MadeGood | Free bike repair resource. Cycling Clothing Gear Accessories, Cycling Team Kits, Pro Bike Kit. Quality Cycle Clothing Delivered Direct: Prendas Ciclismo. Bikes | Mountain Bikes | Road Bikes & Cycling Apparel | Wiggle. Bicycle Tutor - Bike Repair Video Tutorials. Cycling etiquette: to draft or not to draft? | Environment. Drafting in its pure form: the British team pursuit squad on their way to Olympic gold in 2008. Photograph: Tom Jenkins This is a blog post which is unapologetically slimline in scope. I want to canvass views on a relatively minor point of cycling etiquette which nonetheless fascinates me: where do you stand on drafting?
By drafting, I mean the practice of riding in the slipstream close behind someone's rear wheel, thus greatly reducing the effort you need to expend keeping at their speed. If you're riding in the middle of a big group this can, supposedly, save you up to 40% in energy. Even behind one other cyclist it makes a very noticeable difference. It's all pretty standard and uncontroversial if you're participating in an organised road race or sportive, assuming of course you take your turn at the front. My position's pretty clear: I'm happy to either draft or be drafted.
But I'm having to reconsider whether it's worth the bother. I've gone on long enough. Carbon and Titanium Road Bikes, Track and Time Trial Bikes |