[Closed] Brake checked by a roadie

Hobnob, anyone?

Not brake-checking per se, but when following someone on my commute he eventually turned his head around and said angrily "why don't you just overtake me?" - to which I answered that I was just chilling!

I've never thought of it as the bike equivalent of tailgating, but clearly some people do!

Out of curiousity, OP: do you have a loud freewheel (e.g. Hope)?

Yes you lorry drivers are a bit close sometimes.

Were you in your baggies on a 29er?

[img] [/img]
Snot rockets are my weapon of choice for wheel suckers who creep up on you and who won't do their time at the front. 😆

Given that I don't know any roadies who would stoop to such muppetry (and I know a lot of roadies). I would just say "brake checked by a ****."

*insert your own expletive here.

If I'm on my roadie and a mountain biker is drafting me, my first reaction is "Fair Play"

some people are idiots, don't let it spoil your day... Happy Birthday!!

Presumably slammed on his brakes because he knew, or suspected, that he was too slow to just drop you.

I also wonder if some people are just not confident riding in a group, therefore don't like the idea of someone right on their wheel just in case they do something wrong or you do.

[i]Knobs everywhere.[/i]
Is that because you had brake so hard? 😉

Hammerite +1

As somebody who purely rides mountain bikes off road there's a lot of things people who ride on the road do that I find a bit strange, drafting strangers is one of them.

I know if I was riding along and somebody started riding inches from my back wheel I'd want to get rid of the weirdo pretty quickly, I'd probably just pull over though rather than hit the brakes 😆

I got brake checked by a car the other day! on my bloody bike!
Fat moron in a Fiesta over took me before a queue of cars, so I went pretty close, trying not to stop, we pull across the mini roundabout and suddenly he's stopped and all the other cars have gone. What was he trying to prove? jeez, knobs everywhere.

Last Sunday I was overtaken by a couple on road bikes so I tucked in behind them as there was quite a bit of headwind. There was a bit of chat as we went along. As I pulled off to my car I said "Apologies for wheelsucking" and the reply was "Good effort on those tyres" - I'd got my semi-fats on.

OP: Had he indicated for you to come through and do your turn on the front?

I've had people wheelsuck me, not a problem for a short distance, if they say they are just hanging on then they aren't going to be any use on the front. If they just sit there and then blast away then they are ****holes. Riding in a group is a first step above basic road-craft really and if someone asked to tag along then that's fine. It doesn't take long to figure out if they are up to it.

I've been in a small group hoovering up riders so that we had a decent sized group to deal with the long blast that we knew was coming up. Similarly I've searched groups out when I know that there's a long section in to the wind ahead. Did this on the Ripon Revolution sportive a couple of years ago, the last twenty miles were in to the wind, first group that went past were way too quick for me, next group was more my speed but it took three miles to get on to the back of them. A mile or so rest then we took turns on the front, picked up another rider or two and managed to average about 22mph into a strong headwind.

It was in the much hallowed hunting ground of Richmond Park. Given the amount of Castelli he was wearing, the Rapha backpack and a bike sporting eTap and was doing 36km/h+ I would say he was a fairly confident cyclist. It's pretty difficult not to end up in a drafting situation in the Park as there are so many cyclists.

Generally I thank people I draft and take my turn at the front.

Brake checking was just a particularly stupid reaction in my opinion - ie dangerous

And no he had not indicated for me to come through. I was only behind him for about 15s and the sun was in such a position that he could see my shadow. He looked behind and then slammed on the brakes.

I've never thought of it as the bike equivalent of tailgating, but clearly some people do!

+1

Plenty of things don't do any material harm, but are still really annoying.

Would you go and stand 6" behind a stranger on the street?

Would you tailgate someone in a car?

Some* people just don't want strangers invading their personal space.

What's weird is how many people don't pull along side and say hello. By all means bust a gut to catch someone, but at least say hi, where you heading, want to work together for a bit?

*most

@howarthp sounds like a t**t then!

Maybe you need to move somewhere civilised? 😆

Clearly I am a t**t. It's normally takes less than 18 posts to find that out though...

