My dog used to chase people on a bike a lot. It got so bad I had to take his bike away.

Make It Land

Who Is Riding the Bike?

The first sentence encourages listeners to picture a dog chasing cyclists, because “people on a bike” seems to describe the people. Taking away “his bike” reveals that the dog was the rider all along. Deliver the setup as a familiar complaint about an energetic pet and do not stress “on a bike.” Pause briefly after “so bad,” then keep the solution matter-of-fact. The punchline works by assigning the bike to an unexpected owner, so extra explanation would only slow down the revised picture.