Mrs Geezer and I were out on the tandem this morning, enjoying the beginning of the cooler weather (relatively speaking - still high 90.s) and feelng good. Seana has a sweater wrapped around her waist in case we stop somewhere air-conditioned. ( I think you can see where this tale is going).
So, about an hour in, nicely warmed up, and we're going down a slight descent when the back wheel locks solid. I think I'm doing pretty well to keep the bike balanced and in line until we stop (leaving at least a thirty yard skidmark). As I was otherwise engaged, the unclipping from the pedals trick hadn't been on the top of my mind. Seana steps off daintily while I topple over with the bike on top.
As we set about unwrapping the sweater from the wheel and the seat stays and the brakes where it had slipped and jammed things, Seana helpfully points out "Well, if you weren't clipped in with those silly shoes, you wouldn't have fallen off!"
So, what do you think? Smile and agree and be grateful for a riding companion - or give some corrective feedback with the frame pump? I'd be grateful for your views.

...the unclipping from the pedals trick hadn't been on the top of my mind...

- isn't the first rule when going clipless to unclip before stopping? or is trackstanding on a tandem a difficult skill?

:-)

p.s. i hope the rest of the ride continued without incident!

Remember women are always right even when they are wrong.

or is trackstanding on a tandem a difficult skill?[/QUOTE]

normally its easy, its harder with your wife's sweater jammed in the wheel - makes the rocking backwards and forwards a little tricky!

Or, she might have steadied the bike to keep you from falling.
Oh, and your being clipped in with those silly shoes would be less than half so annoying to me as her error in allowing the sweater to get tangled up in the wheel to begin with.

That said, I assume that the two of you would not still be wobbling and geezing along if the shortcomings "apparent" in each of your characters weren't offset by more redeeming qualities.

I would probably brush off the bike, myself, and the incident (in that order) and move on with the happy relationship.

Caruso

"Grin and bear it."

Repeat after me: "I'm sorry. You were right and I was wrong, and I'll try to do better next time."

You can tell from the answers, this forum is full of 50+s. They're all advising you to put up with that kind of response.

The correct response would have been: "how are you getting home dear?" said loudly over your shoulder as you pedal away without her.

"yes dear........."

"You're right dear and I'm sorry about your nice sweater."

She was looking out for your safety by testing a new emergency stopping method in case of brake failure on future rides. And you had to go and screw it up by clipping in with your silly shoes.

It's all your fault Geeze.

Why that's easy: The very first rule in the tandem rider's handbook says: "The stoker is always right!"

Violation of that rule generally results in the ownership of a very large piece of expensive garage art.

Yup, thanks and thanks to you all -

the only reason I've posted this here is that we both thought the incident was funny, so we thought we'd share!
And I'm so glad that the geezette chooses against rationality to ride bikes with me - but at the same time I reserve the male right to assert that rear wheels and sweaters are better separated.
Pre- flight check next time - no shoe laces close to the timing chain, no waist bag loose ends close to the calipers, no sweaters at all .

We have a lot of fun on bikes together! Hope you all do so too

2 words make for a long marraige......."Yes Dear".

First rule of Tandemming- A stoker is NEVER wrong. Otherwise the Tandem gets very heavy when she catches a Taxi home.

You're right of course -

I thought the McCready quote was " a stoker makes no mistakes", also true (.. till she does).

May the Lord forgive me!

I am a stoker and I am never wrong- Unfortunately- this attitude can mean a long walk home if I ever get off the Tandem just after I have upset the Pilot.

Corrective feedback with the frame pump??

Sorry, I meant


Loved your thread. You sound like a "professional husband" to me.

Buy her the nicest sweater you can find. Don't wait until the anniversary or christmas or birthday. Do it right away and surprize her. That sweater will forever lock in the "silly shoes" episode in your marriage.

Thank you so much. I appreciate your post.

Two possible responses

Response one - Have you never read BF Skinner on operant conditioning? If I followed your advice, every time she hankers after knitwear she'll crash the bike.

Response two - Lovely idea, that's what I should and will do!

Correct response is "My fault! lets go shop for a replacement sweater"

You realize, of course, how unfair this all is. From high school on the boys focus on cars and sports. The girls learn about relationships, operant conditioning and reward systems.

My favorite wife has suggested that she & I alternate days when everything is one of our faults. I told her I couldn't keep up with which day so why don't we alternate weeks: one week everything is my fault, the next week everything is hers.

But as a BF 50+'er, I'm having trouble keeping up with the weeks so I've told her not to worry about when it was 'her' turn - that I'd just assume the mantle of responsibility for everything that can & does go wrong.

If a tree falls in the woods when a man is there alone and no woman is around, is it still his fault?

possible answers: no, yes or probably

correct answers: yes or probably