That is a ****ish thing to do, but I dislike having randomers draft me without announcing it/doing any work. You can't trust them, and it's just annoying. I've had two ride into me at traffic lights, presumably as they've not been watching anything other than my back wheel.

If it really bothers me though I'll just speed up and drop them or slow right down.

Few weeks ago on a road section of the strawberry line I had two roadies pass me inches from my bars on a clear stretch of road. if that had been a car pass anywhere near that closely I am sure they would be fuming but it seems they don't feel that they need to give other cyclists space.

Clearly I am a t**t. It's normally takes less than 18 posts to find that out though...

I did mean the other guy 🙄 but if you are admitting to it, then ...

what njee said ....

If you don't like being drafted you have two options. One, drop the sucker. Two, turn round and politely explain you'd rather not be drafted.

Brake checking isn't one of those two options.

the oft used useless fact that most cyclists also drive cars is possibly applicable 😀

Bit rude to tailgate a stranger, but not a great response on his part.

I once was cut off by mate while crossing the road and had to choose between potentially hitting the car or going into the ditch. Went for the latter, followed by the OTB and landed upside down, scraping my face.

It wasn't uncommon for him to forget that he's riding with others, but that was a bit stupid. We should have let the cars pass, but I was a teen and a bit competitive...

I learnt that you got to make others aware that you might be drafting behind them, he just didn't think I was that close to him.

If you don't like being drafted you have two options. One, drop the sucker. Two, turn round and politely explain you'd rather not be drafted.

Presumably there is an option 3 - pull out to the right, slow down, drop in behind.

It's pretty difficult not to end up in a drafting situation in the Park as there are so many cyclists.

That's my experience - naturally end up drafting or being drafted there. There are lots of knobbers though - Katie always has trouble with men who don't like being overtaken by a girl

I quite often draft strangers on a 5min bit of road near my house if I'm tired, exposed road into the prevailing wind, always ask if it's ok though... Sidling up behind someone without asking is kind of freaky though, like the perverts who have a surreptitious grope on the tube!

Just don't draft people you don't know.

Keep your racer wannabe dreams for the club run, when you can pretend your a pro with other people who like fantasy roleplay.
😈

I would argue that if you were close enough to need to brake hard then you were too close. You would say that if it was a car behind you.
As the follower you don't know what's going to happen, eg hard braking and it would be your fault if you then hit him.
As the one being followed, its not good. You don't know if they are going to stop in time if you have to brake hard. At the back you don't see what's on/in the road as well as the person in front and your reaction is delayed. Chuck in the fact that if you are drafting then its very easy to clip the wheel in front unless you know what's going on.
So, if you were close enough to need to emergency brake then you were to close. If it was no emergency then you have nothing to worry about.
Riding as a bunch when its all known about is different.

I've never thought of it as the bike equivalent of tailgating, but clearly some people do!

+1

Roadie was a nob breaking hard without reason thou..

But tbh if your tucked in tight behind someone if they aren't doing the sneaky under arm look and were looking over shoulder he may not have seen you.

Only happened to me a few times, but it does make me jump if I look around and there's someone unexpectedly 6 inches from my back wheel! It would just be common politeness to say hello. The strangest one was commuting home along a woodland bridle way in the pitch black. Suddenly aware of someone behind me - looked round & he had no lights (so understandable why he was trying to use mine!) weird though as he said nothing and I'd had no idea when he joined me or how long he'd been riding along in total darkness!

Having said that I found I latched onto a lot of peoples' wheels during Ride London who were probably unaware, but only for a few minutes at a time & to be fair there are so many riders it's hard not to be on someone's wheel most of the time!

I don't like by drafted by randoms on the road bike unless they ask. There's no excuse for brake checking you but I can understand why he wasn't happy. If I go riding with mates or in a group drafting is part of that and it's cool. When I'm commuting or on my own I don't want to have to think about some numpty behind.

I consider it to be the equivalent of tail gating unless you announce yourself. It's just rude and in plenty of circumstances dangerous.

