*

*Of course I don't do this, but my mate does.

^^good read, thaaanx

You need to be within 6 inches of someones back tyre to draft properly. Unless of course they're Shaq and you're a midget troll.

It's a bit silly to do this to a stranger on a busy road. Drafting a bus is much cooler.

Unless they are very aero, i notice some benefit being within a couple of metres, and wouldn't sit closer than a metre to a stranger. I'm usually happy for people to draft me at their own risk, and sometimes even sit up a bit to make more wind shadow if i am full of beans and feeling generous.

plus im tiny and i can draft pretty much anyone with ease :)

guess that falls under the midget troll category

It's C+ again. Where's that top speed without helmet red light running what lights to use thread?

what is the best gear ratio for wind shadowing?

or black spokes slower?

wind shadowing?

Ain't that a Cat Stevens song?

rolling stones, i think.

Generally unless it is someone I know (which means I know how they ride) I do not want them draughting me.

Fixed and freewheel bikes handle v differently so it makes it more risky mixing the two when draughting. Twice I have been hit by people trying ineptly to draught me.

There have been a couple of times when I have ben chatting to another cyclist and one or the other of us has said "feel free to tuck in behind my wheel". Generally its pretty pointless on urban rides. Though as I am starting to train for la Marmotte I am discovering how important it is on the open road, and the different kind of observation required to do it well.

RPM's RP training rides have been another good place to practice draughting on a fixed wheel bike.

I've always figured the greater danger is to the guy drafting than the guy towing so I only do it on roads I know well when there is no other traffic about. Don't mind people shadowing me either so long as they take their turn on the front.

I like to lean forward a bit, and drop a couple of air-biscuits when someone gets too close.