Cycle Friendly Cafes in New York

From the skyline of Manhattan to the trails at Prospect Park, New York is the perfect place for cyclists that enjoy colder temperatures, and don’t mind it when Jack Frost is nipping at their nose, and they are not alone. Many New Yorkers enjoy road cycling - throw in a vibrant coffee culture with some of the following favourite establishments and you know that this city has a lot to offer those on two wheels.

Baconery Café
Located at 911 Columbus Ave
www.baconery.com
Living up to its name, bacon is the name of the game at this cyclist friendly café. Delicacies range from unique to the downright weird, and include sandwiches with cool names, bacon macaroni, and bacon pecan pie, and even though they may sound strange, they are actually pretty good. Located to the north of the Columbus Avenue bike lane, this café is within easy reach of the Central Park Loop, which makes it an obligated visit during your daily session. The café endorses cycling culture in a very visible manner through its sponsorship of the Asphalt Green Women's Cycling Team. As if that weren’t enough, cyclists can park their bikes inside the establishment during cold and rainy days.

Brooklyn Roasting Company
Located at 25 Jay St.
www.brooklynroasting.com

Brooklyn offers some of the best pastries in the world, and Brooklyn Roasting Company brings them all together in a cyclist friendly establishment which offers different types of organic certified and sustainable coffees. Take a break from pedalling and sit down to relax while drinking one of their wide range of coffee based beverages, while replenishing your carbs with a donut, sandwich, and other treats. Besides the exquisite food you will also find great company and like-minded riders to make your stay complete. If your bike needs a tune up, there are a few specialised shops nearby who can do the job while you wait.



The Cannibal
Located at114 East 29th St.
www.cannibalnyc.com

The Cannibal is a cyclist friendly joint in the heart of New York that serves as a quaint and cozy café during the day, but transforms into a lively bar once the sun goes down. Its menu includes items such as charcuterie, cheeses, and other small plates, but the real attraction is its beer menu, which lists 450 beers for you to choose from. This establishment was named in honor of Eddie Merckx, known as “The Cannibal”, and who won the Tour de France on five occasions. The Cannibal has become a regular hangout for members of the cycling community because it offers televised races and other cycle related events, making it a favourite for fans of the cycling culture. Another plus, is that you can usually run into cycling celebrities, such as Roger Hammond, just hanging out with the patrons on weekend nights. The Cannibal is the place to be when you want to live New York’s night life on your two-wheeler.



The City Bakery
Located at 3 West 18th St.
www.thecitybakery.com  
If there is one cyclist friendly café in New York, this is it. It has been created with the cycling crowd in mind,

and if you bring your bike with you when you visit, you can get up to 15 percent off your purchase, and let’s just say that the food is absolutely delicious, so you will get a great cup of coffee with a heavenly croissant. On a cold day The City Bakery offers hot chocolate and other goods to warm you up, and once you walk in you are sure to want to stay to enjoy the friendly company of other cyclists.

Juice Pedaler
Located at 154 Prospect Park Southwest
www.juicepedalernyc.com
Many things make Juice Pedaler an obligated stop when you visit New York, but its wonderful fireplace, which will offer you a break from the cold of Winter, its bike shop and its café are the reasons why you will find other sports enthusiasts and cyclists here year round. Juice Pedaler offers a nice ambiance, healthy snacks, and has become a reunion place to catch up with friends.  From steaming espresso to juices made out of seasonal fruits, coupled with a delicate pastry this is the place where you can get a brief respite from the hectic traffic outside. When the weather warms up, you can curl up with a good book and get some rays on the deck and garden while your bike gets worked on at the shop.


New York is the city that never sleeps, making it a paradise for cyclists from all over. There is always something to do, a place to visit, or a sight to see, and that is not counting the myriad of activities available year round.  Bicycle culture is growing roots in New York, and is taking the city by storm, so don’t be surprised to find that you are not the only one who will don a helmet mid week to go for a ride down one of the many paths into the city.

The Creation of the "New Golf" and "Golfing Widow"

A long long time ago in the last millennium, there was a term phrased to those wives who did not see their spouses in the early hours of the morning, away from home for long periods at a time, only to return back too tired or distracted to spend the best time of the day remaining with their loved ones. These were the golfing widows of yesteryear, who have now been slowly replaced by the latest breed of spouse - the cycling widow!

I started playing golf in my early twenties because my friends played – they were all better than me – and from what they told me it was a great way to "network". If anyone wanted to network with the sad case who shot twice the par on every round I sure didn't meet them! Previous jobs allowed me to play on work time when invited by suppliers, but again no real value came out of these events that would go for half a day. I never truly believed that golf was going to create strong business networks, if anything it gave a great reason to justify the pastime to the better half on the belief I was forced to play for work.

