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Pedal-powered party buses get pub crawls rolling in St. Petersburg

 
Published Jan. 5, 2012

The PedalPub, the new 16-person pedal-powered party bus that will be used for pub crawls, private parties and antique shopping sprees, is up and running outside of Ferg's Bar, 1320 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg.

It is one of two new open-air party buses that will pedaling around downtown St. Petersburg this year, taking revelers on pub crawls around downtown restaurants and bars. The other, City Cycle Tours, got rolling on New Year's weekend and is booking private parties and plans to offer open bar crawl packages in the coming weeks.

PedalPub plans to be parked outside of Ferg's every Friday for a happy hour tour starting Jan. 13. You can buy an individual seat for $25 a person, and private parties are $165 an hour Sunday through Thursday and $190 an hour for Friday and Saturday for up to 16 people.

City Cycle Tours runs primarily out of the base of the Pier but works with the party on the route. It charges $175 an hour Monday through Thursday and $200 an hour Friday through Sunday. Revelers get wristbands that give them drink specials on the tour stops.

Invented in the Netherlands, the pedaling party buses can be seen in Chicago, Austin, Texas, Denver, Savannah, Ga., and Milwaukee, with passengers facing inward around a bar.

The odd vehicle brings up a lot of questions. Here are some answers:

•No drinking while pedaling because of open container laws. You can only drink alcohol when the pedibus is on private property.

•Riders can bring on food or nonalcoholic beverages. (PedalPub even pitched the bus as a good outing for AA meetings because you can drink coffee and smoke on the party bus).

•The driver works for the company and doesn't pedal. How fast you get back from the tour depends on how fast your group pedals.

• City Cycle Tours has room for 14 people and PedalPub carries 16 people, plus the driver.

For information, check the PedalPub website at stpete.pedalpub.com or call (727) 581-3388. For City Cycle Tours, go to www.thecitycycle.com or call (727) 249-8740