If you ride a tandem you have undoubtedly heard this quintessential remark made by people thinking they sound clever: “she’s not pedaling back there”. Once you’ve heard it several hundred times, it loses its charm. When you think about it, it’s actually insulting. It is the equivalent of passing someone and shouting, “You lazy slob. Why don’t you get to work?”
We ride a daVinci which has independent coasting. That means when someone says “she’s not pedaling back there” we can literally prove them wrong. Spencer (husband/captain) will stop pedaling while I carry on. That may be too subtle but we think it’s fun. And of course, not everyone says this dreaded refrain. Here’s just a few of the many creative and positive comments we have heard along the way:
- Wish I had someone to help me up this hill!
- Great teamwork you guys!
- Hey, I didn’t think you had to pedal in the back!
- Which one of you works the hardest?
- Double the horse-power!
- When are you going to let her drive?!
- Stroke-Stroke-Stroke (on opening-day of boating season)
- That looks like FUN!
- She’s following you kinda close, isn’t she?!
I imagine everyone reading this has heard the common refrain as often as I have and you probably have learned to ignore it. But there are some times when it just can’t be ignored. I thought it would be fun to share our stories and effective comebacks. When I asked TCA about submitting this post here’s what I got back from Laura McCabe:
My usual response now is “Wow, that’s creative! I’ve NEVER heard THAT one before!”
Personal story: We were stopped at a traffic light and a motorcycle pulled up beside us. He said, “you need an engine on that thing.” My captain said, “I’ve got one. She’s in back.” (You can’t have him – he’s taken!)
We have been riding tandem since 1999, covering more than 30K miles. I pride myself on contributing to our team effort. For most of that time I’ve kept a civil tongue in my head. I must admit, I have not always successfully let this ubiquitous comment roll off my back.
Spencer Beard & Sheila Hoffman
at Hurricane Ridge Summit
Two most memorable incidence come to mind. On the slopes of Alpe d’Huez I completely LOST it half way up the climb when a bare chested man with a beer belly, surrounded by cases of beer, yelled it at me. I shot back a quintessential American two-word response. That shocked him into silence. Nine years later, while training for our Canadian Rockies tour we climbed Hurricane Ridge in Port Townsend, WA (5200 ft in 18 miles). We were going very slowly up a particularly steep section. I was not polite in my one-finger response and didn’t let him off easy as he stuttered an apology. In hindsight I know he was only trying to lighten the challenging climb. I carried my guilt up the remainder of the hill and never saw him again to apologize for my rudeness. BUT, you can be sure he won’t EVER again say “she’s not pedaling back there”.
Spencer has a theory. He thinks men say it because if they were in the back and couldn’t be seen, THEY would not pedal! I’m not sure if there’s any truth to that. But it does make me wonder if any male stokers also hear this comment. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a woman say this line. Have you? That may support Spencer’s theory. Please share your stories, examples of great comebacks and any other thoughts below.
I usually get a laugh when I respond, “That’s not true, this bike is rear wheel drive!”
We have riding the same Santana tandem since 1983. I think people just want to say something. We never take it the wrong way. Everyone wants to be funny. We have gotten so many cute remarks we can’t remember them all. Especially love the little kids that some time even squeal. Mom look a two person bike. We have heard many repeat comments over the years. I don’t think any one was trying to be insulting. Just try to remember when it was new to you.
Yes, why does everyone in this world take everyone else so seriously? It is not at all an attempt to ridicule or make fun of the stoker. Thank you for pointing that out. I love to make comments to people just to start a conversation or get a laugh. My wife and I are inexperienced on a tandem and we were doing a century ride and we passed some experienced riders and said something as we passed. We were laughing and just having a great time when the couple we passed zipped by us as if they were racing us. We just shrugged our shoulders and kept going.
Captain Steve has come up with great response. “That’s OK, neither am I!”
We too have heard this comment many times since riding from the ’80’s. It never bothered us (with either my daughter or wife as stoker). Similar to other responses I usually shout back that this is really a Volkswagon with the engine in the back (doesn’t quite fit anymore 😉 or I, when we’re on a flat, snap my feet out of the pedals and demonstrate who’s really pedaling. I’ve noticed that tandems bring smiles to most people and they are less threatening then “those darn cyclists”. Go figure!
For the comment, “She’s not pedaling,” my stoker Barb always shuts them up with “I’m MANAGEMENT!” Her response has comically shut them up across the USA and the English speaking countries we have visited. The most memorable comment we have ever had (Barb took it as a compliment) follows. Reaching the summit of a difficult climb south of Queenstown, NZ, an American couple (based on their accent) was checking out the viewpoint as we peddled by – the husband commented: “Sir, your wife is a better man than I am!” We just did a thumbs and kept pedaling.