For the past few years a number of people have been proclaiming that cycling, and road cycling in particular, is the new golf. This phrase was coined by a Melbourne banker, Craig Bingham who noted that affluent middle-aged men were using cycling in the same way that they'd previously used golf – to have fun, keep fit and make business contacts.

Just recently, the 3rd largest business deal in history was done on bikes. Vodafone and Verizon's 30 billion dollar deal was done between two cycling CEO's that have ridden together for years, and the final negotiation happened over dinner. The ability to mix business into a social and health focused sport, brings out the strong level of camaraderie, positiveness and removes the barriers that a suit and tie can have.

Cool Rides in the San Francisco Bay Area

As one of United States’ most bike-friendly cities, San Francisco is a haven for beginner, intermediate and advanced bikers. The growing number of bike lanes, coupled with the picturesque landscape, present excellent opportunities for athletic-minded individuals looking to work up a sweat and give their muscles a good workout! If you are a road cycling enthusiast visiting the Bay Area for the first time, you cannot afford to miss these rides.

Golden Gate Bridge to Sausalito

 Cycling over the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge is a memorable experience in itself. Enjoy amazing views of the bridge, city, cafes, shops and the Mediterranean-style village of Sausalito. You can choose to start at Fort Mason and ride seven miles whilst marvelling at the scenic vista surrounding you. If you feel up to it, you can continue riding to the ferry terminal in Tiburon. You are sure to pass (or get passed!) by a few dozen riders – tourists, solo riders and hard core groups – many of whom will almost always catch a bite to eat or coffee after returning by ferry to Pier 41.

Fort Funston

 Lying on San Francisco’s sandy bluffs, Fort Funston is a popular ride on a manageable windy day and clear skies. You start at the Golden Gate Park and ride about four miles to get to Fort Funston’s recreational area.

Hawk Hill Loop

 If you seek a challenging 10+mile ride, Hawk Hill Loop is a good option. You start along the west side-walk (check in advance for construction activities and detours resulting from the same), keep to the left off Alexander Road and be ready for the steep climb on Conzelman Road to get to the Hawk Hill Overlook. You can also go via Bunker Road. In either case, great views from the top are guaranteed, so make sure you don’t forget to carry your phone or camera along!

Valencia Street Cruise

 Many people ride along Valencia just to escape the frustrating car-parking experience here. You’ll find Valencia stretch is a pleasurable and easy one; it is also a good place to meet and greet fellow cycling enthusiasts shops, food and scenic views in plenty. Thankfully, there are just as many well-defined bike zones on the road and near-rowdy (in a good way) riders who love to fill the cafes in their lycra and are accepted by the locals.

Bike Fit Benefits....and Cost

How did I get in a situation that dropping $350 on a bike fit was justified? Twelve months ago I would have laughed at any rider that spent that amount of coin on something that should take all of 20 minutes and a good eye.

My position on this has flipped recently after completing the first stage fit at my LBS using the Specialized Geometry Body Fit System. Since May, I suffered a lot of knee pain after completing rigorous training building up to a 600 km event. Pain  in the patella saw me off the bike for a few weeks, and just when things felt good, the next ride would take me back a big step. It took a few months routine to then take the advice of a few friends and book that bike fit.

Dropping big dough on a bike fit just didn't make sense but at my wits end, there weren't too many options left. Deciding to go with the Specialized system, I wasn't too sure what to expect. Surely it wouldn't take 3 hours to complete?

Rocked up to the store with bike and lycra in hand the process made sense as the pieces started to fit together. A detailed pre-fit discussion went through questions and a checklist finding out the type of riding I do, discomfort matters and goals over the next 12 months. Next was the physical, which was an area of concern to me due to being a larger rider and flexibility being an issue with tight hamstrings and quads. Measurements and tests found my left leg was marginally shorter than my right (only by millimetres) but was told this can have an impact on the bike, both with power transfer and discomfort.

After close to an hour, it was time to get on the bike sitting on a trainer and the cameras started to roll (both front and side). Amazing after some explanation how noticeable the body was misaligned on the bike. Everything always looks ok looking down when riding, but to see the playback was a surprise - knees rolling, arms stretched and hips moving on closer inspection.

Then the adjustment (and extra cost) began.....

Starting on the engine, taking the sit bone measurements, it became obviously I wasn't sitting on top of the saddle, rather on the sides where the saddle curves downwards. Would explain the lower back pain, which I had become accustomed to on any 100km + ride  (putting it down to "part of the sport"). So out came the 155mm saddle, flat as a pancake and looking as comfortable as bed of nails. By the end of the session, the initial discomfort was almost non evident, giving me some comfort we are on the right path.

So down to the seatpost and up it goes. The cleats are shifted and the pendulum is brought out to align them to level cranks. Innersoles to compensate for the collapsed arch in the feet gave a strong sense of comfort and contact to the pedals, which were widened apart from the cranks with washers to get the legs closer to vertical. Under one cleat goes a film of angled plastic which better aligned the left leg to vertical and remove some of the shortness.

