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-
- Upon taming the tandem
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
-
- It is a thing unheard of that a gentleman should of his own accord
- wish to expend energy when the toil of another will achieve the same
- end. For this reason it is most unlikely that he will have been allowed
- in childhood to entertain a notion so fanciful as that of cavorting
- astride a bicycle.
-
- A bicycle is a tool commonly employed by the lower orders, they being
- wont to find their pleasure in trawling Her Majesty's highways at a
- speed only slightly in excess of a smart walking pace until their
- betters approach in an automobile. As the automobile passes close by,
- the bootless astride his bicycle will hail the occupants in strange
- tongues, and deliver a bi-digital salute before apparently taking
- immediate cover by tumbling headlong into the nearest gutter or open
- ditch before a well-aimed cigar-butt can find its mark. It is for its
- association with such bootless misconduct that the bicycle is considered
- in well-bred circles to be beyond the pale.
-
- Notwithstanding such reputation however, and provided that adequate
- measures are taken to mitigate the effort required to propel it, a
- gentleman may find boundless opportunity for amusement if he will first
- familiarise himself with its complexities and thereafter apply a degree
- of forethought commensurate with his caste.
-
- He should realise at once that despite its tendency to unseat him
- should his attention wander, a bicycle is not a living creature. Should
- he find himself prostrated beneath it, it will not serve to stand and
- render unto it a well-aimed kick in the fork. Neither will a practised
- tweak under the rear-mudguard carry with it any hope of bringing tears
- to its headlamp. Any idea of disciplining the contraption must
- therefore be dismissed as unworkable and counter-productive.
-
- It will in all cases be efficacious if a gentleman will practise his
- skills aboard a bicycle made for two, known also as a tandem, with his
- man seated astern. This has many advantages and should one's man
- exhibit any fear of the machine, or be reluctant to propel it, he should
- be reminded that the inevitable reduction in his driving hours may lead
- to a mulct of pay. The most idle of valets is apt to take a vigorous
- interest in proceedings when his thought process has been thus directed.
-
- Seating one's man astern ensures that forced dismounts are kept to a
- minimum, for the common man enjoys the terra- corpus interface no better
- than his master. Should the slothful wretch fail to lower his
- undercarriage in time to prevent a spill at any speed, the gentleman may
- be assured that the oaf's bulk will at any rate support the weight of
- the capsized bicycle, thus sparing himself the anguish of torn breeches
- and incommodiously bruised flesh whilst he berates the idle creature and
- reminds him, again, that an element of forward motion is required to be
- sustained if the pull of gravity - and a sound boxing of the ears - is
- to be staved off.
-
- Once the further intricacies of direction control and brake
- application have been mastered, the machine may be taken onto Her
- Majesty's highways and the game begun.
-
- The common man on the look-out for automobiles is apt to overlook the
- approach of a tandem since it appears from the front to be just another
- bicycle. His limited intelligence suggests to him only that one of his
- own caste is abroad and his adrenalin is thus not released. Much sport
- may be had, therefore, if a gentleman will instruct his man to pedal
- strongly and if he will, as they breast the solo cyclist, address to him
- the bi-digital salute so beloved by him. As ground is gained, a curl of
- cigar-ash may be deposited at shoulder height into the slip-stream from
- whence, if well- timed, it will have a sporting chance of penetrating
- the gaping buccal cavity of the stunned bootless in rear.
-
- A most handsome ruse, once perfected, is to have one's man extend his
- arm and signal an iminent right turn as one of the bootless and unhorsed
- is bested, whereupon a sharp left turn may unexpectedly be effected
- across his bows. In such pressing circumstances, the common man will
- attend his seat rather more urgently than his salute and a gentleman may
- have the pleasure of observing a most energetic, not to say acrobatic,
- dismount. It will be understood, of course, that care must be exercised
- lest the premature execution of such a manoeuvre leads the hapless serf,
- in his gratitude, to overlook his brake and cannon headlong into his
- benefactor's machine. (It may be desirable to first practise this
- manoeuvre against juveniles or females aboard lighter machines, since
- timing will ever be of the essence. Any collision damage sustained by
- one's man as his peers ride onto his nearside leg will be most
- incommodious and must surely interfere with his ability to carry out his
- duties in an efficient manner.)
