fooferdoggie 

we have had ours for about 3 months choppy in our 50's and we have been yelled out saying she's cheating she's not peddling and such several times. a couple weeks ago a guy in a pickup slowed down while we were crossing a bridge and videos us. never had anything like that on a regular bike.

WheelsNT

Try riding a quad with four seats rather than the two on a regular tandem. It’s like the circus has come to town. Everyone seems to love the sight of all the kids pedaling away, and many folks make comments. So far, all positive!

yamsyamsyams

Yes many comments...the usual ones that we get sick of like she’s not pedaling, look it’s a double bike, you guys can go twice as fast, etc.

MikeAndJean

Our standard route crosses Stanford campus, which has plenty of tourists with video cameras. We are in more than one family vacation video, as part of the scenery. A few years ago we had a random stranger take the following photo.



They caught up with us and sent us a copy. We also ended up on a Google street-side view a few years ago:



As far as that old cliché, "she's not pedaling", we hear that all the time. People don't seem to understand how insulting it is to our stokers. It comes in many different forms. On climbs, often I am asked, "can you tell if she is pedaling as hard as you?" Or, "wouldn't you rather be climbing on your single?" My stoker (who pound-for-pound is far stronger than me) tries to ignore these insensitive remarks, but that doesn't always work.

oldacura

My Stoker too hates the "She's not pedaling" comment. I try to tell her that people saying that really aren't being critical - they just think they are being really clever (?). Anyway, she hates the comment and it makes me cringe everytime someone says it.

fooferdoggie 

man a universal stupid comment how crazy is that?

LV2TNDM

Sorry, it had to be said.

Go Bears!

LV2TNDM

We get lots of good attention on the road tandem. Being bright purple helps too. Happily, I can report that I cannot remember the last time we got the dreaded "not pedaling" comment. (Crosses fingers.)

But we REALLY get noticed when we're riding single track on the mountain tandem. That causes a fair amount of surprise. It's funny when encountering other trail users from an approaching angle. They look at us and just assume we're two riders approaching. Then as we get closer, they notice that my partner is riding REALLY close to me. Then as we pass, the realization sets in, "Oh a tandem! Cool!!!" Love the positive vibe!

But I'll have to say that the unicycle gets the most attention. Yesterday I heard at least 10 different groups of people comment. Kids love 'em! (They love "two-bikes" too!)

amilianadvtrs

We basically receive zero reaction when we ride on our single bikes but get quite a few comments, smiles and waves on the tandem.
My favorite one recently was a kid that said "Wow, they have FOUR water bottles!"

Someone asked us how much horsepower our bike has, obviously two.... come on guy.

There are many snarky responses to the snarky "not pedaling" comment but you need to be quick on the draw before they aren't worth shouting back. As the captain I usually go with "Neither am I" or "That's okay, I'm not steering".

Tomm Willians

We don’t receive comments nearly as much as looks of astonishment as we blow by them. A tandem on a flat is a speed machine and it gives me a twisted pleasure to pass well conditioned cyclists who were not aware of that fact. Of course the hills are another matter.

New2Two

We usually get at least one "She's not pedaling back there" at least once a ride. Just have a snappy comeback ready to go..."That's ok, she's management", "She's not steering either", "that's fine, I'm not steering", or if a cyclist says it my wife might reply "you can either make dumb jokes, or draft. You chose poorly!"

We do seem to get more respect and placement from motorists than we got on our singles, so we'll take the comments if it means more space on the road.

headasunder

The 'shes not pedaling' cliche seems to be a world wide thing my observations are that the demographic most likely to utter it are middle to old age men not sure why. The last time I heard it I replied wearily that I hadn't heard that before. we then put the hammer down and rode him off our wheel. You do get a lot of comments riding a tandem 99% are positive and encouraging its seems to cheer people up to see 2 people in unison on a bike

fooferdoggie 

yes it seems we get good space. well had a ditz on a bike she was puttering along packing on her phone and we were just close to passing her on the left when she wanders in front of us. her her tell someone she almost hit us but never got off the phone.
I should get my blind stoker a jersey that says I am blind and so are you.

kayakindude

It's funny but I have the opposite problem. Several times a person has yelled at us "she's doing all the work!", my wife being the stoker. Apparently I have to step up my game

Paul J

Each year we track when we first hear the dreaded "she's not pedaling". One year, actually right after our 60th birthdays in December, we got it 5 miles into our New Years Day ride. That has been our record. :-) I usually say "she better be because all I'm doing is steering"! We've too have found it middle to older men.

Pridedog

In my experience motorists are a lot more courteous when I am on tandem. Plus we get nothing but good comments. Full disclosure, I never ride the tandem without one of my grandkids on the back (ages 5-10).😉

L134 

my experience as well no matter who the stoker is.

Carbonfiberboy 

Captain here. Yes, the "she's not pedaling" thing too many times. The last pickup driver who said that to us while stopped at a light got back, "Always a good day for a sexist remark, isn't it?" I'm totally fed up with that crap.

I've also had "Lucky!" shouted at me, very true because I am.

It's very noticeable that vehicles do give us more room than when I'm on my single.

noimagination

We get more smiles and comments like "that looks fun" and "I'd love to try that", which I personally wouldn't characterize as "yelling at" us.

Yes, we get the one about "she's not pedaling" ad nauseum. It's getting so my wife is having a hard time staying civil when people shout that one out.

Alan_F

When the "she's not pedaling" is from another cyclist the best I've been able to come up with is "It looks like your partner didn't even show up!"

I was also wondering the other day... when two people are tandem kayaking do people shout "She's not paddling" ???

noimagination

Normally with tandem kayaking, the lighter person (usually the "she") is in front (it's hard to steer a kayak that is down by the bow). It would be more likely to be "He's not paddling!!"

Sorry for the pedantry, it's Friday.

obrentharris 

We were once passed by a young fast Irish cyclist who shouted to my wife "God bless the work!"
The exact opposite of "she's not pedaling."
Brent

fooferdoggie 

we had a rodie who tried to pass us as we crossed a street from a red light. my wife heard him say I knew I should not have tried to pass a tandem. several compliments in the last couple of days on the bike.