Comments on: Wheelsucking and Road Racing

By: Skippy

Skippy — Thu, 31 May 2012 15:54:39 +0000

Covering the distances that i do , i often speed up to catch a single or group but always take position outside and to the rear until i am certain i know their foibles . Too often when i go to the front i am asked to slow as they do not wish to travel at the pace i was using to catch them .
Always delightful to find a lady that is able to run at a high pace and generally they are the ones who will make the effort to practice their english as you speed towards the destination or parting of the ways . Rarely find myself being used as a ” domestique ” but an increase in pace solves that problem .
Not too many buses in the Austrian Countryside but following a Tractor towing a trailor requires checking that all the lights are connected or being ready to pass on the outside in an instant .
Noticed this Giro that the Italian drivers’ attitudes are becoming as bad as northern europeans’ behaviour in respect of cyclists .

By: tejvan

tejvan — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:34:37 +0000

Yes, I’m not sure about wheelsucking a bus brake lights or no brake lights!

By: tejvan

tejvan — Wed, 30 May 2012 07:34:04 +0000

Yes, sometimes you get a nice relatively traffic free run in Oxford, but it doesn’t last long

By: Dave

Dave — Tue, 29 May 2012 13:24:04 +0000

Great article and its one of those aspects of cycling that divides opinions. For starters, I am impressed that you commute and wheelsuck! When I live in London I used to commute from Clapham to Canary Wharf on a daily basis and I was so busy watching every car, van, pedestrian, kerb, parked car etc that the thought of keeping tight on another cyclists wheel terrifies me!

As for wheelsucking on group and Club rides – well yes, I’m guilty as charged. But I think we all do it now and then – there is always going to be the ride when you’ve overcooked it a bit or the legs are feeling heavy and a pull can help you recover and get you home without too much further discomfort.

In fact (and apologies to the late Victor Kiam here) I love wheelsucking so much I launched a website called wheelsuckers.co.uk, a dedicated social network site for road cycling enthusiasts – populated by wheelsuckers, non-wheelsuckers and wheelsuckers in denial.

Aware of the often derogatory usage of the word WHEELSUCKER in cycling parlance, we have attempted, somewhat successfully i think, to argue positively in its defence: ‘a Wheelsucker is someone who rides in the slipstream of the cyclist in front, thereby obtaining the maximum benefit of drafting, whilst expending the minimum of energy’. This we argue, is what members of our website will enjoy by engaging with other members of wheelsuckers.co.uk – metaphorically speaking of course!

On the subject of famous wheelsuckers – only this March, Simon Gerrans of the newly launched Australian GreenEdge pro team, won the Spring Classic, Milan-San Remo in a sprint to the line, just pipping the Swiss powerhouse that is Fabian Cancellara. Gerrans came in for some serious criticism as he wheelsucked Cancellara for the final few kilometres but the general consensus was that he played a clever game – letting Cancellara do all the work, sapping his strength, then striking at the death. Clever.

Oh, and less we forget, in the hands of an expert, wheelsucking can result in 20 stage wins in the Tour de France and the acquisition of the maillot vert, the rainbow jersey of the World Champion, a glamour model girlfriend and the title of BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2011.

So DON’T be ashamed, you are in good company.

By: botogol

botogol — Mon, 28 May 2012 12:05:42 +0000

I commute regularly, and I will often jump on a wheel – - especially if I am overtaken.
I do the same as you Tejvan, and assess the person i am following. It’s usually pretty clear if they are used to group riding, and therefore safe to follow fairly closely (indeed many times the person I am following starts to point out potholes).

I think the ettiquette is same as a club run — after a while be prepared to change places and do the work, and I have no problem with someone similarly following me.

It can be quite hairy though, commuting and riding closely – commuting generally means riding in busy traffic, which means there is always a perpetual risk of having to brake suddenly. So caution is needed.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Mon, 28 May 2012 10:07:11 +0000

I enjoy the occasional wheelsuck on my commute (though I do keep the distance a little bit on the large size for safety and some politeness reasons).

Rule number one – always choose someone who cruises at 1 to 2 mph less than you – you definitely cannot wheelsuck if you cannot make a tour de France winning break near the end of it and hold the lead!

Rule number two – you cannot wheelsuck a shapely female – although far more pleasurable you are likely to be branded a perv and get a slap.

Rule number 3 – wheelsuck a bus – they do have break lights which helps reduce the risk element of not being able to see what is happening up the road and the slip stream they create is like you own little bit of heaven.

Please feel free to ask for any more dangerous tips lacking in etiquette – I am full of them!

By: Bikes.org.uk

Bikes.org.uk — Mon, 28 May 2012 09:22:40 +0000

I suppose it’s a bit like personal space on the tube. If there are just two of you in a carriage, it’s a bit weird if you sit next to the other person. Likewise if there were just two bikes on the road.

I wouldn’t have minded if you’d have followed me but if you’d have done it too closely then I’d have slowed down and hoped you’d have passed.