How To Draft Like A Pro | Essential Cycling Skills

Whether you call it drafting, slipstreaming, riding on a wheel or sitting behind others, it's a crucial skill if you want to learn how to ride with other cyclists. Here's how to do it!

There are various terms for this particular skill. It may also be referred to as sitting on the wheel, sitting in, drafting, sat on, giving a tow and many more!

Once mastered this skill, you can reap the benefits. It will have you saving you 30-40% energy compared to riding on the front in the wind, helping you ride further as well as gaining riding confidence.
It's important to initially practice this as much as possible, start by riding approximately half a wheel (30cm) behind the rider in front, who has to be riding smoothly. As your confidence grows gradually reduce this distance until your front wheel is around 15cm behind the rider in front's rear wheel.

Key tips:
- Remember to keep your head up so you can see any changes in direction ahead. Don't stare in a trance like state at the wheel in front of you, just the occasional check to make sure of your distance.
- Avoid heavy braking as it will require more energy to get back onto the wheel in front, it's better to feather the brakes to scrub off any speed.
- The direction of the wind plays a very important part of sitting on a wheel, our graphics in the video show you just how to do it!

What are your tips for sitting on the wheel in front? Let us know in the comments 👇

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Filmed on location in Mallorca.

Music:
Saturn 3 - Ulas Koca

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Leave us a comment below!

[jackdooley]

As a rider who likes to jump out of the saddle a lot, I have taught myself to say "standing" just before doing so. I know it helps the guys behind me and is now so ingrained I find myself saying it even when riding alone!

[till]

You can smooth the transition when going out of the saddle by shifting up a gear or two (also makes sense speedwise since you are likely to drop your cadence).

[pdoyle]

The intro music sounds more like a horror movie tone. And being in slow mo makes it

[paulflory]

No mention of the consequence of touching the wheel in front. It usually leads to a crash and a broken collarbone. Therefore when you know you are tired, for example towards the end of a ride, back off slightly and try to be more vigilant.

[jen]

i have been off the road for 6 years and had forgotten the last tip about getting out of the saddle to accelerate, doing it gradually. that was something i once got yelled at for in a club ride, as well as not holding a line. it was my first year in a club and it was sloppy as hell to begin with, but in the end i was a respected member.

i personally try to do more work at the front of the group than required, because i know one day i will need their help and i won't feel so bad about not being able to do my share of the work once in a while.

excellent show, by the way!

[woozertoo]

"Cyclist's sixth sense"--say that three times, fast.

[BucketlistFitRunning]

Excellent video as always. Needed these so I can no kill anyone in my future group rides.

[GeorgNikodym]

That was a really nice demonstration of the bike going backwards when standing out of the saddle on a climb. In our local learn to race program, riders behind are taught to be extra careful when the grade goes upward since the rider in front may stand up at any point (in other words, don't assume that the rider in front has watched this video :)

[stevehambley]

Also drop back or to the side when taking a drink from your bottle or looking back prior to a turn.

[budesmatpicu]

How to wheelsuck like a pro... today with Simon Gerrans.

[taylormcintyre]

Tom's presenting skills in this video were top notch!

[bomberex]

Honestly drafting is so fun. I am not necessarily the best rider in my mountain biking group but when we do road biking practices I am able to stay pretty close to the pack for good intervals just due to drafting.

[JAWORA]

Tom? What happened to your Project One TREK Madone that you designed yourself? ;)

[langy]

The more and more I see your new kit lads the more I like it. Very classy!

[charlesgould]

I tend to not feather my brakes if I get too close to the lead rider. I dissipate speed by just sitting up or pulling out from behind the lead rider.  This will slow you down slightly and is safer than feathering.

[racer]

1:41 Look Up! I think Chris Froome was sick the day they taught that in Cycling 101

[cyclejockey]

Thanks for the tips GCN. Always enjoy the show !

[James-zuij]

I have 2 tips I think can be quite important

1. When the wind is from the side, the echelon can be too large. people who are desperate to hang on will risk riding on the wrong side of the road. Simply start another echelon 45 degrees to the rear on the wind side. You can still get a bit of a pull from the other echelon.

2. If you are about to run into somebodies back wheel and take out the whole peloton, simply stand up this will give you about 6 inches of rearward adjustment. This save you from disaster and importantly, not scrub any speed off.

Just one last thing If the person in front could kindly indicate if he/she can no longer hold the wheel. It save the guys behind from going into the red to bridge the gap.

Here is a question to all. Is it ok to give somebody a nudge from behind to help them keep the wheel. I get mixed reaction. Usually the grouchy middle ranked guys look at you in horror, others very thank full. You can tell when somebody is not going to make it but you know the whole group is gonna slow down in the next 20 seconds.

[barretwaltz]

Where is the line between riding on the wheel to draft and "half-wheeling"? Could you have a video expanding on the advantage of riding at various distances?

[simonrano]

Also learned the meanning of "peppy music" today, another great learning from GCN !!