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Strangers sucking wheel
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What's the etiquette when some random dude decides to hop on your wheel without asking and just sits there? On a solo ride or long commute?

I get annoyed and drop them. I feel stupid but it just annoys me, and I'm burning matches for no good reason. I usually enjoy the company if they ask, but sometimes they don't and I don't want them next to me, am I overreacting?
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Doesn't bother me. But, I guess if it did... I'd ask them to take a pull, and share the load.

Most of the time, I get a "thanks for the ride!" when they peel off.
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Post deleted by windschatten [ In reply to ]
Last edited by: windschatten: Jul 27, 18 23:32
Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Haha you need to ride around the bay here in Melbourne Australia. It appears to be a given right and expected. Then what pisses me is at a traffic light they stop several yards back so they don't have to acknowledge you but jump straight back on as soon as it turns green. I don't mind if they do say hi and acknowledge me in some way but it seems rare. Sometimes I speed up and then slow right down and laugh as they keep following.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Depends. Out in the middle of nowhere it bugs me a bit. On the multi-use trail commuting to or from work it is the norm. Sometimes pace lines full of strangers form, but more often due to wide ranges in strength and narrow busy trails it is just one guy giving everyone a tow.

Last week I spent 2 miles sucking the wheel of an ebike going up a false flat. Got me home a couple minutes early. I guess I could have yelled up to him to see if that was fine with him, but I am sort of shy.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Doesn’t really bother me. Sometimes I might speed up and try and drop them depending on my mood.

Matt
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [Pun_Times] [ In reply to ]
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I take the desert tortoise approach in these situations. Start peeing as soon as someone gets close. Works every time lol.

If I'm dehydrated I'll blow a few snot rockets. Gets the point across. If I wanted passengers, I'd have invited them.

In all seriousness, it depends. I live in a rural area so if I cross paths with someone we typically chat for a few minutes and end up riding together until our routes inevitably split. Never have had a bad experience with this. Part of our Midwest charm in WI, I guess :)
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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I don't mind if but if I ever didn't want someone on my wheel, I'd just talk to them.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [Shambolic] [ In reply to ]
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Shambolic wrote:
Haha you need to ride around the bay here in Melbourne Australia. It appears to be a given right and expected. Then what pisses me is at a traffic light they stop several yards back so they don't have to acknowledge you but jump straight back on as soon as it turns green. I don't mind if they do say hi and acknowledge me in some way but it seems rare. Sometimes I speed up and then slow right down and laugh as they keep following.

Was thinking the same thing. On Beach rd you almost have to work hard to NOT ride next to someone
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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It doesn't bother me too much, but if I'm feeling good I always speed up and make them work for it.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [T3_Beer] [ In reply to ]
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I really dont understand why it botherd people so much. On my 17-20 k mcommute sometimes i suck wheel if im tired or other things. Often on the way home i have 3-4 other people behind me pacing them. I think its fun and a sign that you are faster than them.

But i actually really like when im out riding to tey and find someone that goes so much faster than me that i have to work really hard to hang on and see for how long i can hang. Really fun game to add intensity to my rides.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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I find it to be really disrespectful if they hop on and don’t at least say hi. I don’t mind them sucking my wheel (my GF hates it because she think guys have an ego problem when they see a long blonde braid pass them) but I expect them to at least be friendly. If not I can always twist the screws a little deeper for them. :)

friskyDingo wrote:
What's the etiquette when some random dude decides to hop on your wheel without asking and just sits there? On a solo ride or long commute?

I get annoyed and drop them. I feel stupid but it just annoys me, and I'm burning matches for no good reason. I usually enjoy the company if they ask, but sometimes they don't and I don't want them next to me, am I overreacting?
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Some days I don't care, some days I pass and tell them to hop on. If I want to ride alone I sit up and ask if I'm holding them up, moving to the side so they can pass.

I do think its douchey if people hop on then pass later without a hello or thanks.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [damn lucky] [ In reply to ]
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So what is the correct etiquette?