We always see how long into the season it takes to get that one. This year it was January 1st at 8 miles. 🙂 My comeback is “she better be, all I’m doing is steering!” We’ve determined that it is usually 50+ year old men.
We too have found riding a tandem is usually disarming and we have great conversations. One funny one is when this captain made a bad route decision on our way to Gettysburg, I decided to route us through Hanover PA. This route had at least 1,000 additional feet of climbing. We we cresting a long steep hill out of water and and a long way from any town when see a couple out working in their yard. We saw the hose and asked if we could fill-up our water bottles. The wife says no, come on into the house where she filled the bottles with ice and then water. Just one of many fun tandem experiences on the road.
As the stoker, I have often heard ” She’s not pedaling!” to which I reply ” I’m drafting!”
Our funniest experience with the “she is not pedaling” joke was in France this summer. We rented a tandem in Avignon and within 10 min of the first ride at a stop light, two french guys pull up and start pointing at my wife saying the joke in French. They were laughing so hard as if they had just invented the joke. I could not stop laughing for 10 min.
Yes, my husband, the stoker, gets this comment a lot. We are not bothered by it at all given the many other serious problems with drivers on our city streets. I think we appreciate the humor, even if it is far from original. If there’s time I just say “I steer and brake and he does all the pedaling!”
We were riding our Bike Friday in northern Italy and one morning heard an express train coming up the road behind us. Well, you don’t see many tandems on Italian roads, so as half or more of the Continental team riders in the paceline rocketing past half turned and pointed at their rear wheels we assumed it was the Italian version of “she’s not pedaling …” Near the back of the paceline was a rider with some English, and as he pointed at his wheel — or, really, the tiny gap behind him — he shouted “tuck in, tuck in.” So for the next two hours we averaged about 40K tucked tightly in their training paceline. Lovely ride for a couple of old folks, without a hint of “she’s not pedaling…”
It’s so common to hear that we named our website: http://www.shesnotpedallingontheback.com!
The comment usually comes from some person standing around doing nothing. Accordingly, the proper response is: “She’s working harder than you are.”
My husband is 6’1. I’m 5’1 and the stoker. Hubby is a big ol’ dude and I am petite. The best response I have ever heard about being in the back was from a wee lassie, about 6 years old, during a local group ride in my hometown:
“The little one is pushing the big one! That’s not very fair”.
am a male stoker. My wife and I hear it all the time.
Hope to see you and Gail on our trip from Berlin to Prague
Beginning Sept 9..
You inspire me. I am always looking back to see if you are passing me.
Ernie and Linda Tuttle
After hearing that comment so many times it was hard for me to maintain my sense of humor but that reflected just as poorly on me as the person uttering the unoriginal refrain. I finally came up with this retort which always makes me feel better “You just WISH I was on the back of your bike!”
My canned response – I’m the captain – is “that’s OK, I’m not steering!”
We have ridden the Dirty Kanza a couple of times on the tandem, and it seems like everyone chooses a theme for that year’s tandem joke. The first year, we heard so many people say “That’s a bicycle built for divorce!” or “Look, a divorce machine!”
This year, the tandem theme was “She’s taking a coffee break!”
I would just like to know, how do they all coincide their comments. Lol.
We do love all the smiles that the tandem generates!
Bingo – you nailed it! We too enjoy the smiles we see, and the “she’s not pedaling” and other inane comments always seem to be offered in good fun – those spouting out such profundities are inspired to socially and verbally engage with us, and we frequently fire back fun responses, such as “Rats – not again!” (from the captain) or “I’m just the photographer! (from the stoker). A day in which a total stranger engages us with humor is a good day – how often does that happen when you are NOT on a tandem????
response: I know, but at least she stopped pedaling the other direction!
Gets a laugh.
We have T-shirts which read in back,
Stoker/her – “I really am pedaling!”
Captain/him – “If you can read this, I’ve lost my wife!”
Great to hear the laughs as we pedal away
Been riding since ’95, MN, CT, western PA, next ?
I love this idea. Did you have these made up yourself, or buy them somewhere?
After reading these comments, I’m sorry I won’t have the chance to use some of these since I’m selling my tandem. I live in a golf cart community in Florida and it is the golf cart drivers (usually male) who think they alone have come up with this “original” “clever” comment. . My favorite retort was “neither are you”.
Oh – we rarely hear this when we are passing them 😉
I share a tandem with my now 8 yo daughter. And do a lot of pick up and drop off. As a result a spend a good amount of time solo riding our tandem. The not so original joke I hear is that I’m missing someone. I accept the attempt at humor and reply that she knows the rule is to hold on. I also assume the comment comes from someone with 4 empty seats in a suv
A paceline of local racing team – guys and gals – passed us on a fast descent and one of the guys gave us a great compliment – nice tight draft!
