Road Cycling Tips

Slipstreaming or drafting is a technique in cycling where riders ride closely behind one another in order to reduce the overall effect of drag. Especially when riding in high speeds, slipstreaming can drastically reduce the energy expenditure required to maintain a certain speed.

A large main group of such tightly packed cyclists in a race is called a peloton, while cyclists riding in straight-line formation, each slipstreaming behind the one in front of him, is called a paceline.

Slipstreaming can be used among competitors in a cooperative manner, in which several competitors take turns in the lead position. Or, it can be used by a rider for his own advantage by staying closely behind a non-slipstreaming competitor, preserving him energy to perform an attack later on.