I also wonder if some people are just not confident riding in a group, therefore don't like the idea of someone right on their wheel just in case they do something wrong or you do.

No issue with people doing it under the right circumstance - racing, chaingangs, club run, after saying "hi, mind if I get a tow" but just sneaking on unannounced can be dangerous. The obvious example being standing up. In a tight bunch you are very careful when you stand up as the bike moves backwards (relatively). I'm less careful/smooth on my own.

On my roadie I don't tend to get it much and If I do I drop them on the first hill if I want to - normally I give them a flick of the elbow and make them do a turn but if I'm training I don't want to draft. On my commuter I don't understand it. Can't go that fast on my single speed and coast down most of the hills. I have turned round and had words on a few occasions but brake checking would likely injure me so bit daft.

How do I become a "roadie" and am
I still one when I'm riding a mtb?

Guy was a tool for braking like that, dangerous for both of you.
But the golden rule is "never jump on anyone's wheel without announcing yourself"

Happy Birthday, don't ket it spoil your day.

Maybe next time you should take a turn at the front, nithingbis goingbto p.ss him off than a guy on any mtb with knobboy tyres leading him out

So, if you were close enough to need to emergency brake then you were to close.

Surely that's the whole point , you have to be really close or you don't get any benefit .

I didn't realise it was considered to be such a crime , I've had people sit on my wheel for miles without me even realising they were there .

Struggle to believe it was deliberate in Richmond Park tbh. Quite usual to draft or get drafted in there.

Surely that's the whole point , you have to be really close or you don't get any benefit .

Few weeks ago on a road section of the strawberry line I had two roadies pass me inches from my bars on a clear stretch of road. if that had been a car pass anywhere near that closely I am sure they would be fuming but it seems they don't feel that they need to give other cyclists space.

Had the same last weekend. A sportive event was on and one rider passed me into an oncoming car on narrow road. He then had to swerve across in front of me and I had to slow down to stop hitting him - for once the person cutting me up could actually hear me swearing at them.
Wouldn't like to come across him if he was driving....

[quote=howarthp ]It was in the much hallowed hunting ground of Richmond Park....was doing 36km/h+

and you were following him at that speed? Both naughty boys then 😉

Personally I'm not at all bothered about other people drafting me (nor about roadies passing me close - I've done enough racing and riding in packs) - I figure that if they touch wheels it's them going down and I should be fine (because that's what generally happens when you touch somebody's back wheel with your front wheel). Though it's not something which happens often and I live out in the sticks rather than in that there London, so not only few traffic lights on the routes I do for them to run into me, but also probably rather less knobbish cyclists.

Hmm, I need to consider my own behaviour then. I "often" sit on someone's wheel on my commute if it's into the wind and I'm a bit knackered. Usually I've caught them at the lights and they look a bit handy/younger than me. If they take off and I can stay with them, make progress and have a bit of a rest I just do it. Feels like it'd be a bit weird to introduce myself........

Don't think it'd bother me the other way round. Not that they'd be getting much of a drat at my average speed.

No issue with it here , will do hand signals too if I know they are there . Similarly will attatch myself to someone if I catch them up over time , say ' Hi just going to sit on for a min' , grab a breather then push on past
Brake checking isnt on though. I mean , Have you seen the price of DI2 rear mechs?

Problem is there are just too many idiots on the road, some of then extremely fit/fast but absolutely no road sense or skill. The state of the club I'm a member of shows this.

Anyone who tucks in behind you isn't guaranteed to know how to do it, other than having seen it on telly. Same for tucking in behind someone motoring along.
At a guess I'd say that in the last 20 years it's dropped from a 50:50 to a 75% chance that at least one of the pair has no idea what's going on. Keeps you on your toes.

Personally I'm not at all bothered about other people drafting me (nor about roadies passing me close - I've done enough racing and riding in packs) - I figure that if they touch wheels it's them going down and I should be fine (because that's what generally happens when you touch somebody's back wheel with your front wheel).

+1

Person behind will normally off far worse.

