The Chainlink

Etiquette when leading or following

I'm wondering about everyone's point of view about what to do when you ride with someone else. I'm thinking here of strangers, not people I'm training with.

For example, when I'm following someone, I try to keep my front wheel at least three feet behind theirs, and when they look back I try to acknowledge that I know I'm drafting, so they don't think I'm a jerk. I usually say something like, "Just following if that's ok." Sometimes I forget, or I just don't feel like it.

When I find that someone's following me I try to use hand signals more, like indicating when I'm turning off the path or have to slow down for something. I don't know if people who are following me care (or even if they notice). When I follow people I'd love it if they did this too, but it rarely happens.

What about you? What do you do when leading or following? What would you like people who are following you (or in front of you) to do?

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Permalink Reply by Gene Tenner on June 19, 2012 at 9:49am

I am too slow and low to be a drafter or draftee. Yet, I always use exaggerated signals on my maneuvers.

Permalink Reply by Liz on June 19, 2012 at 9:57am


Oh the leapfroggers!! they work so hard to get in front of you only to travel the same speed or worse yet slow down drastically, and then get insulted that you aren't dropping back into the distance.  I generally don't draft strangers, mostly because I don't trust them not to do something stupid.  


Just Will said:

Generally, if someone passed me by and going the same speed as me after that, then yes, I will draft off that person. However, I do keep at least one bike distance between us. It seems like it took so much effort to pass me by he/she is out of energy and just cruise after that.

This morning on the LFP, a woman passed me by and was going the same speed as I was after passing me by, so I just drafted off her. She pulled over on Fullerton and I passed her by. About a mile down, she passed me by again, and again, she wasn't going much faster. I didn't want to play leap the frog, so I just drafted.

She started slowing down to look back, and of course I went closer than 1 bike's distance and she sped up again. Finally she slowed down and told me to not draft off her and that she wasn't comfortable that I was drafting off her, rudely! So I told her either speed up or slow down, but don't just pass me by and cruise at my speed after that, and I think she was mouthing off some expletives that disappeared with the wind.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on June 19, 2012 at 10:30am

One of the nice karmic aspects of drafting is that the drafter is almost always at greater risk than the draftee. (With the exception of the draftees risk of getting rear-ended).

Liz said:


Oh the leapfroggers!! they work so hard to get in front of you only to travel the same speed or worse yet slow down drastically, and then get insulted that you aren't dropping back into the distance.  I generally don't draft strangers, mostly because I don't trust them not to do something stupid.  


Just Will said:

Generally, if someone passed me by and going the same speed as me after that, then yes, I will draft off that person. However, I do keep at least one bike distance between us. It seems like it took so much effort to pass me by he/she is out of energy and just cruise after that.

This morning on the LFP, a woman passed me by and was going the same speed as I was after passing me by, so I just drafted off her. She pulled over on Fullerton and I passed her by. About a mile down, she passed me by again, and again, she wasn't going much faster. I didn't want to play leap the frog, so I just drafted.

She started slowing down to look back, and of course I went closer than 1 bike's distance and she sped up again. Finally she slowed down and told me to not draft off her and that she wasn't comfortable that I was drafting off her, rudely! So I told her either speed up or slow down, but don't just pass me by and cruise at my speed after that, and I think she was mouthing off some expletives that disappeared with the wind.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 19, 2012 at 10:39am

The Chicago Cycling Club has an Intro to training rides ride every once in a while.  The next one is on Monday
Jun 25, 2012 @ 6:30.   I've always meant to attend one of these and learn the right way to do things.   I am planning on making the one this coming Monday.

 

I've found that I don't tend to draft or be drafted much on the LFP.  I don't tend to ride nearly as fast on the path, if there are any peds nearby, as many other riders seem to be comfortable with. When someone is drafting off of me they tend to get annoyed by my constantly slowing down to a safe overtaking speed when I come upon peds on the trail and give up attempting to draft as I slow way down to safely overtake peds and then quickly sprint back up to the speed I was going before.    

 

I enjoy the speed variations, don't like to buzz peds at 18+ MPH, and appreciate the thrill of rapidly accelerating again back up to cruising speed once in the clear again.  It's more work -but a lot of the reason I'm on a road bike is for exercise and fun in the first place.    Otherwise I'd be on my city bike plodding along at 14MPH and almost nobody is going to draft me at that pace.

Permalink Reply by yaj 7.4 on June 21, 2012 at 8:57am

The Monday night CCC rides are a great intro to group riding. Please do join us.
We leave at 6:30 from the Dunkin Donuts at California and Lincoln.