-
- Few aboard solo machines will be able to better the speed of a
- well-cox'd tandem but a gentleman must remark that members of the
- constabulary are broken to the cycle-clip almost at birth and are in
- consequence seized of an ability to exhibit bursts of the most alarming
- speed when the occasion demands. Should such a creature be perceived in
- rear, with whistle blowing, bell ringing and headlamp flashing, the
- decision whether to outrun him must be carefully weighed. In the event
- that an attempt is made so to do, and fails, it will be essential to
- explain that one's man became panicked by the noise and pedalled against
- the brake, before firmly boxing his ears and berating him within the
- presence and hearing of the apprehending constable. Should the chase
- have been precipitated by the creature's witnessing of a manoeuvre such
- as the aforementioned left turn, profuse apologies may be rendered to
- the constable for one's man's lack of co- ordination and his crass
- inability to distinguish between left and right.
-
- No work such as this would be complete without some guidance upon
- those occasions when it may be desirable to allow members of one's own
- caste aboard, and the criteria to be applied in electing whether to sit
- ahead or in rear.
-
- If circumstances dictate that a friend be offered transport, he
- being, perhaps, outside of too many frothy-hops, a gentleman may without
- conscience release his man to run alongside, with instructions not to
- fall behind in order that he be on hand to assist with the dismount at
- journey's-end. In such circumstances, it is to be desired that a
- gentleman remain seated ahead for the purpose of dictating the machine's
- course, but it will be necessary also for him to check from time to time
- that his passenger is applying fair pressure to the pedals and not
- "free-wheeling" parasitically. Since to ask as much will ordinarily be
- judged most offensive, a useful ploy will be to feather both front and
- rear brakes simultaneously whilst at the same time applying firm
- pressure momentarily against the returning pedal. The jolt thus
- administered to his Achilles tendon and hamstring will elicit a most
- encouraging response from a diligent passenger, whilst the absence of
- such may be interpreted as proof positive of his indolence.
-
- Should a gentleman feel confident of his ability to impress the
- fairer sex, and be minded to tolerate the company of one such, he should
- in fairness recommend her to consider the suitability of her habiliment.
- Riding breches are to be preferred since the tighter line of the fabric
- will prove less prone to catching about the sprocket wheels and dragging
- the good lady from her seat. It will be a comely thing if a gentleman in
- such circumstances will avail himself of every opportunity once mobile
- to studiously and discreetly observe whether such taut material is
- becoming worn or snagged on the rough leather saddle.
-
- Given the frail nature of her kind, a lady may be relied upon to
- avoid forced dismounts at every opportunity and may thus be trusted to
- sit ahead and direct the machine. It will be remarked, however, that
- such creatures are better equipped for the service of tea and light
- refreshments than the rotation of bicycle pedals under load, and much
- extra work may be required of the gentleman in rear if forward momentum
- is to be achieved and reliably maintained.
-
- To be offset against this there is, of course, the possibility that
- it may be necessary for a gentleman to reach around and assist his
- companion to steer, thus taking much of the strain from her wrists.
- Remembering that a gentleman should take his own weight in such intimate
- circumstances, it will be de rigeur that he sit well forward in the
- saddle and not allow his chin to press overly hard into the nape of her
- neck as they advance.
-
- A final caveat for those who would ride so accompanied: Whilst there
- is little more pleasing to a gentleman's eye than the feminine calves
- and buttocks at work, he should be ever mindful of the power she has
- within her hands to capsize the machine for want of concentration. Be
- his passenger scatter- brained, or so wide of girth as to obstruct his
- forward vision, or so heavily perfumed as to render her downwind aspect
- untenable, he must at once and in good faith suggest that she ride in
- rear. If he will take the trouble to explain that such unusual election
- is necessitated only by a most earnest and honourable desire to ensure
- that she does not return home from a fast ride with flies on her teeth,
- the haridan will - quite properly - be impressed by his extraordinary
- chivalry.
-
- Best wishes,
-
- Greg (G0MAM) @ GB7CHS
-
- *** EOF
-