There are a lot of ways to get around downtown Peterborough, Ont., but none quite like PedalBoro. The 15-person party bike is back.
Hillary Flood and Pete Rellinger own and operate the business and said they had to pump the brakes during the pandemic, but Flood said she is happy things are rolling again.
“It feels so good to be back on the road,” said Flood. “For us it was like that first signal of normalcy again and you can feel it from the community, too. When people see us back on the road, there is just such a love.”
She said the smiling faces of pedallers and passersby is one of her favourite parts of running the cycling tours.
“When you see a party bike you can’t help but smile and it is almost like we are part of a parade,” she said. “Whether you’re walking past or on a bike or in a car behind, it turns into this honk-a-thon and we wave and share such an enthusiastic energy and it’s really fun.”
Here is how it all works. You and up to 14 of your friends can book the bike, or you can reserve a single seat to join in on a Sunday group ride. It takes at least eight people to pedal the bike (though Flood said it is a bit of a workout with only eight people).
Once on board you tour Peterborough’s downtown, making three stops at pubs along the way.
“There is no drinking on the bike, we are a dry vessel,” said Flood. “We have non-alcoholic drinks on board to stay hydrated, but what we are doing is getting on and off the bike at different spots to really connect to the community.”
She added a typical tour takes about two hours.
Director of tourism for Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, Joe Rees, said businesses like this are an important part of regional tourism.
“We really know that people are coming and looking for experiences,” said Reese. “This is the kind of business that gives the visitors something fun and interesting to do and it involves our food and restaurants which is something we like to include in all our experiences.”
“It combines the downtown, food, and drink. What could be better?” he said.
Flood added it also gets people back into the community.
“We’re able to bring in 15 people, some of them from out of town so they can see Peterborough, or they are townies, and they haven’t been downtown in a long time,” she said.
“We are getting them in, celebrating local and showcasing the downtown in a way that makes them feel more connected and we have had that pause for two years so I think there is a real enthusiasm for getting back at it.”
To book your spot on the bike you can visit the PedalBoro wesbite.