Drafting 101

Drafting is fun. No, I don't mean the practice/profession of designing mechanical and architectural structures with mechanical pencils or Autocad, I mean following a vehicle close enough to tuck in its draft and get pulled along at speeds not normally attained on flat roads on a bicycle. I usually take advantage of opportunities to hop in behind a truck or a bus, even on a recovery ride, just because it's fun.

So, today I left work with the intent of doing a 20ish mile ride, low tempo, keep it at the low end of zone three. The first ten miles went according to plan, then I saw it, one of those commuter buses dropping off a couple of passengers. It just started to accelerate as I got in behind it, but accelerated very quickly, up a slight hill, I managed to stay with it for about 1/4 mile,but he kept accelerating, I lost him.

I rode along for another few miles until georgetown center, where I saw a semitrailer pulling out onto 97 north, the same route I had planned on. I hopped on and soon we were pushing 40, a little delay for a car turning in front of the truck then back past 40...42!
Bummer, the truck turned off at center street.

A couple of miles later, I was approaching the groveland bridge in haverhill. Traffic generally congests here, with the jct of 113 and the single lane bridge passing a large shopping plaza across the merrimac river. I hopped in behind a minivan. It slowed for traffic after the bridge, but then picked up over 30. Damn, it turned off after 1/4 mile.

A mile later, a box truck pulled out of a store close enough for me to bridge up to it. I stayed with it for 1/4 mile until it too turned off.

(clickiemakiebiggie)

Last year I caught a truck draft from georgetown to the groveland bridge, about 4 miles, keeping it about 40 the entire way.

Drafting is actually a tried and true training tool, though it's usually done with the knowledge and cooperation of the driver, and usually small vehicle like a moped. That said, I'm not sure hopping in truck drafts really nets any benefit, but it sure is fun.