The Lakefront Path

Although one specific incident did spark this post, it is a constant problem that I'd like to stop.

Don't draft me. I'm sorry if you took it as a challenge when I passed you're carbon bike & lycra outfit, but it wasn't. That happened to be a comfortable pace for me today. Maybe tomorrow you'd kill me while training. I'm just riding. My bike has front & rear racks, fenders, & a bag with a book and tools. I ain't racing on it. If you feel the need to draft me, you'll never be strong enough to win races. Either pass or get dropped.

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Permalink Reply by S on September 8, 2009 at 2:29pm
mike w. said:
Understood. Under normal circumstances, i let the leader know i'm back there, and appreciate it when someone on my wheel does the same. When i know someone's back there, i hold my line and try to warn about the bad pavement, glass, etc. Generally, one should not attempt drafting without a proper skillset and experience. When you're sleigh riding you can't be daydreaming. BTW, 2-3 feet is a really big gap if you're looking for any benefits. Serious drafting is at the 6" to 1' range and far too close for comfort in average circumstances.

S said:

Mike, it's more of a safety issue than anything else. If I'm riding with people I trust, I'm fine with them drafting off me. But I'd rather not have strangers riding 2-3 feet behind me when I'm going fast. Getting rear-ended after successfully avoiding an accident is not fun.

Unless the path is absolutely empty (early or late season or really early in the morning), drafting less than 1' away is just too close for me. You don't get as much draft further back but there's too many random things on the path which can happen to make close drafting worthwhile. I leave that for group rides on the road.

Permalink Reply by Bailey Gene Newbrey on September 8, 2009 at 3:21pm
Goodness. This wasn't meant be a hate forum, I was describing the people drafting me the other day. I ain't got a thing against lycra, drafting, or race training rides. I just want people to realize that even if I'm trying to keep a good pace, I'm wearing a pair of courderoys and hauling stuff around for recreation. I ain't a part of your team.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on September 9, 2009 at 7:12am
As i have said above and elsewhere, drafting on a bike path is a really really bad idea. Yes, save it for the road or velodrome.

S said

Unless the path is absolutely empty (early or late season or really early in the morning), drafting less than 1' away is just too close for me. You don't get as much draft further back but there's too many random things on the path which can happen to make close drafting worthwhile. I leave that for group rides on the road.

Permalink Reply by GabeW (not the other Gabe) on September 9, 2009 at 8:40am
Bailey Gene Newbrey said:
Goodness. This wasn't meant be a hate forum

I know, but lately every time I've come back to the chainlink after not being on for a while, I just find it full of flames and bickering and nastiness. Apparently I'm not a cyclist anymore, if feeling like a welcomed member of this forum is any indication. That's why I've dropped from posting just about everyday to just checking out what bs is going on when I'm bored; and if I'm stupid enough I get sucked into some discussion.



And howard, you can sit behind the slow moving traffic all you want, but it's damn rude to take up more space than necessary and block traffic for no reason. I have no problem taking the lane for safety reasons, but not if it means cutting off a car. I'll signal, move over, then move back when it's clear. And I won't ride side by side with someone if it means one of us is sticking out into traffic. Period.

Horns in a car are for calling attention, not aggression. It's the same as "on your left" on a bike. You can cringe all you want, I won't hurt you or anyone else, I promise. In fact, recently I've experience more A$$Hole-ish behavior by bikes towards me than I have cars towards me on my bike. It just feels like this right to the road activism gets out of hand sometimes (flamesuit on). We have a right to bike on the road, but we'll get hurt if we do it stupidly, not to mention fuel the fires of those that don't want us there.

Now back to lfp drafting - Get your T-squares and triangles out everyone, and keep that lead sharp.
Permalink Reply by GabeW (not the other Gabe) on September 14, 2009 at 6:38am
jeez, that's an extreme analogy that if I was black would really piss me off that you're comparing slavery and civil rights to where you want to ride a bike. Plus, once the "front of the bus" fire was fueled, it lead to a boycott that hurt financially. Are you suggesting a bike boycott? who would that hurt besides us?

On the other hand, you know how slow moving vehicles are required to have that triangle symbol on the back of their tractors and mowers and what not..maybe you should start a campaign to get rid of those...the nazi's had pieces of flare they made the jews wear.
h3 said:
GabeW (not the other Gabe) said:
not to mention fuel the fires of those that don't want us there.


Permalink Reply by Michael on September 14, 2009 at 1:34pm
/thread
Permalink Reply by Bailey Gene Newbrey on September 14, 2009 at 8:00pm
Jesus Christ; do we gotta speak of Nazi's? Yahweh; next thing you know religion is gonna be in the discussions.

For Bush's sake can't we just stick to cycling?

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