Message to wheel suckers

[sparkyb999]

I never seem to attract wheel suckers when out on my road bike, and the people I overtake all seem to be out on jolly's rather than "serious" riders so never attempt to sit on.

The only real experience where I have looked behind to find someone sat there was a roadie that I had overtaken on my MTB, he shouted that he was on a 100 mile ride and the pace I was setting, he was unable to come through to help, But he was a friendly chap so I towed him for 6 miles and I turned off. I didn't mind that.

[okgo]

A favourite of mine when on a long uninterrupted road is to slowly wind it up and keep winding it up till they're breathing hard, wave them through let them do a turn on their limit then fly off. Great fun.

Or let them lead you up a hill, then smash them over the top when they're in severe oxygen debt trying to save face.

[Kermit power]

T1berious said:

On the other hand everyone I pass on the commute I say morning or hi to. Doesn't exactly require much in the way of effort

People would think I was a lunatic if I tried that!

Mind you, it's not unusual to see 30+ other cyclists at a set of traffic lights on my commute, so trying to say hello to them all would be like trying to say hello to all the motorists I see when I'm driving, just because they also happen to be in a car.

[JEA1K]

tobinen said:

Eventually she left me going down a hill and that was that.

Don't give up your day job.

[tobinen]

No chance of that sir!

[JEA1K]

[keith2.2]

A quick consult of "The Rules" will highlight that one is out to ride ones own ride - it's poor form to adjust speed to catch / overtake / keep up with other riders.

ROUTINELY broken.

The only time I take a wheel is if I've *ahem* cruised up behind someone and I'm waiting for a suitable / safe opportunity to overtake. You know, because I'm SUCH a hero and all.. [/sarcasm]

[upsidedownmark]

keith2.2 said:

A quick consult of "The Rules" will highlight that one is out to ride ones own ride - it's poor form to adjust speed to catch / overtake / keep up with other riders.

ROUTINELY broken.

The only time I take a wheel is if I've *ahem* cruised up behind someone and I'm waiting for a suitable / safe opportunity to overtake. You know, because I'm SUCH a hero and all.. [/sarcasm]

Oh well, it "The Rules" say it shouldn't be done..

That's a damn good reason to do it as often as possible, if only to wind up the self important twits who actually take that stuff seriously

[agentnomad]

I missed this afternoon ride but many years ago a vets group was ridding back from the cafe on a week day afternoon, when they came across a woman on a lades bike complete with a basket, as they passed her they shouted and sniggered come on love get on the back, they carried on and as the group changed riders at the front the woman they had just passed came through and did a turn on the front and made it unbearably hard for them, then said see would love to restart training but had to children to pick up from school and turned off, turned out she was a very good rider a few years before.

[agentnomad]

I missed this afternoon ride but many years ago a vets group was ridding back from the cafe on a week day afternoon, when they came across a woman on a lades bike complete with a basket, as they passed her they shouted and sniggered come on love get on the back, they carried on and as the group changed riders at the front the woman they had just passed came through and did a turn on the front and made it unbearably hard for them, then said see would love to restart training but had to children to pick up from school and turned off, turned out she was a very good rider a few years before.

[Get Karter]

agentnomad said:

I missed this afternoon ride but many years ago a vets group was ridding back from the cafe on a week day afternoon, when they came across a woman on a lades bike complete with a basket, as they passed her they shouted and sniggered come on love get on the back, they carried on and as the group changed riders at the front the woman they had just passed came through and did a turn on the front and made it unbearably hard for them, then said see would love to restart training but had to children to pick up from school and turned off, turned out she was a very good rider a few years before.

Real vets (veteran, over 40s club men) are the LEAST likely group of cyclists to behave as your vague story implies.

[Pit Pony]

I try to avoid anyone, when I'm on my push iron. I like to be alone. I doubt anyone would every sit behind me. I'm pretty slow too.

[keith2.2]

upsidedownmark said:

Oh well, it "The Rules" say it shouldn't be done..

That's a damn good reason to do it as often as possible, if only to wind up the self important twits who actually take that stuff seriously

I'm pretty sure they're tongue-in-cheek start to finish, aren't they..?

[TKF]

I have never not realised someone is following. It's simply hearing and spatial awareness.

[upsidedownmark]

keith2.2 said:

I'm pretty sure they're tongue-in-cheek start to finish, aren't they..?

I certainly hope so, but some seem to have missed that

P.S. TKF - ditto..

[croftsj]

I had someone do this to me today, cruised up behind me on a steep but short ramp, as we crested I heard something behind me and there he was.

What then really pissed me off was the fact a: he was wearing a Sky jersey, fk me I thought it's Brad out riding the Tour Of Britain route (I was riding part of it) b: he was wearing earphones & c: the numpty never even said morning'

I trod on the pedals and left him.

[pembo]

Kermit power said:

What annoys me, therefore, is the opposite of the OP's complaint, namely people who put on a spurt to overtake, and then promptly drop back to a more sustainable effort once they've done so. If you want to go faster than me, that's fine, go faster, go past me and then keep going faster! Don't compensate for your lack of confidence in the size of your genitals by overtaking me and then forcing me to either slow down or overtake you in turn so as to not be forced to watch your hairy arse crack trying to escape your desperately threadbare old Lycra (in the case of one particular chap on Monday morning!)

Something similar happened to me a few weeks ago, I was on the way to pick up the little one from nursery with the bike seat on the back, it was a headwind so I was getting hit by the drag when a guy overtakes me just as we get to the bottom of a hill before backing off and getting in my way at the one point where the wind isn't such an issue. By the time we had got to the top taking it slow I decided to ask if it was ok to sit in behind him a bit to help with the drag on the seat, he said it was fine but didn't seem happy about it.

I felt it was only fair after he had blocked me off for the one point where it didn't feel like I was dragging a parachute.

[Rocksteadyeddie]

swerni said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Never let anyone sit on your wheel, nor sit on the wheel of anyone else. Easy.

Ever sit on the wheel of a lorry, moped or van?

I'm not sure that's the same thing. Mostly they are going too slowly in any case.

You seem to be quoting yourself

Lost the plot ?

"Lost"? This implies I ever had it.