Rob Britton Spreads Coffee, Beer (and fun) to Victoria Cyclists
Hardcore local riders rose before dawn to seek out hidden coffee in the wild of British Columbia
With the racing calendar suddenly looking blank in May 2020, long-time rider Rob Britton decided to use his platform to encourage local people to get outside and ride.
Victoria-based Rob partnered with two local businesses; Eleven Speed Coffee and Whistle Buoy Brewing to give back to the local riding community while helping raise the profile of local businesses during a time when many were struggling.
Beginning in May, each week Rob would choose a segment on Strava in which to hide a bag of coffee. The chosen segment was posted in the Strava club for his annual gravel ride, the ‘Last Ride BC’ and riders were given clues from Rob’s Instagram stories as to where he might have hidden it.
In addition to free coffee, Rob teamed up with local brewers, Whistle Buoy to give away vouchers every week to one selected rider who posted a picture of their coffee-hunting exploits.
The popularity of sending people on a scavenger hunt seemed to surprise Rob who was amazed that the coffee stashes seemed to be picked up before sunrise:
“I would post them Friday night and there would be 30 posts of cyclists next to the stickers by 10 a.m. Saturday.”
Later on in the year Rob again teamed up with Eleven Speed Coffee and Whistle Buoy Brewing to present a new challenge involving stickers (who doesn’t love stickers?!). Each week Rob stuck a load of them in a different location around Victoria along with a bag of coffee. To encourage those who perhaps weren’t early risers like the winners above, those who posted a picture of themselves or their bike with two of the stickers were entered into a draw to win some beer. What a great way to motivate people to get outside in the winter months!
This fantastic effort by Rob embodies Rally Cycling’s mission to get people riding and encourage healthy habits for long-term well-being. The team has demonstrated throughout 2020 and the ongoing pandemic the adaptability and resilience of riders and their commitment to helping and developing others’ well-being, with the #HealthyHabitsWithPoido and Robin Carpenter’s ‘Solo Sourdough Strava Segment Challenge’ also among the initiatives launched.
Hopefully, 2021 will provide riders with more opportunities to race but if not, Rally Cycling and its riders will be here to get people moving and stay healthy through these continuing challenging times.