Lexington, KY - Lauren Pfannerstill was walking to Pazzo's one sweltering Sunday morning last summer when a friend noted how nice it would be if a rickshaw were to suddenly appear and tote them the rest of the way - a sentiment that Pfannerstill agreed with wholeheartedly. Though the comment was made in passing, the image of a bike-powered rickshaw cruising around Lexington struck a chord with Pfannerstill, a recent college graduate who had been spending much of her time on the Internet looking for jobs in a down economy. A few months later, after dozens of meetings, a business plan was sketched out and Pfannerstill went from being unemployed to the co-owner of a new start-up company: Sprocket Jockeys, Lexington's first pedicab service.
Having taken accounting and economics classes in college, Pfannerstill had a good amount of business sense. But with her experience with bicycles limited to leisure riding, she tapped another recent college grad friend to join the venture - one with mechanical experience. James Goyner, a longtime employee at Scheller's Fitness & Cycling, was sold on the idea from the start -
though he studied geology in college, he admits that after graduating all he wanted to do was work on bikes.
To be sure, the rickshaw cycle is quite different from your everyday bicycle -
essentially, it is a heavy duty, 21-speed tricycle with large, smooth tread tires and many of the same amenities as any street-legal vehicle: running lights, brake lights and turn signals. An attached carriage, or cab, in the back can hold up to 450 additional pounds.
"If you're really close friends, three people can fit in the back," Goyner said. "My biggest load has been three girls, two coolers and two 12-packs of beer, which I carried across the stadium at the football game."
Goyner and Pfannerstill purchased two "velotaxis" from a Cincinnati pedicab service. Both machines have an electric assist rotary motor built into the front wheel, which provides a slight assistance - and is especially appreciated when toting 400 pounds uphill - but by no mean acts as the cab's sole means of propulsion (and yes, you might recognize a Sprocket Jockey by their noticeably toned leg muscles).
Operated by Pfannerstill, Goyner and a rotating crew of drivers, Sprocket Jockeys works much like a regular cab service -
the drivers pay the company to use the pedicabs, and they then work for tips.
"We charge very minimally on their fees so they can go out and make money," Goyner said, adding that the majority of the company's income comes from being hired for special events and advertisements they sell on the back frame of the cabs. Unless it's a longer trip, there is no set fare, but for the most part people appreciate the hard work of the pedicab drivers and are pretty generous with their tips.
"It's a cool experience and people really respond well to it," Pfannerstill said.
You can typically find the Sprocket Jockeys downtown Thursday - Saturday, from about 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. If you have a special event planned outside of those times, such as a wedding or even a special date during the week, they can often make special arrangements if called in advance. For more information, or to schedule a ride, visit www.sprocketjockeys.com or call (859) 913-7331.