Man doping

[eddy]

 

To me it is not about just the benefits of drafting. Say you are going for podium and you get a technical. You will have someone right there to sort you out. The other competitors wont.

 

IMHO, Men should not be interfering in the woman's category (at least for the podium contenders) in any way shape or form. Full stop.

 

Let the ladies run their own race!

I think in a MTB race drafting is the least of the benefit of riding with a stronger "team mate" in an individual event.

 

Carrying of spares, extra water, spare tube etc makes a difference. The biggest, other than a push up a hill, is the encouragement and support of a team member.

[Patchelicious]

I think in a MTB race drafting is the least of the benefit of riding with a stronger "team mate" in an individual event.

 

Carrying of spares, extra water, spare tube etc makes a difference. The biggest, other than a push up a hill, is the encouragement and support of a team member.

There is an advantage, that's the core issue.

[Harryn]

All this reminds me of one of my first road races - i rode in a sweater, don't think I even had cycling kit yet. I will share a truly cringeworthy moment.

 

I was doing the short race, and found myself being passed by what was (unknown to me) the elite ladies. Anyway, I thought to myself, I will hang on to these nice gals, wow they even have their own car following them. Then they started vloeking me, and this horrible woman in the car, with a loud hailer shouts: you can't ride in this bunch, so I get like all indignant, and start invoking my constitutional rights and all, and 3 seconds later they dropped me. It was both the pinnacle and the nadir of my cycling career.

[Mntboy]

 

 

So this is a bit off the drafting topic, but something that has been puzzling me. At races like Karoo to Coast, riding in say B batch (so definitely not a podium contender, but you have the ability to do the race), why would a lady be ok with having a guy push her up all the hills? Surely you would want to see what you can do on your own?

 

I see it too often for it to be a case of someone not feeling well, the couple having to catch a flight, or something "more reasonable" like that.

 

It has no impact on my race, but I do feel kinda let down by my fellow cycling sisters.

For the sake of clarity the like of the above post is more the question posed than anything else.

 

In answer I think that people have a willingness to accept help in certian situations and on occasion guys are happy to help a girl who is struggling. The same tends to go for other guys as well. So in that scenario pushing/pulling is fine to a degree. If it's a lady that can handle the pace then it could be seen as disappointing. It's really up to the rider receiving the aid, does she (or he for that matter) feel the need to have such assistance? If they do then I think they need to revise their training methods as it's clearly not getting the desired results in the racing environment.

 

I understand the team thing, I was specifically thinking of individual races like Karoo to Coast ...

The one other alternative to what I've already mentioned is that they could simply be having an off day. That does happen and sometimes it happens when one least wants it to occur.

 

Sent from my SM-J200H using Tapatalk

[The expat cyclist]

I do not think you get it...there were no specific batches to start off with. I would also have rode with my wife if I was in the situation, it is a FUN ride. 

 

Will you have also complained if it was not a husband and wife pairing but a competitor and a lady that got away and they worked together, say I am man enough to say hey this lady and I have similar fitness ability lets share the work load?

 

 You allege that he drafted her the whole way?! Did you then ride with them the whole way? Why not then tell them your objection to it while seeing?

You are really trying hard to make this about my wife, me, the race and your friends?

Sorry bra, but it just isn't.

[Vetplant]

Drafting = doping? Don't think so. Maybe take a deep breath.

Drafting in itself does not equal doping.

 

Drafting someone who is NOT IN YOUR CATEGORY while you yourself are in contention for a podium is basically a form of doping. THAT is what I said.

 

Wow, makes me think about a very true observation: people don't listen to understand, they listen to respond. Clearly the same applies to online forums.

[Edition 507]

There are a lot of people stating that there is no difference between a solo female rider drafting a male rider to gain advantage and the case of the wife doing the same as part of a team with her husband. On the surface I agree, there does not appear to be much difference, but some more in-depth analysis is required to expose what the objectionable part is of a female in a team claiming victory of her solo competitors. To start off with, the husband and wife team is a deliberate collaboration from the start to the finish. The husband is obviously stronger than the wife and would presumably finish the same way. If a gap opens between them, then the husband will slow down. If the wife is slowing on the climbs then the husband will wait and/or even assist by way of pushing. This is guaranteed for the entire duration of the race. That husbands wheel is a sure bet from start to finish. On the other hand, a solo female rider is facing a totally unknown random choice of maybe 50 male riders in order to find a similar opportunity to the team rider. The is absolutely no guarantee that she will even find one wheel to follow for 100 meters let alone the entire race. The fitness of a chosen male rider is also an absolute gamble and he might pop after 5 minutes. If the solo female rider did by pure chance find a random wheel to suck that was within her ability to hold on to and thereby gain benefit from, even then there is no guarantee as to how long this will last. If the slightest of gaps opens up between them do you for one minute think that the male rider will be thinking “Oh sh*t this poor chicky has lost my wheel, let me sacrifice my own time and slow down for her to catch up”. Or similarly, do you think he is going to wait for some arbitrary female rider up a hill or for that matter even push her up the hill. I don’t think so, unless she is sh*t hot and had exchanged phone number earlier with a wink or two.

