“We saw it in July when we were in Wisconsin. Our jaws just dropped and I asked my husband, ‘What IS that thing?’” said Heidi Mierendorf of Flagstaff. “That thing” turned out to be the Milwaukee Pedal Pub – part bicycle and part truck-sized party-shack that carried revelers around town.
Brett and Heidi Mierendorf used smartphones to snap pictures of the 15-passenger bike, but didn’t get a chance to take a ride while they visited family in Milwaukee. They experienced their first pedal-powered tour in Tucson.
“We went down to check it out as a business venture, and were captured by the fun of the ride. We thought that it would be a perfect fit for Flagstaff,” said Heidi. “This is such a cycling community and we have a compact downtown with great places to go to. There are so many eco-minded businesses already that Alpine Pedaler is a perfect fit.” The vehicle is fully people-powered.
“It originally started in Amsterdam, then someone from Minneapolis saw it there and brought it to the U.S.,” explained Brett. Named the Fietscafe – translated Bicycle Café – in the Netherlands, the vehicle is powered by customers who sit on barstools affixed with bicycle pedals. What captures the eye is that all pedalers face into the middle of the café while the bicycle moves forward down the street. A driver at the front does all the steering and braking.
After doing research, the husband and wife team found two manufacturers in the U.S. – one in Georgia and another in Oregon and the franchiser for the Dutch-made vehicle. “We didn’t want a franchise; we wanted to be owners,” said Brett, who chose Crawler Fabrications in Savannah to build the “Made in the USA” vehicle. The couple’s custom Alpine Pedaler was delivered on the third week of October, less than four months from their original sighting of the potential business venture.
“When we started researching in July, there were crawlers in only six cities. Already, that has grown to fifteen cities,” said Heidi, pointing to hopeful indicators for their own new business.
“Our manufacturer builds two bikes per month. He’s booked solid for the next few months. Tucson just bought their second bike and they’re expanding to somewhere in Phoenix,” added Brett.
The Flagstaff couple has already turned down requests from local advertisers who would like their logos placed on the vehicle. “We don’t want it to look like a NASCAR race car with logos plastered all over it,” said Brett. Not that Alpine Pedaler could be confused with a NASCAR roadster. Even with twelve people pedaling the contraption, it can only reach seven miles per hour. “This is a low-speed, low gear ride,” he said. “We are very safety-conscious.” Helmets are available for all riders. There are twelve seats with pedal-power, two non-pedaling seats on the rear bench and a seat for the driver.
“We’ve partnered with seven establishments in downtown and Southside. When you board, you’ll get a VIP bracelet that gets you discounts at the seven partners,” he explained. The bike stops at the establishments during the two-hour guided tour. Partners include Collins Irish Pub, Cuvee 928, The Green Room, Lumberyard Brewery, Mother Road Brewing Company, Pay ‘n Take and Uptown Billiards.
“It was really important to Heidi that this business would be eco-friendly,” said Brett. The company offers t-shirts and hats made of organic cotton, plastic water cups made of recycled and biodegradable corn, beverage cozies made of recycled scuba gear and pitchers of filtered Flagstaff water. Water is the only drink served on Alpine Pedaler, although patrons may bring along any non-alcoholic beverage.
The couple completed their first test drive during the NAU Homecoming Parade. The NAU Cycling Club – headed to the Mountain Bike Nationals – powered the vehicle while the sound system’s large playlist was tested. After the NAU festivities, they gave VIP tours.
“There are two ways that you can ride the Alpine Pedaler,” Brett said. “You can book it for private parties, beer and wine tastings, progressive dinners, First Friday Art Walks, church group or corporate events. The second way is to reserve a single-seat ride for a two-hour downtown tour on weekends.”
The Alpine Pedaler starts and ends every tour at Mother Road Brewing Company at 7 S. Mikes Pike, Flagstaff. Reservations must be made online and it is recommended that you book 24-hours in advance. FBN
Alpine Pedaler LLC
Flagstaff
928-607-9527 | 928-213-9233
www.alpinepedaler.com
