On Sat, 11 Sep 2004 01:35:15 GMT, h squared
wrote:



Badger_South wrote:


A good way is to practice with one other experienced person and have them
show you, then integrate into the group once you have some confidence and
knowledge of drafting techniques. Takes about half a dozen rides to start
getting it down.

I'm not sure how you'd handle things like drafting in your first race if
you've never done it before - some things not to do are obvious. But it's
hard to do well in a race if you don't do some drafting.

i've never drafted while cycling, but even on skates it can be
terrifying (for the wussies like me)- hard to see what's coming, loud,
no room to bail, the person in front of you could take you out, the
person behind you could grab you and take down if they trip. the person
behind you keeps yelling at you to get even closer to the ****er in
front of you... plus, at race speed there's not a lot of time to react.
i like to go to crits just to marvel that the cyclists can get around
the corners without wimpering in fear.

heather, not helping things

It can be a lot of fun learning to draft, finding where you're out of the
wind, and having that teamwork going on. It's just like anything else -
when you haven't done it you can't dissect the ability, and you can't
fathom how to get there (remember watching skiing on TV before you
learned?)

But once you've done it a little, then you're actually excited to practice
it. You don't really have to get as close to the other person as you'd
think, and you can be several inches to the side and back 6-8 inches and
still be in the drafting spot. It's a matter of control. Once you
experience the control you're eager to do it more.

One way to get into the drafting position, I've found (and I could be
wrong), is to be going a little faster than the person, but be well to the
side. Then you coast a little and drop back into the 'slot' behind them,
(but still a little to the side of his wheel) and seek the spot where the
wind is less. From there it's just a matter of pedalling every several
seconds to keep in the slot. IOW, you don't try and pedal into the slot
directly from behind - that can be a bit risky. You come up on the rider
just a little faster, but to the side, and then drop back. That, to me
seems safer. If you significantly lose the position, then you start over,
speed up well to the side and slip back. Of course the person knows you're
doing this and concentrates on keeping a steady speed and stable course.
You pre-arrange which side you're going to go to set up - usually to his
left. I find it's best if you're wearing mirrors, so you can check now and
then, but YMMV.

Then, once you have that down, you can get into drafting position in any
number of ways.

Obviously you want to practice on the flat and straight, and where there's
no traffic - maybe a large parking lot or low traffic dead end street.

Again, I'm no expert. I'm just sharing some methods I use. Maybe others
have a better way.

-B