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Got my first ever elbow flick this morning

(13 posts)
  • Started 9 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from Wilmington's Cow

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Maybe it's cos I was 20 minutes earlier or so this morning, but the Innocent was hooching* with cyclists. Anyway, I caught a woman just before the climb to the tunnel, she was in all of the gear, and cruising. Given there's a blind right ahead, and there was a ped walking our way, I coasted and sat behind. Waited and waited till the route straightened, then saw a cyclist coming the other way (that's why you don't overtake on a blind bend kids), then as they passed I popped out of the saddle to move by, and in that instant got an elbow flick to go through.

    I believe that now makes me a 'proper cyclist' (either that or she'd got annoyed by my shadow behind her for the 30 seconds or so).

    *I passed 5, this counts as hooching, we're not in Denmark or the Netherlands.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. cc
    Member

    Congratulations!

    For some reason I'm reminded of French motorbike riders, who wave their foot in the air to say thanks as they overtake. Always loved that.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. dougal
    Member

    I am clearly well out of the loop. I assumed an elbow flick was similar to a "nudge" and someone had tried to dislodge you.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. wingpig
    Member

    I had similarly assumed that this thread would be about some sort of attack by a passing motorist.

    Is an elbow flick an official thing, then? Is it perhaps more clearly understood as an inter-cyclist signal than turning round and clearly asking someone to either leave space or get on and get past? I'll try it the next time I get wheelsucked.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    I know the elbow flick is used in team time trials. You count your time at the front then flick your elbow to the side you wish the following riders to overtake on. Once they are all past you join the back of the group. I'd take it as a mark of respect from another cyclist. It certainly beats the grumpy "go away" I've had a couple of times.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. condor2378
    Member

    Elbow flicks (after a shoulder check) are used riding at the velodrome to indicate that YOU'RE going to be moving in that direction. If I was behind someone and they flicked a right elbow, I'd expect them to move right and pass them on the left. It's basically an indication that they will be moving in that direction.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. fimm
    Member

    Oh.
    On the road (not just in team time trials, but any road racing) the flick of the elbow means "I have had enough of being in front, it is someone else's turn". You see riders in the Tour de France doing it, for example.

    (There's a person on another cycling forum whose user name is Flick Of The Elbow. They got a bit offended when someone referred to them as "Herr Flick of the Gestapo of the Elbow". I have a suspicion they didn't get the 'Allo 'Allo reference...)

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    That would explain why one of out team members claimed we were doing it all wrong. But that's how we did it.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. Coxy
    Member

    As Cyclingmollie, I always read an elbow-flick as meaning "c'mon, you take a turn"...

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Of course I'm now wondering if rather than just 'go past' it was indeed 'go past and take a turn' as I zoomed* up the hill.

    Certainly from what I've seen on the Tour, especially with breakaways of a few riders, is the elbow flick being used to indicate someone should come and take a turn and pass on this side (before they all start becoming wary of each other and get swallowed up by the peloton).

    Reading some more a hand signal is not used because that is reserved for indicating an obstruction or poor surface coming on that side. The subtle communication of riding in a group....

    *relatively

    Posted 9 years ago #

  11. stiltskin
    Member

    I'm surprised that a signal means one thing on the road but is the complete opposite on the track.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  12. condor2378
    Member

    @Stiltskin It certainly seems that way, doesn't it.

    But thinking about it, on the track, you'll always pull off "uphill" to the right and no 2 will be directly behind always and will see the "I'm pulling up" indication.

    However, on the road, your pace line might be angled behind due to the wind and wouldn't see a right elbow flick.

    ....1
    ...2
    ..3
    .4

    so it makes more sense for the left elbow "Pass this side" indication.

    tl:dr I don't know.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  13. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Just one of many articles

    It does seem that track and road are different on this.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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