This morning, cyclists will cruise around the corner of Southwest Second Avenue in a synchronized line toward Volta Coffee, Tea and Chocolate. By the end of their ride, cyclists will be ready for a caffeine fix.
The Swift-Volta ride will be every Friday through October leaving at 7:30 a.m. from Swift Cycle, 607 W. University Ave. The ride passes by Newnans Lake, returns following the Gainesville-Hawthorne Trail and finishes at Volta, 48 SW Second St.
Keith Richards, co-owner of Swift Cycle and an organizer of the ride, said the partnership was a logical one for many reasons.
“Really, bikes and coffee just go so well together,” he said.
The ride spans about 23 miles, and the pace is about 15-18 mph, Richards said.
“We wanted something that had a little bit of distance to it but was still fairly safe,” he said, “and also short enough so it wouldn’t be intimidating to people who haven’t really done a lot of group rides before.”
The ride has a no-drop policy, which means if a rider has a bike issue or falls behind, some of the group will stay back.
“If someone isn’t able to keep up with the pace, we aren’t going to leave them somewhere out in the middle of Hawthorne,” he said.
Cyclists on the Swift-Volta ride receive a 10-percent discount off their purchase at Volta.
“It is something to show we appreciate Swift Cycle choosing us as the location of the end of the bike ride,” said Kelsie Stewart, a 27-year-old Volta barista.
Arthur Rosales, 27, had an espresso after taking his Cannondale Caad8 road bike on the ride.
“Its nice to ride with a group of companions,” he said while eating a Volta quiche. “It wasn’t a super athletic ride. It was leisurely, and you could enjoy the scenery. It was peaceful.”
[A version of this story ran on page 3 on 3/28/2014 under the headline "Bicyclists ride together to get adrenaline, coffee"]
