Nothing toughened me up for the solo MTB adventure like the stint ‘driving’ Pedicabs as part of the 1988 World Expo in Brisbane.
Gazillions of people were in the city, the World Expo was across the river in Southbank. A little too long to be an easy walk. A Pedicab ride across was the easy and fun transport answer!
Pedicabs empty were HEAVY – the fibre glass bodywork, steel frame, the car batteries under the passenger seat to run the lights and stereo etc. Throw in a couple of large tourists and you really had your work cut out as there are some steep little hills in Brissy, especially in the inner city. Cranking up hills half rev at a time using all your body weight to push the pedal down, fun stuff. I loved it. I think it was a 1×5 or 1×6 drive train.
Great fun too as pedicabs ran into the early hours of the morning. Lots of fun back then, crossing the Storey Bridge in the wee hours and going other places that pedicabs weren’t meant to go.
Such a baby at the time, still one now I guess just with grey hair and worn out knees 😛
Still, I reckon after the Pedicab experience the fully loaded up Apollo Everest felt like a jet!
