Coffeeneuring Challenge 2018: Ride 1: Caffe Vita (Thriftway)

It wasn't the most auspicious start, I rode a rented bike to the grocery store.  I did however check a number of boxes with this ride:

• Try out a Lime bike
• Try out a bike with Electric assist
• Don't repeat a coffee shop you have already been to for Coffeeneuring
• Ride on a lovely day

Its a lovely fall day out and its day 2 of Coffeeneuring .  I am hoping to ride again tomorrow so I can get off to a flying start.  I have two themes for year 3 of Coffeeneuring; no repeats and ride a different bike each time.  In the last 2 years I have gone to 13 different places on 14 rides, only Cafe Ladro got on the board twice.  This year I want to avoid a repeat and that means thinking outside the box, hence the grocery store.

Unlike most stores which just slap a Starbucks in and call it good, my local Thriftway serves Caffe Vita which is good stuff.

I sipped my latte outside where I could keep and eye on the bike.  Since I only have 6 bikes I needed the Lime bike to make 7 different bikes for 7 different coffee rides.  A few observations on the Lime bike:

• Its a tank so the E assist was really necessary
• I like the E assist
• Not a fan of the saddle
• I would have liked the throttle, can I call it a throttle?, to be more clear i.e I am adding or decreasing my assist? and am I at 20% or 100% of assist.  I could feel it helping but the controls were vague.
• No helmet but I brought my own in a back pack and used the convenient front basket for my pack.
• I had to walk about 4 blocks to find one but the app makes it pretty easy to do so, kind of ironic as they are often within 100 feet of my building.
• Easy unlock with your smart phone
• I kind of like the step thru for mounting the bike.
• No way I could see to "pause" my ride, which meant I had to ride, lock/end ride, and then unlock and start a new ride after getting coffee.
•  2.3 miles total in 2 separate rides cost me about $3.50  so cheaper that uber and faster than walking and no waiting around for a bus.

I could see using one of these for errands but not for any ride over about 3 miles.

The data:

1. Where: Morgan Street Thriftway, West Seattle.
2. Date: October 13th at 12:15 pm.
3. Consumed:  Irish Creme Latte from the Caffe Vita kiosk inside the store.
4. Details:  Gorgeous fall day, bike parking near store entrance 
5. Mileage: 2.3 miles
6. Bike Used: Lime Bike with E-assist 

Hope to have another ride to report tomorrow on one of my own bikes.

Rent a Ride.Smile.Caffeinate.Repeat