But if someone is behind you and annoying you just stop pedalling and tell them to come through.

Happy Birthday!

I cycle around Richmond Park a lot so I'm quite used to t*ts, particularly the ones that overtake on the wrong side of the roundabouts as you're waiting your turn but hey ho.

I also don't like people drafting me around there most of the time, I go there to not have to concentrate on things trying to kill me all the time ( like when outside the parks perimeter), not babysit someone who's on my rear wheel. But brake testing is stupid, I normally power off or just slow down until they get bored and overtake.

Had this twice on my road ride today, strangers trying to draft me.

Soon dropped the lazy ****s.

Just don't do it.

Why not the risk is on the person drafting, not the other way around.

[quote=dragon ]Why not the risk is on the person drafting, not the other way around.

Yeah, somebody might brake check you 😈

Why not the risk is on the person drafting, not the other way around.

Stupid response.

Why should I put all the effort in.

Do you have to put more effort in when somebody is drafting you?

Lucky he didn't havbe discs, could have been fatal.

TBH, I'd find it a bit weird to draft a stranger. I mean, i wouldn't deliberately walk behind a strangerdown the street, carefully maintaining a three foot distance behind them, would you?

Roadie didn't like me drafting so slammed on brakes

Drafting literally just off the back wheel of someone without consent is a very bad idea, on a bike or a motor vehicle.

At some point, that stranger in front will need to brake very hard for a turning.

[quote=honourablegeorge ]TBH, I'd find it a bit weird to draft a stranger. I mean, i wouldn't deliberately walk behind a strangerdown the street, carefully maintaining a three foot distance behind them, would you?

Thanks for the thought - next time I'm walking into a 20mph+ headwind I might consider the idea

i wouldn't deliberately walk behind a strangerdown the street

But there is no benifit so why would you? You do it in cycling because it makes noticeable difference.

At some point, that stranger in front will need to brake very hard for a turning.

You both have eyes, if the front person can see the corner, so can the drafter. Drafting well isn't just about blindly following, but involves reading the road, and understanding the environment and reacting correspondingly.

aracer - Member
Do you have to put more effort in when somebody is drafting you?

Nice try.

The specials are coming out on this thread.

Are you saving your logical arguments for later Larry, or do you just plan to keep firing off the insults?

But there is no benifit so why would you?

I presume you're on benefits too when you don't need to be, you seem to like sponging off others.

baaaa!

If anyone sits on my wheel I very slowly drop the pace to see how slow I can get them to go before they overtake 🙂 the other day I was practically trackstanding on my cargo bike with some bloke sitting on !

It's just not polite, why are some people struggling to get that.

You both have eyes, if the front person can see the corner, so can the drafter. Drafting well isn't just about blindly following, but involves reading the road, and understanding the environment and reacting correspondingly.

Yes, but on a clubrun I wouldn't suddenly brake and turn into my drive or a shop. I'd probably call out and or give hand signals for any movements on a club run, on my own I'd not, and someone behind me wouldn't have a clue which house I was about to turn into. In the same way it's safe for F1 cars to follow each other at 200mph with distances between them that would make even an Audi drive wince at normal speeds.

I don't think I'd really mind some stranger sitting on my wheel but they'd better keep their eyes open; I don't have any group riding skillz so I'll not be pointing out holes etc - it's just not a habit I've developed

I say I don't think so as it's only really happened 3 times. First time I overtook picked up 2 guys on a flat road into the wind. I knew they'd tried to get on so I slowed a bit then, after about a hundred yards one dropped off and I told his mate who said "sod him, he can catch up later" so I sped up and dumped tha bastard !
Second was an older couple, again into the wind. I had no idea they were there until I stopped at the T junction and they thanked me for the tow.
Third, turned into a road just ahead of some guy who then wheelsucked for a mile and a half and then burst past me much faster. I sped up to get onto his wheel and he stopped pretty much dead in the road within 50 yards of passing me and naerly had a biggish crash. When I asked WTF he was up to he said "this is where I live so I'm stopping". ****

You should be switched on, on a club run also, so I don't but the arguement about people doing odd things. Even if someone did turn sharply how would that impact me if I was behind drafting, as they key bit is you are behind them.

