Wayback Machine 1935: Drafting Works
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto on 01.15.08
We have mentioned before that "drafting," or getting right in behind a truck, does save fuel for the car (or bike) behind, but at great risk of death and dismemberment. Here is proof from 1936, where a bicyclist got up to 100 MPH drafting behind a specially equipped car that fortunately was on a closed track and did not jam on the brakes. Oh, oh, looks like he is on a fixie, too. ::Modern Mechanix
Oh you're asking for it boy!! haha
I remember the cyclist who went superfast in some streamlined contraption that looked like something out of the 'World's Fastest Indian' movie. Pretty cool but hard to use.
Yes, sneaky freaky types draft me for a while on the west side bike path. I know I will accidentally stop short on them one day and have a pile up.
Hyper-milers in their Priuses draft trucks a lot for the added mpg. Good luck to them!
vsk
What I think is really amazing is that the big Sail at the back of that car did not come off at 100 mph. In 1935 going 100 mph was no easy feat and I can imagine have that much drag made it even worse. Where did you find that article?
Cheers - Eric
I've tried drafting in my Smart car, you've got to stay really close to the truck for it to make any difference and the amount of concentration it takes just isn't worth it compared to driving slower (driving 50mph instead of 70mph gets you about 20mpg bonus points) and easing off on the acceleration and decceleration (can get you another 10mpg bonus points), which are wee bit safer
I hear you VSK, I commute on my slick-shod MTB, and every now and then I look behind me and see some cheeky roadie, quitely drafting me.
Ask my permission first you lycra clad fools! I should be drafting you!