So as you can see there is a fundamental difference between a planned team race and a pure chance random guarantee less wheel suck of a solo rider!

[The expat cyclist]

There are a lot of people stating that there is no difference between a solo female rider drafting a male rider to gain advantage and the case of the wife doing the same as part of a team with her husband. On the surface I agree, there does not appear to be much difference, but some more in-depth analysis is required to expose what the objectionable part is of a female in a team claiming victory of her solo competitors. To start off with, the husband and wife team is a deliberate collaboration from the start to the finish. The husband is obviously stronger than the wife and would presumably finish the same way. If a gap opens between them, then the husband will slow down. If the wife is slowing on the climbs then the husband will wait and/or even assist by way of pushing. This is guaranteed for the entire duration of the race. That husbands wheel is a sure bet from start to finish. On the other hand, a solo female rider is facing a totally unknown random choice of maybe 50 male riders in order to find a similar opportunity to the team rider. The is absolutely no guarantee that she will even find one wheel to follow for 100 meters let alone the entire race. The fitness of a chosen male rider is also an absolute gamble and he might pop after 5 minutes. If the solo female rider did by pure chance find a random wheel to suck that was within her ability to hold on to and thereby gain benefit from, even then there is no guarantee as to how long this will last. If the slightest of gaps opens up between them do you for one minute think that the male rider will be thinking “Oh sh*t this poor chicky has lost my wheel, let me sacrifice my own time and slow down for her to catch up”. Or similarly, do you think he is going to wait for some arbitrary female rider up a hill or for that matter even push her up the hill. I don’t think so, unless she is sh*t hot and had exchanged phone number earlier with a wink or two.

So as you can see there is a fundamental difference between a planned team race and a pure chance random guarantee less wheel suck of a solo rider!

It is a pity I cannot like this twice.

[jcza]

Drafting in itself does not equal doping.

 

Drafting someone who is NOT IN YOUR CATEGORY while you yourself are in contention for a podium is basically a form of doping. THAT is what I said.

 

Wow, makes me think about a very true observation: people don't listen to understand, they listen to respond. Clearly the same applies to online forums.

 

You know that at MTB races you start in a batch determined by your seeding and not your age?

Please share how you determine who you can sit behind. Exception is SA Champs where you will start in your age category.

 

Drafting is part of racing, road and MTB and is not a form of doping.

[Vetplant]

Sometimes these banner adverts on websites are totally irrelevant, but then once in a while you get a beauty, like the one attached.

 

As we are on the subject of doping. Does anyone know whether organisers put any effort in trying to check whether people pitch with e-bikes?

[Patchelicious]

You know that at MTB races you start in a batch determined by your seeding and not your age?

Please share how you determine who you can sit behind. Exception is SA Champs where you will start in your age category.

 

Drafting is part of racing, road and MTB and is not a form of doping.

Dude, no matter how you spin it.

 

Bringing a guy with to deliberately help you gain an advantage in the ladies category is not right.

 

You know it. I'm not sure what you are trying to defend here.

[jcza]

Dude, no matter how you spin it.

 

Bringing a guy with to deliberately help you gain an advantage in the ladies category is not right.

 

You know it. I'm not sure what you are trying to defend here.

Maybe read slowly and hopefully you'll understand what I responded to. Nothing to do with ladies but rather categories.

[Patchelicious]

Maybe read slowly and hopefully you'll understand what I responded to. Nothing to do with ladies but rather categories.

By category Rookie was referring to Ladies vs Men categories.

[Martin PJ]

At a race there are commissaires, if someone does something, then you complain to these people. They look at the rules, make a decision, and that is the end of it.

 

If you want everyone's opinion, you post a question on the hub, get the full range of views.

 

I have ridden with my wife in certain races. I ride next to her most of the way and she likes to follow my lines in single track or jeep tracks. It makes a big difference to her race. We don't draft much, so drafting is not really the main benefit. My wife is not going to win any prizes, so for me this is OK.

 

It does appear that in some races this type of help is allowed and in some races it is not allowed. Based on my experience, there is no doubt for me that it helps a lot.

[jcza]

By category Rookie was referring to Ladies vs Men categories.

 

Got it!

 

So different categories (sub vet, vet, masters etc) but same sex is acceptable. Unless the participants are partners in a same sex marriage in which case it will be illegal/frowned upon?

[Pulse]

Got it!

 

So different categories (sub vet, vet, masters etc) but same sex is acceptable. Unless the participants are partners in a same sex marriage in which case it will be illegal/frowned upon?

Really?!

You can only drag this out so long.

 

Do you get an unfair advantage? Yes/No

Are you competing or just riding socially?