Drafting question

[SadieKate]

drafting queen

Isn't there a song about you?

[cindysue]

I highly recommend finding a club that practices drafting and pace lines. There is a race team (Valley Spokesmen) here in the Bay Area that holds women only training rides once per month - practicing pulling and drafting, and transitioning through the pace line. They have an USA Cycling expert coach on the ride talking you through it - how far from you should be from their wheel, etc.

it wasn't until I went on this ride that I felt comfortable with drafting. Hope you can find something similar in your area.........

[CeCe]

RakeKay,
Loved reading your story of your first time draftng... reminds me of the days of yore when i was doing things like that for the first time. I think you are wise to ask about the manners relating to drafting... It is considered polite to ask the rider if it is ok if you draft. Just a simple "mind if i draft a bit?", or "may i just sit-in a while?" I've never, ever received no for an answer, but i have been in groups where, non permission asking drafters were dropped rickety-tick.

You were doing it right, if it felt easy in another's draft. Regarding shifting gears.. you may want to investigate a bit about cadence (frequencey of turning pedals, usually. described in rpm (revolutions per minute). Shifting to higher gears, lower gears should be done to maintain cadence relative to conditions.

When you were sitting in, and things got easy for a while, you were tempted to pass... it could have been that all you needed was that little break to rejuvinate your legs and off you go leaving this fella in your dust. However, back to politeness. I would consider that rude. If you are going to sit in and take a break, before you go off passing that rider in a blaze of your own ego, it would be polite to say "good mornign, how are you, thanks for the pull, thanks for the rest, have a great ride."

Sucking wheel then passing is appropriate for races, it is not for fellow riders you encouter out on the road or trail. Of course you can pass, but do so with a nod and a thanks.

Also, if you really are stronger and ready to go.. you might want to offer that they draft you a bit and take a small break.

[SimpleCycle]

I'd absolutely ask before drafting, especially if the other person is riding solo. There's a decent chance they haven't ever had someone draft them before, aren't great at holding their line, don't know to call out road hazards, may swerve wildly when they go to do things like take a drink from their water bottle, etc. Also, they may not even know you are there if you don't speak up. Most of the time I don't wear a helmet mirror and have had people right on my wheel without even knowing it. That used to freak me out a LOT when I was a newbie, because I know when I get tired I can't hold my line at all and I don't want to make them crash.

Corsair is right on with the advice to soft pedal, or to pedal with very light resistance while keeping your same cadence. Here's a great article on riding in a paceline:

http://www.gccycling.org/download/paceline.shtml

[RoadRaven]

You've all pretty much covered the issues of what I understand of drafting etiquette...

One thing I do want to add though, if I draft during training or a fun-ride situation with anyone who is not part of my training partners circle, I ALWAYS thank them... ALWAYS