Twice the power, love it vs She’s not pedaling
 

We got our favorite comment in a long time from a rider today, “twice the power, love it”, when of course, like many of you we usually get “she’s not pedaling”. Any other nice positive comments out there that we can promote? Nice come backs to the almost universally nice intentioned cars and riders, with “she’s not pedaling”? I usually say something like “she’s doing most of the pedaling”, because she is, but I do not think it is very good at changing behavior. Although a guy and his wife in a car did slow up to tell us they new she was the power after the initial discussion. I am in a campaign to change the “she’s not pedaling”, before my wife knocks down the next rider to say it (well she’s really to nice to do that, but when she is really gassed she might come close).

"She's not pedalling!"

"It doesn't matter - her pedals are just for show - they aren't even hooked up."

We've received that and similar comments while riding our tandem. Most times as we are passing riders. Some might even say she is lucky because I am carrying the load. I reply with, "she does this same pace on her single bike!" with a little smile because she does.

So it's nice when we encounter those riders again and she's on her single passing them! :D

Once, in response to a "she's not pedaling", I replied "That's OK, she's great in bed".

For that I received a beating. I guess I deserved it. But it was still funny.

We were once heckled by another rider in a race "You don't have enough wheels." We mostly shrugged it off, but it was the third tandem-bashing comment from the rider. Karma was strong that day, however. The single-bike rider trashed a wheel later in the race from a flat tire. Now who has enough wheels?

Funny, no one ever says anything like that when I roll around with my granddaughters, and I often call for "girl power" as I take my feet off the pedals and make them power us. I guess it's okay to disrespect women, but not little girls.

Actually, I think people really want to say something nice and witty, but just can't think of anything in the short time available during a typical bike encounter. When we get the "not pedaling comment, usually directed at the stoker (me, the male), we just chuckle and I tell them to shush so she won't find out. If their intent is positive, I refuse to read negativity into it even when their words reveal something that could be interpreted thus. It's probably harder for women, who get hit with this disrespect constantly, to let it go.

We got a new one yesterday. While pedaling up hill past a cyclist just finishing his ride, he said “I see you have a turbo!” Stoker loved that one!