Birmingham Pedal Tours amps up in city

The city’s first pedal-powered tour company, Birmingham Pedal Tours, is locally owned by creator Jason Kobza and his wife Claire. The duo officially started tours in May 2017, after many months of getting all the various approvals and city requirements passed, and now offer tours on four pedal “taverns.” 

Since then, locals and travelers alike have begun to flock to them. 

“Riding downtown on a bike is a completely different experience than sitting in an Uber or being in a vehicle. You can see a lot more, start to notice a lot more,” Jason Kobza said. 

Although they are flexible and have routes all over the city now, the very first route they offered began at Trim Tab Brewing Company and went through the Lakeview area, around Pepper Place and downtown. This is still the most popular route, Jason Kobza said, in addition to the one that begins at Good People Brewing Company. 

After watching the party tours grow over the last year, he said they’re excited to be able to offer even more for travelers and locals: historic tours. 

“We are going to offer a couple of different tours, other than just a party tour, going to historic sites like Alabama Theatre, Sloss Furnace, that sort of thing,” he said, adding that more information will be releasedlater this year.

They will also continue doing the party tours, which typically last about two hours and stop at two to four places, “depending what pace people are pedaling at or how long they want to stop,” he said. The tours can stop anywhere along the route — not just breweries, he emphasized. Pedaling doesn’t take too much effort, he added, especially if there’s a large group of people, and they will occasionally turn on their electrical pedal assist to go up hills. 

With the recent opening of The Battery, located between Good People and Trim Tab, Jason Kobza said people will now come there in 2019 to check in and board the bikes. People can book private tours on either the 14-passenger or six-passenger pedal taverns or just book individual seats with a friend for a night of fun. 

Guides always remind participants to be responsible, and that “this isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon,” he said. They recommend small drink portions, pairing drinks with food and staying hydrated. He has also done plenty of tours where people aren’t drinking, but still “having a blast.”

Safety is of utmost importance, Jason Kobza said, and all their vehicles are slow-moving. All people taking part in the ride must be ages 21 or older, regardless of whether it is a historic or party tour. 

For more information or to book a tour, go to birminghampedaltours.com.