mecheng89 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Good morning all in Hubland, Reading through some recent threads, it seems that a few cyclists get very upset with "wheel suckers", people who effectively trail behind a cyclist ahead of him/her in a race situation. Now, when you are riding/racing in the more intense batches (vets, A, B etc.), riders have different goals. More often than not, one just wants to finish with the bunch as an example. The only way to do that is to either suck wheel, or to be so powerful that you drag the bunch from start to finish. I'd like to say that this split is 80/20 in favour of the "wheel suckers". What I anticipate the biggest gripe to be are the "wheels suckers" taking advantage near the end of the race, sprinting by and taking the win. Why are people so upset by this? Why do you think that if you lead the race from start to finish you deserve the podium spot? Kudos to you if you are capable of that, but that also makes you a target for subsequent races, because then people know who to "suck dry". What if you as a "wheel sucker" are feeling surprisingly good nearing the end and feel like you can take the win? Should you out of principle stay where you were? Example: Peter Sagan won the 2015 WC by sitting in the bunch until the few kilometers and going solo until the end. Yes, his forte is sprinting, so he wants to take maximum advantage. What do other people think? PS! This is just my opinion, no need to slam mine. L46, pe3nguin, gtr1 and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pe3nguin Posted January 31, 2017 Share Personal rule:If I can't drop you, I dont deserve to bitch about wheel sucking.If I did just drop you, why the hell would I be thinking about you? Fast-er, Escapee.., HdB and 41 others 44 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BaGearA Posted January 31, 2017 Share Personal rule: If I can't drop you, I dont deserve to bitch about wheel sucking.If I did just drop you, why the hell would I be thinking about you?`What this gentlemen just said ^^^^^^^ Dee1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moriarty Posted January 31, 2017 Share Cycling is a tactical sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonky Posted January 31, 2017 Share Tactics is tactics... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lechatnoir Posted January 31, 2017 Share I'm flattered if anyone wants to wheelsuck behind me. And if I end up wheelsucking someone else, I'd better start pushing them, as they're going to need all the help they can get at that point... HBO, pe3nguin, W@nna-BE and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin PJ Posted January 31, 2017 Share I have been at both ends of the story. Driving the bunch like a boss and having every grandpa shoot past at the end like I have a disease... also wheel sucking all day behind somebody who was riding like a greek god, and then shooting past him at the end. It's not against the rules to suck wheel. It just isn't cool to sprint if you have done no work in the palooka bunch. Don't be upset if someone has a word with you after the finish, you earned it. HBO, nonky, blondeonabike and 9 others 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spoke101 Posted January 31, 2017 Share All's fair in love, war and the bunch. But if you in the break and just sitting on, I'll have a few choice words with you. vert space, AngryAustrian, nonky and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzie NL Posted January 31, 2017 Share I'm flattered if anyone wants to wheelsuck behind me. And if I end up wheelsucking someone else, I'd better start pushing them, as they're going to need all the help they can get at that point... Huh??? Just not getting what you are said there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur1 Posted January 31, 2017 Share Personal rule: If I can't drop you, I dont deserve to bitch about wheel sucking.If I did just drop you, why the hell would I be thinking about you?^^^^^THIS Nothing more annoying than a self appointed class captain in a bunch. No issue with someone getting a group together to create a working group but if you have an issue with wheelsuckers then either drop them or sit back and have a jelly baby. Mamil, Johan A Marais, pellieg and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popit Posted January 31, 2017 Share All's fair in love, war and the bunch. But if you in the break and just sitting on, I'll have a few choice words with you.Better to be the weakest in the break , than the strongest one chasing the break hayleyearth and Frosty 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popit Posted January 31, 2017 Share You pay my entry .... you tell me where and how to ride !!!I pay my entry .... I decide ....... Bateleur1, Mamil, Joshua1 and 4 others 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gen Posted January 31, 2017 Share There are so many different do's and don'ts in road cycling it is making me confused Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s14phoenix Posted January 31, 2017 Share It is all a game... if you are clever enough to "use" another to gain advantage and the other party allows this to happen then so be it. No use complaining about wheel sucking no matter what batch you are in - ride away or otherwise drop back yourself and then wheelsuck onto others as they have wheelsucked onto you. Really our society has become a bunch of whiners rather than winners. I have also done all of the different types of tactics. But winning is winning - cycling is competitive and there will always be all sorts... perfect example is the pro races the team with the best tactics win and then get slashed for it. Local races are the same also - whether you are in the Elites or QQ group. Even in the break - it may be unsporting to not help but how many times have we not seen this also... so why not just ride away? And if you can not shake a sucker then just deal with it. Why don't the strong then not just split off the weak bunch? because they also know there is strength in numbers and should their legs also fail they will fall back and wheelsuck with the rest. Have you seen how many people drop off the back during the acceleration after a corner? The front control the pace and decide who stays on - up the pace and less hang on. With the emphasis that has been placed on "just hang onto the group, Don't lose the group" you are bound to have more wheelsuckers and thus more firepower at the end contributing to a very volatile situation at the finish. Edited January 31, 2017 by s14phoenix nonky, arendoog and Mamil 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Marshall Posted January 31, 2017 Share As one of the best wheel suckers in the peleton I can list some rules. 1) If you are 60+ and there are two or more younger riders than you in the bunch - you need not go to the front. (My rule)2) If you are racing and in the front bunch or in a chase down move roll through when it is your turn. You do not need to spend time on the front but you must roll through to keep the group momentum going. If you are too bushed to roll sit at the back until you have recovered. The back is behind the last rider and not third wheel! Let the guy ahead know that you will not be rolling through.3) If you are in a big bunch you are welcome to suck wheel. Just keep clear of the workers and be sure to let them back in when they have done a turn.4) When it comes to the sprint live with your decision. Just be aware that there may be races within the event still being decided so you can have a "sprint within a sprint." Kall, Mamil, Spoke101 and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bateleur1 Posted January 31, 2017 Share There are so many different do's and don'ts in road cycling it is making me confused Actually not. Just get on your bike and have fun. Simple. Odinson, Gen, Sparki 1 and 3 others 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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