Starting with the explosively-growing Ninkasi Brewery some years back, Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood has seen an influx of numerous other breweries and pubs. And here’s the safe way to explore them all, on this pedal-powered pub-crawl-mobile. We caught this one in front of Ninkasi just moments before its “crew” came spilling out, giving me a chance to catch it in action.
Here’s how the seats and pedals are arranged, feeding a central drive shaft and an automotive-type rear axle. I noticed a battery pack on the back and asked the driver about that. He had an obvious answer: the electric motor was for maneuvering the rig when no one is aboard, as there’s no pedals for the driver. And it also lights up the headlight.
But there’s no need to cut in the motor when a freshly-fueled crew gets on board, ready to head over to Hop Valley.
I like that! Can’t see it catching on in Wales though.
They’re quite common in central London.
Is the driver required to stay sober?
Yes. That’s the whole point.
Good thing Eugene is fairly flat… That could be quite a traffic hazard if they took it over to 6th or 7th Aves. I’m sure they keep to the side streets.
These pedal-pubs have been popular back home in the Twin Cities for quite a few years now.
We have them around here in Colorado as well. My wife has been on one (I have not). I’m curious if the operator has to have it licensed somehow. If it was just pedal powered probably not but once a motor comes into play you’d think you’d need a plate and insurance, especially if you have a drunken crew aboard that manages to plow into a car or a pedestrian. With a dozen people aboard that thing must weigh around 3000 pounds. I understand the “attendant” but you still have a scenario where up to a dozen intoxicated people are providing the drive, no? I don’t mean to play “Mom” here but it does seem a bit sketchy…
The sober attendant is the one who does the steering and braking; it’s up to the drinkers to provide the sloooww propulsion. That said, last summer in Minneapolis one of these things flipped and sent a few people to the hospital after the driver took a wrong turn down a curved hill, so it can happen. In my neck of the woods, these things travel up and down very busy streets, so i’d personally be much more afraid of an inattentive driver plowing into me while i’m on it (good thing I don’t drink beer 🙂 ).
The motor makes it a hybrid electric-assisted “bike” which is perfectly legal without plates, as long as it can’t go fast enough to make it a moped.
In Ca. It is a crime to operate any vehicle including pedal powered anywhere in the state. The law applies to the entire state and includes private property. This vehicle could only be legal when stationary and on private property. Also, it is illegal to dispense alcohol for consumption beingwithout a liquor license. Those being the rules I can’t see how this could ever be useful. I also do not believe other states differ much from Ca.vehicles on these rules so I don’t get it.
Drinking booze and operating vehicles don’t mix.
It’s illegal to dispense alcohol without a license in every state. The whole point is that this vehicle takes you to a number of different breweries to sample their wares. No beer is allowed on the vehicle; that would be in violation of open container laws. And the driver doesn’t partake, quite obviously. It’s a paid service, so folks don’t have to drive their cars, which is of course the most important point. As you said, drinking and driving don’t mix, and they’re not mixing here.
In Minnesota you most certainly can bring beer and wine onto the pedal-pub (no hard alcohol). Without that I see zero appeal as to why one would rent one of these things; they are NOT cheap.
Not in OR; can’t take it off the premises where it was sold. The point is that here at least, these breweries and pubs are just a few blocks apart, so this is a convenient way for tourists (mainly) to sample them.
Also popular for office parties downtown where brew pubs are close.
In fact my office gang is having a gasoline-powered “Brewvana” bus tour of the east side of Portland this week.
But perhaps cheaper than a stretch limousine which might be an alternative.
I would imagine those pedalling only provide the power, the operator controlling it, presumably with a clutch of some sort. That being the case he would be ‘in charge’ of the vehicle, controlling braking, acceleration and steering.
“In Ca. It is a crime to operate any vehicle including pedal powered anywhere in the state. ”
helluva lot of criminals in California, then.
That could catch on here in Napier it flat as and plenty of pubs to visit.
These things have been around for years. Here’s a 2CV beer-bike from Belgium.
(Photo: Bierfiets De Max)
Beer-bike-roadtrain. (Photo: inyucho)
I assume you have lots of Micro Breweries there ? .
Sounds like a very good idea , much safer than drunks driving their own vehicles inebriated .
-Nate
But eventually they do have to go home or a hotel.
That is an interesting vehicle, but personally I’d rather have any of the CC’s in the background. The rough around the edges, multicolored 3 series, the E class, the Rabbit pickup, or even the Cherokee. I pretty well gave up pedaling the day I received my driver’s license.
We have one of these in downtown Indianapolis. Not sure but I think it is operated as a pedal powered bar with beer on board. I view it as a net-calorie-free bar experience.
Just checked. Ours is called the Pickled Pedeler. BYOB for a 2 hour roving bar.
And here I thought the ones around Portland were being powered by people drinking booze in public. Bit annoying to see one of these in Portland since their movements can be unpredictable and risky at times, but overall they look like fun.
These things run the streets in Savannah Ga along with horse carriage tours, bus tours Segway tour groups, and a fleet of 70’s era Cadillac hearses with the roofs cut off and turned into haunted house tour busses. All of which makes traveling through downtown Savannah an exercise in waiting for slow moving vehicles, and avoiding horses#!t. It is also legal to walk the streets with an open container of alcoholic beverage (no bottles or cans) and “go-cups” are readily available and popular when leaving the bars. And yes, the pedal bus patrons are allowed to drink while pedaling but the driver must remain sober.
I still don’t get this thing. The Whit is so small you’re better off just walking from pub to pub.
Good way to work off your beer belly as you get one.
I see these all the time around downtown Portland. Never taken the tour though.
Paul you just mentioned one of my faves: Ninkasi is blowing up since they are AMAZING. The Oktoberfest lager that just dropped is delish…cant get enough of that one. I hear that Oakshire is up the street too, that’s another fave. Getting the itch for a Eugene roadtrip now
Those have been forbidden in Barcelona.. :(((
We have one of these curiosities in downtown Cincinnati, as it cruises in the recently-developed “Over the Rhine” area among the bars and restaurants.
We were pleasantly surprised when we were there with some friends watching a full crew of loaded guys getting on this thing and merrily singing and laughing as they pedaled to their next stop! We were cracking up, thinking what a cool thing this was! If I were younger and of a different frame of mind, it would be fun to do this.
I hope they all got home safe!
We have these too in my soon to be new home in Soulard STL, although I think there is some challenge by the taxi and limo companies to get the city to ban them. A shame really, as they are much less obnoxious than pink stretch humvees with people woo-hooing from the sunroof. At least users have to be able to handle their booze well enough not to fall off!
The idea of paying to be a galley slave in order to continue drinking is rather amusing though.
@Brian:
Being from STL myself (Florissant), are they getting them in the Delmar Loop area, too? I understand they have several bars there.
Admittedly, we don’t spend any time inside I-270 when we come to town once a year, besides I’m out of the demographic that frequents such places.