I do group rides a couple of times a week, and I've learned to use voice and hand signals constantly. Now I find myself using them when I'm commuting by myself (warning my invisible pack, I guess) or even worse, riding in a car. I was in the car with my boss last week and when we approached some construction I almost blurted out "gravel, rough road!"

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 21, 2012 at 9:04am

Here is a list of weekly training rides in the city and region (also may be listed under the links section above somewhere) - http://www.chicagobikeracing.com/index.php/rides

Permalink Reply by Brendan Kevenides on June 21, 2012 at 9:06am

I did my first training ride with CCC last Monday.  I really enjoyed it.  They emphasized communication, both verbal and hand, in the paceline.  

You will learn both the enormous benefit of drafting and also the danger if not done properly.  I definitely recommend you check it out.



James BlackHeron said:

The Chicago Cycling Club has an Intro to training rides ride every once in a while.  The next one is on Monday
Jun 25, 2012 @ 6:30.   I've always meant to attend one of these and learn the right way to do things.   I am planning on making the one this coming Monday.

 

I've found that I don't tend to draft or be drafted much on the LFP.  I don't tend to ride nearly as fast on the path, if there are any peds nearby, as many other riders seem to be comfortable with. When someone is drafting off of me they tend to get annoyed by my constantly slowing down to a safe overtaking speed when I come upon peds on the trail and give up attempting to draft as I slow way down to safely overtake peds and then quickly sprint back up to the speed I was going before.    

 

I enjoy the speed variations, don't like to buzz peds at 18+ MPH, and appreciate the thrill of rapidly accelerating again back up to cruising speed once in the clear again.  It's more work -but a lot of the reason I'm on a road bike is for exercise and fun in the first place.    Otherwise I'd be on my city bike plodding along at 14MPH and almost nobody is going to draft me at that pace.

Permalink Reply by Liz on June 21, 2012 at 9:28am

I use hand signals and warning when I'm commuting in if I know there's someone not far behind me.  I figure its nice to get a warning that there's a big pot hole or broken glass in front of you, and I always put my hand down when I'm slowing at a stop.  Mostly because I usually don't weave to get to the front of the light and that behavior seems to confuse anyone following behind me. 

y a j said:

The Monday night CCC rides are a great intro to group riding. Please do join us.
We leave at 6:30 from the Dunkin Donuts at California and Lincoln.

I do group rides a couple of times a week, and I've learned to use voice and hand signals constantly. Now I find myself using them when I'm commuting by myself (warning my invisible pack, I guess) or even worse, riding in a car. I was in the car with my boss last week and when we approached some construction I almost blurted out "gravel, rough road!"

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on June 21, 2012 at 12:24pm

If you are in the lead:

Don't spit.

Don't fart.

A good, hearty burp might be a little foul as well...

 

Permalink Reply by djm on June 21, 2012 at 12:50pm

I dont follow strangers closely nor do I want them drafting me.  When you do this you are placing your trust in their judgement and bike skills.  Remember that you have an obstructed view of the road ahead when youre following someone.

Permalink Reply by Chris B on June 21, 2012 at 1:01pm

I try to signal that I'm stopping if someone is behind me, but if I have to brake suddenly then both hands are on the brakes, and unfortunately our left hand is the front which is the important brake, so it's either signal or stop but not really both, not very well.

Once someone did really crash into me hard from behind because they were so close they did not even see the car crossing in front of me, I didn't even realize someone was behind me still.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on June 21, 2012 at 1:31pm

Drafting and city riding are not always compatible activities.  Out on suburban or country roads it makes great sense.  In  the city whether on the path or a street its not a great thing.  When one person is drafting you now have a cycling train that becomes something everybody else (riders, bladers, drivers, pedestrians, dogs) has to deal with. How often do you get up to a speed in the city where it really matters?  We all size up our fellow riders.  If the other is quicker, I follow. If the other is slower, I lead. When I follow I try to keep up but not too close. When I lead, as others have mentioned, I signal or call out road issues.  On that topic I recently rode in a group with a guy who had Cycleburgers Syndrome and called out every thing he encountered on the road to the point where he had long become white noise.  I have a mirror, I know there is a car behind us...yes, its still there.  Use a little discretion.  I think the LFP is not a great place to draft and ride a a great rate (over 20mph).  Its a multi use path and riders have to be reactive and aware. By drafting you are pretty much indicating that you are going on your line regardless of the rest of the world.  There is too much traffic in most locations for that. The path is faster than city streets because there are less stops but its not an autobahn.

 

None of the above is meant for the situation where one rider has a fork proturding from their shoulder blade and the lead rider is helping that rider who is tired, drunk, feeling ill or overmatched by one thing or the other,get home.  We usually know that rider. "Hey, buddy, stay in my pocket and I will get you home." The lead rider is most likely riding slower than normal in that situation.

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