Overtook then got overtaken in style

[JQ]

Doing my normal commute out of Manchester tonight. Lots of stationary traffic that was backing up so I was undertaking slowly and there was a ninja on a very nice bike just siting behind a bus in the stationary traffic. At the time I thought it was a bit odd that he wasn't doing the same as me. Anyway I got past the lights and got up to about 20mph. After about five minutes said bus went past me at around 40mph, with said ninja about 2 foot off his rear bumper slipstreaming. The guy was absolutley flying. I did however catch him up at the next set of lights - tortoise vs hare. Never seen anyone cycle that fast before, quite a sight.

[b2hbm]

It's quite easy to slipstream something as large as a bus - lots of shielding which will pull you along to some extent coupled with slow acceleration by the bus. The snag is that if said bus driver suddenly decides he needs to stop quickly, then you're going to find he's got better brakes than you.

In fact at 2-3foot away you won't even have reached the brake levers before hitting the back panel. A motorbike/scooter/mo-ped is a far better bet, less shielding but at least you can see ahead and can slip past.

[anonymous-user]

probably someone on their way to the velodrome!....

[Accelebrate]

...and I was feeling rather chuffed that I managed a measly 37.9mph down a hill on the way to work this morning.

[coupeboy]

we used to do this when we were kids, there would be 3 or 4 of us stuck to the back bumper of te bus getting sucked along in the draft of the bus. It is of couse highly dangerous and I have a much too strong sense of self preservation to do it now.

[Master Mischief]

I once had to cycle through the centre of South Wigston, Leicester in the middle of rush hour. If you now the area you will understand my reluctance to hang around.

I struck gold when a fire engine came through on a blue run clearing a 25-30 mph gap in the traffic and slip streamed it all of the way.

I was too young to consider the consequences of an emergency stop...

[Parrot of Doom]

Not a good idea when you consider the size and frequency of potholes right now.

[hondafanatic]

Pfft...call the drafting...

I'll have to admit my stupidity when I was an indestructible youngster that going around Lancaster’s oneway system, I used to hold onto buses/lorries that had convenient grab handles.

I know I was lucky to have never been hurt and that I probably unnerved/pissed off every driver...but I picked it up from ‘Back to the Future’.

I was lucky enough to be caught by a Policeman who went totally ballistic at me. He was on a motorbike and was filter between traffic, came up behind me and blipped his blues and twos... scared the life out of me.... at the time i didn’t think there was a problem, but on reflection, that Policeman’s rollocking probably saved my life as i never did again.

That was all rather cathartic

[Parsnip]

My favourite was an obviously nervous learner (with massive air deflecting triangle on his roof ) - went past us at about 25 mph, and accellerated up to 50 so slowly - was on the nice bike and had the race wheels on and thought "why not" finally lost him when it went uphill and the numbers on the powermeter got a bit too huge to hold. Had about 3 minutes at over 40mph on the flat though - made the speed/power graph look a bit odd.

I do not condone this sort of behaviour, it is wreckless, stupid, selfish and dangerous. I only try it on Tuesdays.

[Muzzlehatch]

Parsnip said:

I do not condone this sort of behaviour, it is wreckless, stupid, selfish and dangerous. I only try it on Tuesdays.

Good typo. Unlike this chap, who is wreckful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbT8N42QJik

Edited by Muzzlehatch on Friday 22 January 12:09

[0836whimper]

I do this all the time on my commute, it's great (but not recommended for obvious reasons).

World Record on the flat on a bike is 152mph !! http://www.canosoarus.com/08LSRbicycle/LSR%20Bike0...

[Vron]

Muzzlehatch said:

Parsnip said:

I do not condone this sort of behaviour, it is wreckless, stupid, selfish and dangerous. I only try it on Tuesdays.

Good typo. Unlike this chap, who is wreckful:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbT8N42QJik

Edited by Muzzlehatch on Friday 22 January 12:09

Looks like he got a seroius break to his right arm.

[carreauchompeur]

Ouch. Did the frame disintegrate?

[American iv]

a mate does this on his motorbike out in Egypt - he once was running so low on fuel it was the only way he could get out of the desert!

[pete a]

i went 54mph on my Bianchi coming back down mont Ventoux weeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

[louiebaby]

I've done 53mph down Telegraph Hill on the A380 in Devon, and I think it was about 51.5 down a hill near Biggins Hill.

Being a fat bd helps going down, but is less useful going up...

All this in a 2004 Saracen Tourmalet. Can't wait til I can afford a really decent road bike!