to sit on someone's wheel

9.1

To ride very close behind another cyclist to save energy

phrasal verb

Jargon

: ir a rueda

During the race, she chose to sit on someone's wheel to conserve energy before the final sprint.

Examples

He managed to sit on my wheel for most of the climb, only attacking near the top.
New riders are often surprised by how much easier it is to sit on someone's wheel in a strong headwind.
Don't sit on my wheel too closely!
Why do you always sit on my wheel?
During the race, she chose to sit on someone's wheel to conserve energy before the final sprint.
He managed to sit on my wheel for most of the climb, only attacking near the top.
New riders are often surprised by how much easier it is to sit on someone's wheel in a strong headwind.

How Close

to sit on someone's wheel

Jargon

9.1

following

1.0

Surface Forms

sit on someone's wheel infinitive

sat on someone's wheel past

sat on someone's wheel past participle

sitting on someone's wheel present participle

sits on someone's wheel third person singular

Morphology

sit + on + someone's + wheel

The literal words ('sit' + 'on' + 'someone's' + 'wheel') evoke a clear image of being positioned at another rider's wheel, so a learner can infer close physical proximity. However, the technical cycling sense of drafting — riding very closely to reduce air resistance and save energy — requires specific world knowledge and is not fully predictable from the constituents alone, making it only partially transparent.

Etymology

Sit on someone's wheel comes from cycling: one rider sits very close behind another so their front wheel is almost touching the lead rider's rear wheel, and the leader takes the wind. That's why it means 'to ride very closely behind another cyclist to save energy'.