Drafting on the Bike = WOW (Page 2)

I too just started riding with a group and my major concern was that I would go faster for longer BUT not be working as hard.  I can say that when I download my HR data, I'm spending the same or greater amount of time in higher zones.  I take my share of turns pulling as well.

It's like an interval workout... only better.
If you are with a motivated group, you do a hard turn at the front (interval), then you drop back sit-in and recover... only you are recovering while still at full speed. So your body learns to go very very hard and then recover with only a 30% decrease in your intensity during that rest interval.

you could always have fun with the drafter. i have been known to blow snot rockets at suckers.  I have also in the past relieved my self of sweat and spitting  under my arm not very hard to where is hits them. its kind of funny to catch them off guard.

Most of the time i dint really care about it but there are times when im riding into a 10+ mph head wind and people will just suck and not take their turn pulling this is usually when the mayhem commences.  Only if they have not asked or taken their turn for at least 5 miles or like 15 min. its not a regular event for me.

Not that it makes it any better, but I suspect that the 8 guys drafting away in the race were trying to figure out what the correct passing order should be. Sounds like you were in a very fast group up front, and at those speeds, it's not easy to burst to 30mph to pass in 15 seconds and then maintain your lead - might be better to let a faster guy pull ahead.

Of course, you should make every effort not to be drafting while making this decision, and it does sound like a more egregious situation in this case. Luckily, the group soundslike it also broke up, which might be more in line with trying to follow the rules - it's hard to believe than many guys would intentionally break the rules simultaneously.

I mention this because in my recent tri, I was fast enough to pretty much have to stay in the passing line 95% of the time (I'm a weak swimmer so I ride from the back) as I pass people every 15-20 seconds continuously the entire bike leg. There were several moments where 3 fast relay bike riders in full aero gear caught me repeatedly on the flats but I kept dropping them on the climbs (I use no aero gear other than a TT bike.) At least twice I got boxed in by a faster guy in front and aNone available attacking fast guy in back, with no room on the right or left to pull out (slower riders on the right and cars on the left), so I was stuck unintetionally drafting for about 5-6 seconds as we got into a passable clear zone again - there was no safe way to avoid it.

This is why I train alone.. what sort of workout do you get sucking someone's wheel for most of the ride ? Its almost like you are wasting your time out there..Don't get me wrong.. if that is what you want to do, thats fine.. it is a great social thing to do.. but as far as Tri training goes.. I just do not see the point.. unless you sit out front of course edit : just read my post back.. a lesson not to post before eating anything after training.. sound a bitter and twisted, which just ain't me.. lol

Edited by serenityau 2009-09-14 6:28 PM

Of course a lot depends on how tight the group is and how fast you are going, but the increase in wind resistance does increase exponentially with respect to velocity.  I doubt it is quite 30% unless you are going exceptionally fast.  I would think it is worth maybe 2-3 mph at 25 mph, that is it feels more like you are riding 22-23 mph rather than 25.  If you are a stronger rider, spend more time at the front working.  If you are tired or the group is stronger, usually there is an understanding that you do what you can.  You can get what you want out of a group ride.  The hard thing is holding yourself back if you need an easy ride and the group gets spunky. 

I find hard group rides are great way of learning to push yourself even when it hurts.  I don't think I could force myself to regularly push that hard on my own.

Edit:  if it is too easy find a faster group.  Keep finding faster rides until you run out of groups.  I am fortunate that there are lots of group rides around the city; always faster riders.



Edited by rc63413 2009-09-14 7:12 PM

Agree!

Sucking wheel definately saves a lot of energy. Last year during a group ride I would have to push 280 watts to go 25 mph but when dropping back and drafting off one rider it dropped down to 130 watts if I recall correctly.

I am with Daremo on this one, I just get pissed when seeing drafting in a race that is non drafting. Earlier this year at the Boise 70.3 I watched as a group of 4 guys that would take turns in a paceline with the rear rider looking back over his shoulder about every 100 meters for a marshall. Obviously they knew the rules but chose to ignoe them and it looked like something that was planned in advance to me since some of them had the same outfit.

Totally don't understand people's frustration with "leechers" in training.

If someone is leeching off your wheel in training, it's a tacit acknowledgment that they respect your ability enough to not blow by you. It's a compliment - for real. They'd be more than happy to hammer you down if they were significantly stronger than you, but they know they can't, so they hang onto your wheel.

It's also a free training partner - definitely makes rides more interesting as long as you're not in "hostile mode." I usually smile back and shout "hi" if I get an unknown drafter - invariably, with that little gesture, they turn out to be great fellow riders, and when we pull to a light or stop, I almost always get "GREAT pulls!" from them.

 

I don't mind them if they tell me that they're there.  If they can catch me, then they can put in the extra effort to pull alongside briefly and alert me to their presence.  Then, if I get a bad feeling (like, if I slow down is this guy gonna clip my wheel---yes that has happened to me despite giving a hand signal) I can make an informed decision what to do.

But yes, the few times that this has happened to me (and the person alerted me to his or her presence), I was glad to have a training partner for a while.

Mythbusters on drafting...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y18mewmFNOQ