The ProTip to end all ProTips

Alright, so usually when I say I have a protip for you it's something stupid. It's often barely a tip and certainly not pro. But this time it's different, ladies and gentlemen. This tip is wicked pro.

Ok, so it's summer in Boston. You're commuting to work, you finish your ride and think, damn, I'm wicked haaaaht, I can't roll to my cubicle like this. Some people solve this problem with a shower, but I bet most of you lazy-asses solve it with the ubiquitous Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee.

Since 50% of Boston businesses are Dunkin Donuts shops, you're never more than a few steps away from that iced goodness. You drop your $2.50, get your drink, start guzzling and head to work.

The problem is, it's cold. It's refreshing. And it's chock full of ice. You take a few, nice, deep swigs, and then it's kicked. If you're like me, you're already making that empty-drink-gurgle with your start before you even sit down to work. And to think you just paid $2.50 for a drink that lasts 3 minutes!

Today's ProTip is get your iced coffee from Au Bon Pain. Most other iced coffee vendors give you the same 60% ice cube drink, but ABP lets you make your own. It's just like self-serve soda, and it's only $1.80 for a 16 oz. Drop 5 ice cubes in there and the fill the rest of that sucker with coffee. It's cheaper than DD, you get far more coffee than DD, you don't get a terribly diluted drink after 5 minutes like DD.

The only downside is that now you've got 16 ounces of iced coffee in your hand and it's wicked easy to slam that in all of 10 minutes, too. And then you're effing wired, which makes you write blog posts!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Here's a tip for your protip:

Make you own GD iced-coffee. It costs about $1/gallon. Make two giant pots at the beginning of the week and you're set. You can even make ice cubes of out coffee so it doesn't dilute it at all.

Put it in a Nalgene and go to work.

Protip for a protip for a protip: Drive your car to work. Then you're not hot at all.
Colin R said…
While you're making your own iced coffee, I'm stimulating the economy by paying someone else to make me coffee. Why do you hate America?
Anonymous said…
Hold on one second. You ride your bike to work. Talk about hating America. Where's your H2?

I probably spend 20 times that much on gas each week. Now what?

/Wish I could ride, but that'd be 55 miles per day...
solobreak said…
But are you a brave enough American to eat at Curtis's this weekend?
Anonymous said…
Four shots of espresso in 24oz of cold water and ice cubes is pretty good, too.

Real protip request: how ought one carry his iced coffee on the bike - assuming he wants to drink on the ride? Waterbottles make it taste funny, and my travel mug looks stupid.
Colin R said…
Yeah, but where the heck am I gonna get four shots of espresso?

You need to turn one bottle into the iced-coffee bottle, that's all I can think of. After a while the taste will go away.

Alternatively, don't drink iced coffee unless you like having to pee every 30 minutes.

Solo: I've always meant to stop there. Maybe this time...
trackrich said…
Same deal at Panera... I don't think I slept at all the last time I went there because it was a true 32oz of icy goodness instead of the 3oz from DnD.

But Mike's right... big pot of Chain Breaker and a tray of cubes and you're stylin...
Anonymous said…
You people and your inveterate consumption of coffee.

Here's a ProTip: be a free thinker. Need a stimulant? Step outside and take a deep breath of air (well, maybe not in Somerville).
gewilli said…
Seven stars bakery uses coffee Ice Cubes.

The coffee is pre-chilled, and poured over frozen cubes of coffee...

but really, if you have cash to be buying coffee everyday (instead of making your own) get a suburban or something, then you can fit your bikes in the back and sleep in it at the same time... and never EVER yield TO ANYONE in Mass or RI
Colin R said…
DON'T JUDGE ME!!!
Anonymous said…
"But Mike's right... "

I'm not sure that's ever been said before, and certainly not around anything to do with Colin.
Esy and fast. Plus you have to buy the beans at a (locally-owned) coffeeshop, thus supporting the service economy. Plus, the Italians and French love this stuff, and they're awfully fast.
trackrich said…
That's right G... if we buy local and organic coffee every day to support the local little folks does it make us less pretentious?
;)
megA said…
1) it's 2.40, not 2.50, for the GIANT SIZED iced coffee--don't exaggerate.

2) if you make it at home and put it in your Nalgene you will die b/c Nalgene bottles are full of evil cancer crap that will leech into your evil cancer-giving coffee and kill you. since i like you, i would rather you not do that.

3) you should go to curtis's for me since i've decided to save the world and my $30 by not driving to putney to race and come in last. instead i will burn $25 in effigy and thus profit $5 on the day.

xo
m

Popular posts from this blog

Sam Anderson Cheats at Mountain Bike Racing

US Cyclocross Nationals Travesty Report: Junior Girls

Do-It-Yourself March Cycling Blog Post