Drafting behind vehicles

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Drafting behind vehicles

Postby Sylv » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:30 pm

Isn't it ace? 27mph up a hill tonight, behind a double-decker :)

Also later I did 1/4 mile behind a Fiesta driven by a little old man.

A satisfying commute has to include at least one piece of drafting.

A perfect one is when I manage to get behind one of those scooters that seem to max out at 30mph (that's my terminal velocity on the "road mtb".

I envy the pros who train behind a car. Although I've heard it's one of the toughest things there are.
Last edited by Sylv on Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby kieran » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:32 pm

you can always go to HH during the summer and do derny paced training during the week!
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Postby Sylv » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:36 pm

Good idea!

Although maybe not, remembering Bryan Taylor's account ... :lol:

[quote]I hated nearly every moment of that race, it's demoralizing, incredibly hard work physically and mentally, you worry about your safety more so than in a bunch of 50 riders, it hurts just about everywhere, my hamstrings are still hurting 3 days later, but if I could do it again tomorrow, I'd jump at the chance, there's nothing quite like the feeling of flying round a track at that speed behind the big motors.


http://www.londoncyclesport.com/news/ar ... 3344596212
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Postby Marek » Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:56 pm

Well funny you should post this today, on my 1 mile commute to the train station in the morning on my old beaten up mountain bike this morning I got towed all the way by a Milk Float, was great fun.

Cheers

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Re: Drafting behind vehicles

Postby Snoop Doug » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:09 pm

[quote="Sylv"]Also later I did 1/4 mile behind a Fiesta driven by a little old man.

A satisfying commute has to include at least one piece of drafting.

A perfect one is when I manage to get behind one of those scooters that seem to max out at 30mph (that's my terminal velocity on the "road mtb".


Great stuff Sylv - never tried it before sounds very zen 8) 8)

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Postby John the old'un » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:15 pm

Beat this. In February 1963 I went on a training weekend with a mate from the Norwood Paragon.
He had family in Ipswich, so we rode there on Saturday, stayed overnight, and rode back on the Sunday. On the hill out of Colchester we were overtaken by a flatbed carrying a boat. Straight on the back, and we were still there until he turned off in Highbury.
Fantastic ride. :lol: :lol:
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Postby Mike I » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:25 pm

In February 1963 wouldn't you have been better off behind a snow-plough?
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Postby Sylv » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:30 pm

60 miles?
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Postby Kevin Rynne » Tue Nov 13, 2007 9:55 pm

Last week was running late for work and desperate to draft as much as possible, even a rubbish bin lorry! so at wansworth common got on the back of a rubbish truck. But the smell was killing me, so moved over in to the outside and fastest lane to draft off a van. Got up to 42 mph which gave even me a shock! got to the bridge through the lights (on green) and kept a steady 24mph over the bridge overtaking the traffic on the outside. Kept up with all the motor bikes for a change and managed to draft off some of them up to the Fulham road. Got to work on time, wrecked. But enjoyed every moment of my commute. Strange you should post this as I was thinking on my way home yesterday does anyone else draft the traffic or is it just me.
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Postby Bo-Gilly » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:01 pm

" I did 1/4 mile behind a Fiesta driven by a little old man


That poor little ol' pensioner will have paid over £1 per litre for his petrol, you clearly benefited from his investment, and yet contributed nothing.




Shame on you.
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Postby John the old'un » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:38 pm

[quote="44x16"]In February 1963 wouldn't you have been better off behind a snow-plough?

Yes you're right. It was 1962. Senior moment. 63 we had snow till Easter.
And yes, it must have been about sixty miles. :)
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Postby Sylv » Tue Nov 13, 2007 11:41 pm

[quote]That poor little ol' pensioner will have paid over £1 per litre for his petrol, you clearly benefited from his investment, and yet contributed nothing.

Au contraire :wink: :

[quote]Suprisingly drafting not only helps the bicyclist following the leader, but the lead cyclist gains an advantage as well. Paul explained, "The interesting thing is by filling in her eddy you improve the front person's performance as well. So two people who are drafting can put out less energy than two individuals (who are not drafting) would covering the same distance in the same time." While the lead cyclist gains some advantage in this situation she still needs to expend much more energy than the cyclist who is following.


http://www.exploratorium.com/cycling/aerodynamics2.html
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Postby Bo-Gilly » Wed Nov 14, 2007 1:37 am

Well ok Sylv - good for you for helping the ol' coffin-dodger along.



Do you reckon he realised why his Fiesta suddenly felt turbo-charged ?
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Postby George » Wed Nov 14, 2007 7:19 am

[quote] 63 we had snow till Easter.
Wasn't the Thames frozen at the time and you could cross by foot :lol:

Sounds like an amazing toe, I wish I could have ridden to Ipswich, thats where Dr LASER's clinic is based, but unfortunately I had a broken neck :wink:
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Postby Will » Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:55 am

My favourite ever tow was in 1992 along the A27 on the way from Brighton to Lewes

I managed to get behind a lorry cab that was towing another lorry cab turned the wrong way round, so I had a huge surface that I could tuck behind

:D
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