This has been niggling at me since I decided to give this sport a go again. If drafting is legal on the swim, then why is it not legal on the bike? Seems to me that these 2 acts are roughly equivalent in terms of giving an advantage, so what gives? I believe that there are some races and countries that don’t penalize drafting on the bike, why the disparity?
Thanks,
Vince
niggling?
Haha. I needed a good laugh today.
Yeah, I spent a lot of time around my grandparents in my youth 
Vince
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If drafting is legal on the swim, then why is it not legal on the bike? Seems to me that these 2 acts are roughly equivalent in terms of giving an advantage, so what gives?
Hah!
Legal drafting on the swim was clearly a concession to the fish, given as compensation for the fact that the swim is too dang short. It allows and encourages swimmers to bunch up, freaking the non-fishes out and messing with their heads.
I would guess that drafting on the bike, esp. with a lot of triathletes who don’t have any group riding experience, would be more dangerous than drafting in the water.
There’s also the theoretical aspect: many people consider triathlon to be a individual sport, so taking advantage of other competitors diminishes the individual, “athlete vs. the clock” effort. That said, I think it’s just too hard to regulate drafting in the swim when you have waves of people starting at once (not to mention mass starts)
IMO I would get alot more benefit from drafting for 112 miles on the bike, than drafting for 2.4 miles on the swim. I don’t think they are close to being even. Most people cannot draft correctly on the swim from what I have seen.
I would guess that drafting on the bike, esp. with a lot of triathletes who don’t have any group riding experience, would be more dangerous than drafting in the water.
There’s also the theoretical aspect: many people consider triathlon to be a individual sport, so taking advantage of other competitors diminishes the individual, “athlete vs. the clock” effort. That said, I think it’s just too hard to regulate drafting in the swim when you have waves of people starting at once (not to mention mass starts)
Hmmm, I guess that might be a reason, but if drafting were allowed at all venues (because it is allowed at some, but not at all) I think folks would get better at “group riding” don’t you? Further, mass swim starts are frought with peril as well when you consider the consquences of getting bonked in the head by my size 12 feet.
If the sport is supposed to be individual, then why do we punt on that aspect when it comes to the swim? “too hard to regulate” just sounds like a cop-out to me.
Vince
I agree, I can draft off of cyclists much better than me forever, but even in a pool, drafting off of a swimmer only slightly better than me is tough.
**If the sport is supposed to be individual, then why do we punt on that aspect when it comes to the swim? “too hard to regulate” just sounds like a cop-out to me. **
Maybe. . .but really, how *would *you regulate it?
i think it would be damn near impossible to enforce any type of no drafting rule on a swim. even if you forced people to keep a couple body length distance apart from everyone, the wake created by 2k people would still pull most people along faster than rolling solo.
also, i have been in lakes where you can’t see your hand when it’s extended in front of you face, much less see a person 3 feet in front of you–competitors wouldn’t even be able to know whether they were in a draft zone or not.
IMO I would get alot more benefit from drafting for 112 miles on the bike, than drafting for 2.4 miles on the swim. I don’t think they are close to being even. Most people cannot draft correctly on the swim from what I have seen.
To me, that just further illustrates the inequity of the swim as compared to the bike/run in this sport. If the swim were say 20k in the IM then I think your estimate would change a bit and I think folks would all know how to draft in the water. But the total benefit at the given distances at hand is not the question. I just want to know why it is allowed in 1 leg and not in another and/or why drafting on the bike is in fact allowed by some countries and some races but not all.
Vince
It just happens that way. With mass starts you cannot prohibit drafting on the swim. You’d need 1000 kayakers with paddles to bonk people on the head who were drafting.
You CAN draft on the run all you want also. This is a little known and/or practiced benefit. It is proven to be easier to run directly behind someone just as in cycling. Why no one does this is beyond me. Look at professional runners, they all do it, from 800 to marathon.
Cycling is the hardest to do solo of the three IMO. Also, it is a safety issue, since many triathletes have very little experience drafting or riding in a pack.
There is no definite answer to your question. We could say that’s how it’s always been, safety, inability to police, etc…
Maybe. . .but really, how *would *you regulate it?
I guess my solution would be to do away with draft regulation on both the swim and the bike leg. Seems the equitable way to deal with it. That or turn the swims into cable swims.
Vince
Vince, you’re killing me. Anyone that knows you, knows that you’re going to smoke most of us on the swim!!! I’m looking for you in the next race.
jaretj
Vince, you’re killing me. Anyone that knows you, knows that you’re going to smoke most of us on the swim!!! I’m looking for you in the next race.
jaretj
sssshhhhhhhh, don’t tell them anything. <<don’t worry about the big guy, he is not a swimmer with a grudge, he just wants a chance…>> Now, back to why drafting should be legalized on the bike.
