# 53 bicycles: A lateral thinking puzzle **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [July 9, 2017, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868 "2017-07-09T19:51:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 154
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2018, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3062 "2018-06-01T23:47:58Z")
> [@Folly](#): > > Does losing both legs allow him to fit somewhere more easily? > Balance somewhere more easily? > Create a useful body weight distribution? No to all. > [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Does the manner of loss of his legs matter? No. > [@Folly](#): > > Magician or Magician’s assistant? No. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3063 "2018-06-02T02:44:15Z")
were his legs lost at the hips, mid-thigh, or at the knees or lower? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3064 "2018-06-02T02:58:31Z")
Does the reduction in height help him? Does he see things up close more easily? Is the social reaction to a legless man beneficial? Is he a warrior who knows that, having undergone this trauma, he can never again be defeeted? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3065 "2018-06-02T03:55:52Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Does the reduction in height help him? > > Does he see things up close more easily? > > Is the social reaction to a legless man beneficial? > > Is he a warrior who knows that, having undergone this trauma, he can never again be defeeted? No to all. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3066 "2018-06-02T03:59:06Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > were his legs lost at the hips, mid-thigh, or at the knees or lower? I’m not sure. I think he had some of his legs. Perhaps to the knee or so. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3067 "2018-06-02T04:16:38Z")
Does he have artificial limbs? Is it the artificial limbs that help him? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3068 "2018-06-02T11:32:46Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Does he have artificial limbs? > > Is it the artificial limbs that help him? I think he did get artificial limbs, but they are irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3069 "2018-06-02T17:06:59Z")
Is the person Bader? Pistorius? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2018, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3070 "2018-06-02T18:14:57Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Is the person Bader? Pistorius? Douglas Bader. You got it. > [@](#): > > It was thought that Bader’s success as a fighter pilot was partly because of his having no legs; pilots pulling high “g-forces” in combat turns often “blacked out” as the flow of blood from the brain drained to other parts of the body, usually the legs. As Bader had no legs he could remain conscious longer, and thus had an advantage over more able-bodied opponents. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3071 "2018-06-03T16:23:39Z")
**Sigh. My workers here went on strike for an…almost amusing reason(certainly odd, anyway). Where am I and why did my workers strike?** ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2018, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3072 "2018-06-03T21:26:27Z")
Are you in manufacturing? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3073 "2018-06-04T05:05:44Z")
Are you In the USA? In North America? In South America? In Central America? In Asia? In Africa In Europe? Are you in the 21st century? Are you in the 20th century? Are you earlier than the 20th century? Are your workers human? Were the striking workers amused by the strike? Did the workers want more money? Did the workers want different work conditions? Did your workers get what they asked for? Is your worker’s profession amusing? ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 9:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3074 "2018-06-04T09:23:40Z")
Are you a bee-keeper? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3075 "2018-06-04T09:36:27Z")
Is your name Aristophanes? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3076 "2018-06-04T12:28:25Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Are you in manufacturing? Yeah, we make something. > [@Biotop](#): > > Are you > > In the USA? > In North America? > In South America? > In Central America? > In Asia? > In Africa > In Europe? > Are you in the 21st century? > Are you in the 20th century? > Are you earlier than the 20th century? > > Are your workers human? > Were the striking workers amused by the strike? > Did the workers want more money? > Did the workers want different work conditions? > Did your workers get what they asked for? > Is your worker’s profession amusing? We are in Europe. We are earlier than the 20th century. (1700’s to save time). We are human. Striking workers were not amused by the strike. They did not want more money. They did not want different work conditions. (I don’t know how it all played out, if they got what they wanted.) The profession is not amusing. > [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Are you a bee-keeper? No. > [@Quartz](#): > > Is your name Aristophanes? No. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3077 "2018-06-04T18:08:47Z")
Were you in textile manufacturing? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3078 "2018-06-04T18:12:58Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Were you in textile manufacturing? No. ---
**Author:** ![MonkeyMensch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@MonkeyMensch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonkeyMensch)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3079 "2018-06-04T18:36:39Z")
Was your work in metal working or production? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3080 "2018-06-04T19:24:35Z")
> [@MonkeyMensch](#): > > Was your work in metal working or production? No. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2018, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868/3081 "2018-06-04T21:25:55Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > No. 😕 Lysistrata - sex strike. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=153) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/53-bicycles-a-lateral-thinking-puzzle/790868.md?page=155)