If I ride up behind someone who is going reasonably quickly I might sit on for 2 or 3 minutes and then overtake with a nod and a "morning dude" and give them the chance to take my wheel if they want.

Is this correct?
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [RCCo] [ In reply to ]
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RCCo wrote:
So what is the correct etiquette?

If I ride up behind someone who is going reasonably quickly I might sit on for 2 or 3 minutes and then overtake with a nod and a "morning dude" and give them the chance to take my wheel if they want.

Is this correct?

Correct etiquette:

“Nice ass dude/dudette, mind if I suck your wheel for a bit?”

===============
Proud member of the MSF (Maple Syrup Mafia)
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [lassekk] [ In reply to ]
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If it's on a long commute, that's even sketchier to me, but probably because of where I live. Sure, if there're dozens of commuters going from light to light on a main road, I don't consider that sucking wheel on purpose.

I have no problem pace lining and enjoy the company when I'm in the mood, but when they just sit there not saying anything it feels similar to what I'd feel if they they were tailgating me while I'm driving on an empty road. Except instead of having to go speed limit I end up just getting rid of them by speeding up and holding the watts.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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Really don’t understand why this bugs people so much, did a 5h solo ride this week in 34° and hit a bit if a low spot after about three hours and was passed by two guys riding together. I latched on for maybe 2-3 min and got som energy back, then i sped up and passed them and thanked them.
Sometimes when someone takes my wheel I’ll speed up to f with them a bit, but really idgaf if they are following as long as they don’t go too close.

Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [oscaro] [ In reply to ]
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I would be so shocked to see another cyclist I would probably strike up a conversation and freak them out
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [mvenneta] [ In reply to ]
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Ah, Beach Rd...

Where whenever you roll past an individual or group and they'll jump on the back and not attempt to even take a pull. But they will always sprint into Mordy.

Every.
Sodding.
Time.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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I detest unknown wheelsuckers. If I wanted to play draft-pack I'd be a roadie. I'm not. Even if the draftee is the one bearing the majority of the risk of crashing, I couldn't ride away in good conscience if they turn out to be dumbasses and crash, so their existence back there is a presence on my mind. And it's a distracting presence where I now have to ride to ride as a safe close-in draft horse instead of just riding, and constantly need to check if they're still there. It feels as rude and uncomfortable as someone walking one step behind you when you're walking down the street. If you're going to draft off me, I had better have known your name before you rolled out the door.

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [Toby] [ In reply to ]
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I haven’t seen another biker in years so don’t have this situation
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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A chap joined the road I was on as I past a junction. I was going quite fast and thought he wouldn't get on. Anyway bit further down the road launched a snot rocket over my shoulder and out of the corner of my eye I caught a glimpse of him right on my wheel. Annoyingly the snot missed. Waited till the next flat and dropped him.

I don't like people being around me. If I ever get a wheelsucker I drop them too. Thankfully being big I can put a big burst of power down, if they can keep up they will use pass me to make a point. Either way they get out of my space
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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I was doing intervals on a trail yesterday and passed an electronic assist bike on a downhill, he then decided to sit on my wheel and draft me which really annoyed me as A) I don't believe these moto-bikes should be on bike trails. B) my confidence of bike handling skills with people on e-bikes is not high especially because they have to negotiate the draft while using a motor when they probably have never gone that fast on a bike before. He never said anything to me but I didn't want to slow and stop my interval to let him pass.
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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I always find it a bit strange the folks that get all worked up about this!

If someone does that to me - great, sit on my wheel all you like. At some point I'll turn around and say "Hi. I'm Steve. Nice riding with you. Care to take a pull?"

If I come up on someone - I'll sit in, and then come around and ride side by side if safe, intro myself, and ask them if we can ride together?

Generally speaking most roadie types are all cool with this.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
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Re: Strangers sucking wheel [friskyDingo] [ In reply to ]
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They can sit in as long as they want. It doesn't really affect me. So long as they don't expect me change my behavior because they are suddenly behind me, like point things out such as potholes or gravel, I don't care.






Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
http://tri-banter.blogspot.com/
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