Draftng a scooter; why?

[Richard B]

Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?

Richard B.

[nash]

"Richard B" > wrote in message
. 3.50...
> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
> since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
> about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
> understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
> out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?
>
> Richard B.

Good point

[Bob]

Richard B wrote:
> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
> since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
> about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
> understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
> out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?
>

There are at least two reasons for motorpacing. Road racers do it to
train because it allows them to get saddle time at speed. Non-racers do
it because its just plain fun to go fast. As for your specific
question- "why didn't he just get out and ride without breathing the
exhaust fumes?"- where do you ride that you *don't* breathe exhaust
fumes?

Regards,
Bob Hunt

[[email protected]]

Richard B wrote:
> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
> since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
> about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
> understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
> out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?
>
> Richard B.

Motorpacing at 20mph sounds kind of pointless. Perhaps they were taking
it easy in an area with lots of traffic? I live on a road that is
popular with local cyclists. Sometimes when I am driving home, I see
some, and I offer them a draft. A car provides way more shelter than a
scooter, so we see speeds up to 70km/h with the strong guys.

Motorpacing is fun, and is theoretically a way to train riding at
speed.

Joseph

[[email protected]]

Richard B wrote:
> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
> since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
> about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
> understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
> out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?

Errr... duh, they were going the same place together

-M

[Marz]

Richard B wrote:
> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> It was obvious that the scooter was supposed to be the lead vehicle
> since he stayed to the right of traffic and kept a constant speed of
> about 20 MPH with the cyclist 6 inches off his rear wheel. I don't
> understand why the cyclist had to pace a scooter; why didn't he just get
> out and ride without breathing the exhaust fumes?
>
> Richard B.

I have a mate who's a coach in Houston and he takes a lot of riders out
this way for a number of reasons.

1, so he can coach a number of riders in a day without killing himself
2, he's able to talk clearly to the rider while traveling at high
speeds (not out of breath)
3, he can carry additional training equipment on the scooter (e.g.
video camera for later review session)
4, the training rider gets to ride at pack speeds without the pack,
(helps to improve leg speed and fluid pedaling action)
5, it's also good training for pace riding and track riding
6, the rider can concentrate more on his pedaling action and controlled
breathing and less on the traffic around him. Just follow the scooters
tail light.

Imagine this guy is the fastest in his area, how's he going to get used
to riding at higher pack speeds if nobody he knows can ride as fast as
he can.



Laters,

Marz

[Richard B]

"Bob" > wrote in
ups.com:

> Richard B wrote:
>> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
Snip
>>
>
> There are at least two reasons for motorpacing. Road racers do it to
> train because it allows them to get saddle time at speed. Non-racers
> do it because its just plain fun to go fast.

Snip

> Regards,
> Bob Hunt
>


This was on a very busy four lane road with poor pavement and cars
parked at the curbs, lots of shopping centers, stand alone stores and
manufacturing with the associated driveways and and intersections with
signals. I can't think of anywhere near where I spotted them that would
be a suitable place to train at speed. This was in the City Of
Industry/Covina area about 15 miles east of Pasadena.


Rcihard B.

[[email protected]]

Richard B wrote:
> "Bob" > wrote in
> ups.com:
>
> > Richard B wrote:
> >> Yesterday I spotted a cyclist drafting a guy on a motor scooter.
> Snip
> >>
> >
> > There are at least two reasons for motorpacing. Road racers do it to
> > train because it allows them to get saddle time at speed. Non-racers
> > do it because its just plain fun to go fast.
>
> Snip
>
> > Regards,
> > Bob Hunt
> >
>
>
> This was on a very busy four lane road with poor pavement and cars
> parked at the curbs, lots of shopping centers, stand alone stores and
> manufacturing with the associated driveways and and intersections with
> signals. I can't think of anywhere near where I spotted them that would
> be a suitable place to train at speed. This was in the City Of
> Industry/Covina area about 15 miles east of Pasadena.
>
>
> Rcihard B.

Lousy place to train, going slow, it must be as Marian suggested. They
were just together going somewhere.

Joseph

[[email protected]]

wrote:

> Motorpacing at 20mph sounds kind of pointless. Perhaps they were taking
> it easy in an area with lots of traffic? I live on a road that is
> popular with local cyclists. Sometimes when I am driving home, I see
> some, and I offer them a draft. A car provides way more shelter than a
> scooter, so we see speeds up to 70km/h with the strong guys.

Given the general rule that bikes are supposed to have the same rights
AND responsibilities as MVs, it occurs to me that riding in this way might
get you cited for tailgating, even if it's "consensual."


Bill

--------------------------------------------
| In war, there are no unwounded soldiers. |
| --Jose Narosky |
--------------------------------------------

[[email protected]]

Bill Said: Given the general rule that bikes are supposed to have the
same rights AND responsibilities as MVs, it occurs to me that riding in
this way might get you cited for tailgating, even if it's "consensual."


If they were to take that angle they could start citing pacelines,
which would pop the top off of a rather nasty can of worms. I think it
depends on the officer in question most of the time. I have
encountered a few members of societies "finest" who subscribed to the
whole "get that toy out of my way and get a real car" mentality, and
clearly resented my legal right to use the road as a vehicle. I've
almost spilled on more than one occasion because the siren blip scared
me at an inopportune moment, just to have the cruiser take my position
in traffic and go about his business. I've also been told that there
is "no way I'm going to make it" to my destination, that I'm lying
about where I'm coming from (too far) and told to call someone who can
"come get me with a car". I should mention that this is all in 100K or
less trips.