Perfectly happy for people to wheels like my wheel. In fact I as in the park at 8am, and as you say, given the number of riders,it is almost inevitable.

Most people don't ride in groups, and many riders on the front won't realise that there is very little risk of beng taken out. It is always the following rider who will go down in a touch of front to back wheel.

Brake checking on any bike is just ridiculous. Straight out of Top Gun!

Happy Birthday

I've encountered d*ckhead riding bikes of all flavours, not just on the road. I sometimes get an interesting reaction from some MTB riders - they don't like being passed by fatbikes, particularly lycra'd-up XC riders 😈 If I'm on my roadbike and someone fancies a draft, as long as they're prepared to have a chat and take-turns, no worries otherwise I'll just give in beans on the next hill.

Why not the risk is on the person drafting, not the other way around.

Correct, they are introducing the risk. However if you have to slow down quickly (i.e. pheasant appearing out of bushes) they you are both down on the floor as the person behind hits into you. Damage to bike or worse, damage to you - happy they are taking the risk now?

Same as people who tailgate in cars - my screwed car, whiplash and whatever else so not really their choice to take the risk is it....

Managed to piss off a roadie a couple of weeks ago

Narrow bridge that only allows one car width so it has lights either side.

He's waiting at the lights. Me and my mate pull up behind him. A car pulls up behind us.

The lights go green and he just starts pootling off at maybe 3mph.

Conscious that the time between the lights changing isnt long and there's a car behind us I speed up and overtake him.

He takes this as a massive insult and suddenly cranks past me giving me a dirty look as he goes past. 😆

However if you have to slow down quickly (i.e. pheasant appearing out of bushes) they you are both down on the floor as the person behind hits into you.

They won't knock you off if you are in front. Damage your bike, possibly, but fairly unlikley. Am I happy to take the risk, in the majority of cases yep, no worries.

Maybe you didn't do your turn when he flicked his elbow

Is being a roadie a bit like being in the masons with special handshakes and all that sort of thing, how many other funny little signals do they have 😆

If wearing lycra and shaving their legs wasn't bad enough this sort of thing definitely makes your average person look at roadies as being a bit strange!

Cannot stand a stranger cycling behind me. Thankfully it rarely happens since I do 20mph averages.

But it's always a worry when I catch someone up; thankfully most of the (few) cyclists round here must ease off a bit when I overtake them (or maybe I'm a stronger rider than I think 😉

Sadly, you'll always get the odd MAMIL who wants to race though. THe last one tried to undertake me on a roundabout after I'd overtaken him coming into town. Just no need.

OP - you appear to be making a massive assumption that the guy in front was braking to annoy you rather than braking because something else was going on e.g. driver coming close in the other direction, other riders, wildlife running towards the road, litter blowing into the road etc etc. There's plenty of hazards in Richmond Park...

You may want to check out the facts before judging him!

Either way - you put yourself in this situation - so if you don't want to upset people by drafting them unannounced (which is generally frowned upon for all the reasons expressed elsewhere in this thread), then don't do it!

You might find all the roadie rules and codes of behaviour a bit odd, but they're mainly there for reasons of safety - try and spend some time learning them rather than doing your own sweet thing and then judging others when they do something you dont like or understand...

I can't fathom why anyone would look to cause a crash, but if I turned around and saw an mtb on my wheel I would die of shame.

I'm curious whether the reaction to being drafted depends on your experience? Anybody prepared to answer these questions?
Have you done club runs?
Have you done sportives or audaxes or similar?
Have you done road races and at least finished in the bunch?
Have you had somebody run into you from behind?
Do you get upset at other people drafting you?

Yes, yes, yes, no and no

A lot of roadie hand signals are there for safety or because it just isn't possible to communicate any other way. If you are flat out on the front of a group you can't just turn around and ask them to do their turn. Its not that odd plenty of team sports use some kind of hand signals.

Yes, yes, yes, yes and no.