Flicking elbows???

[toaster]

In a paceline, do you flick an elbow on the side you move off to, or flick the elbow on the side you want riders to pull through on??

Is there good logic behind the choice? Are trackies of a different opinion than roadies?

Hmmm?

While you're at it, who yields on a singletrack, the downhill rider or the uphill on mountain bikes ?

[dave thompson]

In a paceline, do you ...<snip>...flick the elbow on the side you want riders to pull through on??
Yes.

[William]

http://www.thaiboxing.com/images/the_elbow.jpg

:D

A: Yes.

William ;)

[H.Frank Beshear]

Aww thats just a love tap William :banana: And no I don't want a demonstration :D Frank

[SManning]

In a paceline, do you flick an elbow on the side you move off to, or flick the elbow on the side you want riders to pull through on??

Is there good logic behind the choice? Are trackies of a different opinion than roadies?

Hmmm?

I was taught to flick my elbow on the side that I want the person to pull through on. It tells the person which side to pull through on; and therefore eliminates confusion. The one time I rode on a velodrome; we rotated to the back of the paceline on the steeper part of the track. Everyone pulled through on our left side. There's nothing freakier than rotating to the back of the paceline while looking down onto the paceline. Very, very strange....

While you're at it, who yields on a singletrack, the downhill rider or the uphill on mountain bikes ?

I can't answer that one for you. Most of the trails we ride in Michigan are single direction loops. Here's a link from IMBA that might help answer your question.

http://www.imba.com/news/trail_news/14_4/itn_14_4_letters.html

[Fixed]

In a paceline, do you flick an elbow on the side you move off to, or flick the elbow on the side you want riders to pull through on??

Is there good logic behind the choice? Are trackies of a different opinion than roadies?

Hmmm?

While you're at it, who yields on a singletrack, the downhill rider or the uphill on mountain bikes ?
Yes, flick your elbow to the pull through side of your body. Have you ever ridden with someone who hits their butt with their hand, to get you to pull through? Very strange I believe. Cheers.

[vandeda]

While you're at it, who yields on a singletrack, the downhill rider or the uphill on mountain bikes ?

Toaster ... logic tells me that the mtn biker going uphill yields ... reason being ... he's under more control and it's easier for him to get out of the way. I could be completely wrong though ....

dan

[Peter]

Flick your elbow on the side you want the rider to pull through on. I'm amazed at how many so-called "experienced" cyclists don't understand this movement when you give them the message.

The downhill rider yields. In ALL cases, be it pedestrians vs. cars, cars vs. bikes, bikes vs. pedestrians, you should yield for the slower/weaker party. Power does NOT give you the right of way!

[Kevan]

are liberal..
others conservative...
yet some go both ways.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

I elbow out (left).

[andy mac]

in australia sprinters signal with their heads, or so robbie told me.

[EdK]

You pull through on the side opposite of the direction of the wind. If it is dead on straight in the direction of travel (very rare) you chose the safe side. Who cares what side the idiot in front of you flicks his (or her ) elbow on. You really shouldn't even think about pulling through until the person in front of you stops pulling and pulls off, hopefully in the direction the wind is coming from. unbeliflippinleavable! If you are not satisifed with the pace in front attack them!

If you can not or don't want to attack them explain to them this very fundamental premise of paceline!!!!!!

This is a topic that continues to amaze me..............................

If you are in a pace line and no one knows this I am sorry, If you are in a pace line a no one tells you, welcome to the club, if you are in a pace line and pull through on the wind side you are an IDIOT! go George......

[toaster]

Quote from "Racing Tactics For Cyclists" by Thomas Prehn:

"you should always use your elbow to signal the direction you're pulling off to. This is because if there were any slight crosswind, the riders following, staggered downwind, would easily see the signal..."

(end of quote)

Still, it seems the consensus here is universal confirming the opposite view.

[nick0137]

Trackies clearly have a different view. Always, always, always flick the elbow on the right ('cos you keep turning left remember) side (which is the outside) to indicate that you're going up the track. But, then again, maybe this is a tomayto/tomahto thing...

[William]

Aww thats just a love tap William :banana: And no I don't want a demonstration :D Frank

;)

William

[keno]

1. On the road, the lead riding is pulling off and number 2 rider and the rest are maintaining a line and speed. Pulling through should change nothing with the paceline expect the lead is getting off the front and number 2 is about to work harder. The flick should tell number 2 his work is about to increase and is a wake up call. I flick to side I'm going, which is established anyway at the beginning of the paceline after the first one to move off the lead goes. Also, road setup will govern and there should be no variation on side lead gets off once a paceline is established. The flick is a courtesy, I think.

2. On the track, as Nick said, the lead always moves off to the right and up the track, usually on turn 1 or 3, which provide the best downhill slopes to quickly get on the back of the line. On the track, unlike the road, the leads usually get off at the same place on the track, e.g. turn one, or one and three, or every other turn one, etc. Once, again, the flick is the wake up call to rider number 2 that he is about to work harder.

[zap]

When working the paceline as a team, I was taught by a local legend many moons ago to flick to the side one moves to.

Another important note about pulling off. Keep the power on as you move over and then lighten up some as you go to the back.

[csb]

similar to peters thoughts:
in backpacking, the party going up has the ROW


in cycling, i think of the elbow flick as the motion
'come here' (safer than waving your hand motioning
a rearward rider to move up). they see the movement
on the side they come to. as zap said, you keep
your speed up 'til you're to the side + free of the line and
slide back around, quickly finding out that this also can be
work.

there are even rules (manners) to fishing a river

[ClutchCargo]

The downhill rider yields. In ALL cases, be it pedestrians vs. cars, cars vs. bikes, bikes vs. pedestrians, you should yield for the slower/weaker party. Power does NOT give you the right of way!

downhill rider yields , as he can 'restart' more easily than the uphill rider can.
(but remember, you're talking mountain bikers, so don't assume that full-face helmet wearin', armored up maniac barrelling downhill at you will know the rule !)

cheers, mate !