Vince
If you allow drafting on the bike it becomes a running race not a tri. Besides im a decent cyclist and i dont want some skinny runner guy drafting off me, only to smoke me on the run. Its an individual sport, drafting is bad! Besides in cycling dont they call the Time Trial the race of truth?
I dont think there is as much benefit in drafting in the swim as compared to the bike. Watch a pro race, in the swim there will be one or two clear leaders and others far behind in a pack, pack cant catch leader, leader keeps increasing gap. On the bike it is more likely that the pack can catch leader or decrease gap if they work together and it is flat course. There are exceptions> not many can catch Walton, but then his legs are fried and those who where drafting have fresh legs. Didnt this happen at Lifetime Fit Tri last year?
Anyone read Simon vs Simon in last Inside Tri? It was debate on drafting, interesting, Simon W should become a politician.
If you allow drafting on the bike it becomes a running race not a tri. Besides im a decent cyclist and i dont want some skinny runner guy drafting off me, only to smoke me on the run. Its an individual sport, drafting is bad! Besides in cycling dont they call the Time Trial the race of truth?
I dont think there is as much benefit in drafting in the swim as compared to the bike. Watch a pro race, in the swim there will be one or two clear leaders and others far behind in a pack, pack cant catch leader, leader keeps increasing gap. On the bike it is more likely that the pack can catch leader or decrease gap if they work together and it is flat course. There are exceptions> not many can catch Walton, but then his legs are fried and those who where drafting have fresh legs. Didnt this happen at Lifetime Fit Tri last year?
Anyone read Simon vs Simon in last Inside Tri? It was debate on drafting, interesting, Simon W should become a politician.
I would posit that it is basically a duathlon now. Folks get to wear floatation and draft. Further, pro races work out the way they do because of the way triathlon is setup. It is setup in such a way as to minimize the effect of one’s swimming prowess. As I said above, if the swim were say 20k at the IM distance (about a 5-6 hour effort), things would workout differently. I feel a lot like you do: I am a decent swimmer and it bugs me that folks that aren’t 1) get to wear floatation 2) get to draft 3) don’t have to compete in my specialty as long as I do in thiers.
If you don’t think there is “much of a difference” drafting in the water, try this little experiment some time. Lead your lane for an entire workout sometime, then swim 2nd or third at the next session. Ask yourself which workout required more effort? Heck you get this even from switching it up during the same workout, just to a lesser degree.
I get the feeling that drafting or not on the bike is more about folks wanting it to be the way it is or always has been and much much less about what is fair or equitable in terms a test of stamina or if you can enforce drafting rules or not on the swim.
Vince
Im for longer swims! thats my best event. And I have had people draft off me, so I know there is an effect, just not as much as biking. Swim courses are always so crowded, its impossible not to draft. Youd have to have 1 min time trial starts to enforce drafting. But look at this way, some of the best triathletes are ex swimmers>Barb Linquist, Craig Walton, Sheila T., Dave Scott and im sure there is more.
Im for longer swims! thats my best event. And I have had people draft off me, so I know there is an effect, just not as much as biking. Swim courses are always so crowded, its impossible not to draft. Youd have to have 1 min time trial starts to enforce drafting. But look at this way, some of the best triathletes are ex swimmers>Barb Linquist, Craig Walton, Sheila T., Dave Scott and im sure there is more.
hmm tt starts, maybe only 10 seconds would be necessary. It is hard to get into the “plume” after even 5 seconds. So start folks like 3 abreast in 10 second waves, let the chip timing guys figure out the deltas. I knew Sheila is a former swimmer, I had no idea about the others though. I guess that does give me some solice.
Vince
edit: hey looky there: I am up to 0.5 posts per day!
I agree with Vince for the swimming aspect. Being a swimmer myself, we expierence drafting everday. But from reading all the drafting rants about swimming and cycling I have a few things to say about the swim.
IMO, drafting in the swim saves just as much energy it does drafting in cycling. The thing is, I think people make judgements on the wrong thing. Take a look at splits from a race of your choice. I’m looking at last years West Point Race. I came out first from the water in about 12:30. The 100th fastest swim (out of 600 people) was 5 minutes back. Now take a look at the cycling. Fastest split - 36 mid. 100th fastest split - about 5 minutes back.
From that, I really don’t people realize how spread out the field can be in the swimming compared to the bike. The fastest cyclist was only able to put 5 min. on the 100th fastest guy in about three times the amount of time the fastest swimmer was. With swimming, people can have swim splits literally 1/4 the time of someone. That is unheard of on the bike.
Now when people start saying there really isn’t a difference drafting in the water, they are most likely trying to draft someone way too fast for themselves. Just because the abilities are so spread out on the swim, the odds of finding the right person to draft off of is slim to none.
So to conclude my essay, 1) if you find the right person to draft in the swim you’ll enjoy a great ride to the bike and 2) the swim is a little more important than some people think.
I also believe there should be NO drafting on the bike just because it is a lot easier to have a free ride there than anywhere else.