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There's no mistaking the MyHandleBar party bikes, which have been turning heads in downtown Boulder and in Fort Collins for a few weeks now and officially open for business today. It's a people-powered roving happy hour, of sorts, that groups can book to tour downtown bars and breweries, for family reunions, to entertain out-of-town guests or to just cruise around on for a few hours. tiffany necklace white gold

It looks like a cross between a traveling bar top, several tandem bikes all smooshed together and something Rube Goldberg might have dreamed up had he been a bike designer. Actually it was two brothers in the Netherlands who sketched plans for the prototype on a cocktail napkin. The bike can carry 15-passengers plus a designated driver (provided by the company) who rides at the front and steers, works the brake and provides encouragement and commentary. There are 10 padded pedaling seats arranged around a handsome wooden counter with chains that drive a central mechanism. tiffany cufflinks

It takes at least six people to pedal the bike comfortably, and there's a passenger bench across the back. Patrons can plug their MP3 players into an integrated sound system and there's storage for bags and purses, a cooler full of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages or whatever else you may need to enjoy the ride. "People really have to see this thing to understand what it is," says Theresa Preston, 31, who founded the company based on an idea she read about in Entrepreneur magazine and contracted to have the bikes delivered from Holland. tiffany charms

"We've had a great response so far wherever we go -- lots of thumbs up, lots of honking and waving and a ton of questions." Drivers carry informational flyers to hand out, but mostly people want to know, "If I hop on can I get a free beer?" the driver tells me when I join a group taking the bike out for a spin. Unfortunately you can't actually drink alcohol on the bike, and no riders other than those in the group that rent the bike are allowed. There are two set routes for both Boulder and Fort Collins that stop at popular bars and breweries, however, or you can customize your own tour as long as it sticks to the downtown area and doesn't tackle a hill above a 6-percent grade. tiffany necklace silver

It didn't take long for our group of strangers and acquaintances to start talking when we took the bike for a test-ride during a recent launch party at the Lazy Dog. It takes a little effort to get the bike going (it weighs upwards of 1,500 pounds) but once up to speed it cruises easily and is a blast to ride. People on the street yelled and waved and more than a few pulled out their cell phones to take pictures. We even momentarily upstaged a juggler performing with flaming clubs on his unicycle as we cruised up 13th Street past the Pearl Street Mall. tiffany mens necklace

The bikes are currently available for private rentals, and Preston is working on plans for a singles mixer where people can book seats individually. "What a great ice-breaker," she says. "To all pedal around town together, share a few drinks at the bars and hopefully get to know some new people." One thing is for sure on the party bike: You'll never meet a stranger. cheap tiffany