Best compliment we’ve had is “that is a baaad bike!”
It’s risky to make a negative remark (or gesture) to someone yelling the famous “she’s not pedaling “. You’re in a very vulnerable position and you never know who the crazy person is….
A couple times I heard some amusing comments & replies from Blind Stokers Club teams. I’m sure the folks making the “not pedaling” comments had no idea….
“How’s the view back there?” My favorite reply was “Beautiful!”
(Upon seeking the name on the jersey):
“What’s a “stoker”?
(From the rear):
“The blind member of the team”
Followed by “which one’s that? Oh. Never mind, sorry.”
And a particularly awkward exchange one day.
After a couple of rowdy half-bike riders had tried to be funny, and the captain had patiently responded two or three times, one of the clowns said “he doesn’t talk much, does he!”
The captain said “No, not much.”
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Hahaha.”
“No. But in addition to being blind, he can’t hear you either.”
:::Silence:::
We meet lots of great people out there, and a few clowns.
I, the captain, usually say, “That’s OK, I’m not steering.” Lame, but better than giving them the finger.
My reply to “she’s not pedaling back there“ …
“Shhhh, you are not suppose to tell!”
We realized after a few years that everyone thinks they are the first to say “she’s not pedaling,” so we just smile and wave. While touring in France we had many women and older folks yell “bon chance” (good luck) at us. The younger dudes would sometimes yell insults and snicker to impress friends. While climbing Alpe d’huez folks at the base of the climb would laugh at us. But as we rounded the last few turns, folks would shout WHOA! and clap encouragingly. I think most folks admire the sight of a couple enjoying tandeming and perhaps wish the could do the same.
We expect to hear these comments and don’t take them seriously or personally. It’s all in good fun. A sarcastic comment like “Wow, that’s creative! I’ve NEVER heard THAT one before!” really takes the fun out of it so we avoid that tactic.
OMG !!! I love this post !!!
My husband just sent it to me and it could be my story (but your English is way better than mine). We’ve been riding the tandem for 11 years and heard this poor poor joke so many times I cannot count (but if I’m honest we received a lot more positive feedbacks for us riding the tandem in steep slopes or mountain biking on sleek rock in Moab, UT). 2 weeks ago I lost it when a guy served it to me one more time. I didn’t know I had it in me to shout like this. I felt ashamed and proud at the same time, very troubling feeling 😉
Anyway, instead of shouting at him too my husband teased him and said : “do you want to see if she’s pedaling back there ?” And off we went up the road leaving him way behind. I guess anger gave me the extra power.
I realized I had been keeping this for myself (and my hubby…) for 11 years…it had to come out I guess !!
I’m so glad I read your story !
Keep up the good job, I KNOW you are pedaling back there !!
OMG !!! I love this post !!!
My husband just sent it to me and it could be my story (but your English is way better than mine). We’ve been riding the tandem for 11 years and heard this poor poor joke so many times I cannot count (but if I’m honest we received a lot more positive feedbacks for us riding the tandem in steep slopes or mountain biking on sleek rock in Moab, UT). 2 weeks ago I lost it when a guy served it to me one more time. I didn’t know I had it in me to shout like this. I felt ashamed and proud at the same time, very troubling feeling 😉
Anyway, instead of shouting at him too my husband teased him and said : “do you want to see if she’s pedaling back there ?” And off we went up the road leaving him way behind. I guess anger gave me the extra power.
I realized I had been keeping this for myself (and my hubby…) for 11 years…it had to come out I guess !!
I’m so glad I read your story !
Keep up the good job, I KNOW you are pedaling back there !!
When we ride our carbon tandem, pedestrians usually are not quick enough to think of and say the entire 3-word sentence before we are gone and they are talking to nothing but the air. As we ride, I call out upcoming “target” distances to my stoker, such as “recreational bikers at 200 yards, closing fast,” counting the distance down every 50 yards or so until we steamroll past. Usually she turns on the afterburner shortly before we pass, just to rub it in. She just turned 69 and I will be 68 in two months. On the flats, we can even reel in most (but not all!) of the young, fit avid carbon riders. Although we are reasonably fit and ride a lot (much, much slower when touring fully loaded on our steel tandem for weeks at a time), but a carbon tandem is not a fair fight against a single rider, particularly downhill, on the flats, or into a headwind. Riding a carbon tandem feels like cycling on a high speed electric sidewalk. As captain, it feels like I am tearing through the air at a speed simply not allowed under mere human power…certainly at a speed I cannot come close to while alone on my carbon race bike. If you have a carbon tandem, you know what I am talking about. If you have never tried a carbon tandem, well, what are you waiting for?