I knew before I started that an integrated handlebar/stem would be an issue. A new bar and stem was in order including a more compact profile to make transition to the drops was in order. Also a 80mm stem (from 100 mm) and a lift in the handlebar height relaxed the shoulders a fraction and naturally fit into the hoods.

More video, more playbacks and more minor adjustments took us up to 3 hours. Advised to complete a few light flat rides to get use to the new setup and they offered a test saddle for a few weeks to ensure comfort is fine before final commitment.

Being on a trainer in a room does not replace the open road, and to say the results after 4 rides is great is an understatement. My nemesis hill in Brisbane (Mt Cootha) was to be the test on the knees and it proved to be a enjoyable (well, no knee pain at least) which is a good sign that something worked.

A two week follow up appointment is set to go through any further adjustments, get my feedback on any issues and commit to a final saddle choice. Spending $800 on the bike fit including all new components was a jaw dropper at the time, but to say the dividends should be paid over the next few years with pain free knees will take the pain out of the wallet!

For more on this fit system visit http://www.specialized.com/us/en/hub/bgfit

Cycling Friendly Cafes in San Francisco

Following the great feedback of our previous post, we are fortunate enough to have one of our readers take up the effort to writing about her local spots in one of the most beautiful cities in the world.....

San Francisco offers both calm, leisurely rides alongside the bay as well as challenging trails for riders of all ages; and when you are new in town, there are several good guided tours that will lead you through the most scenic parts of town. Because of its cycle friendly atmosphere, San Francisco also offers a wide variety of rider friendly cafes where you can grab a nice cup of coffee, coupled with a snack and a tune up for your bike. Let’s take a ride into the world of cycle friendly cafes in San Francisco, where you can plan to get some air while enjoying some of the best company in town.

Mojo Bicycle Cafe
Located at 639 Divisadero Street
http://www.mojobicyclecafe.com/

Right near San Francisco’s iconic Fulton Street, this gem of a cafe offers indoor parking for your ride and a full service bike shop. The fun begins after you have locked your bike to the rack, and stepped out back, where you will find a virtual paradise that allows you to curl up on a sunny afternoon while you enjoy a good book and the sweet breeze coming in from the bay. Stay for the happy hour and marvellous cheese plates, enjoyed by hipsters and fitness buffs alike. For those who can’t help but stay connected to the outside world, a free WiFi signal is available for all customers. The coffee shop is open all week, although the bike shop closes on Mondays. Even so, when you are looking for the heart of San Francisco the Mojo Bicycle Café, this is the place to go.

The Rapha Cycle Club
Located at 2198 Filbert
http://www.rapha.cc/san-francisco

If you are passionate about riding or any of the aspects of cycling culture, the Rapha Cycle Club is the place to be. With its fully stocked shop, its quaint cafe, and live racing area, you are bound to be impressed. The Rapha Cycle Club features a gallery for cycling photography and mementos, while its coffee and food are top of the line, and make for a great way to begin or end a wonderful ride down the Golden Gate Bridge, located only a few minutes away. The coolest feature offered by this cyclist friendly location is a weekly group ride held by patrons each Saturday, but if you don’t want to ride with the pack, they also have cue sheets outlining some of the best paths you can take on a solo ride.

Velo Rouge Café
Located at 798 Arguello Blvd.
https://plus.google.com/109528356762352703186/about?gl=mx&hl=en

This small cycle friendly café is an obligated stop on your way to the Golden Gate Bridge, especially if you are a fan of local cycling culture. Some of the tables are crafted with old bicycle parts, contributing to the cycling experience of the area. The establishment offers breakfast and lunch, and has a wide variety of beverages on its menu. Its outdoor seating is perfect for enjoying a sunny day while you watch the bicycle crowd head down to the bridge for a leisurely ride, and even though you must park your bike outside, its big windows will let you keep an eye on it at all times. The Velo Rouge Café is easy to spot from a distance thanks to the bicycle hanging over the front door, which helps to add to the quaint ambiance of the shop.

Getstalt Haus
3159 16th Street (at Albion Street)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gestalt-Haus/176088079122935

Equipped with indoor bike racks for those foggy San Francisco afternoons, this bike friendly establishment offers the best of German tradition to cyclists and passersby alike. Its bike themed décor helps you get in the mood for a nice ride on one of the nearby trails, or settle down with a brew after a long, hard ride. Go alone, or bring some company, whichever way you choose you are sure to enjoy the pub style ambiance that Getstalt Haus has to offer.

Ike’s Place
Located at 3489 16th Street (between Dehon and Sanchez streets)
http://www.ilikeikesplace.com/

Ike’s Place is an iconic San Francisco staple, where cyclists can find the best sandwiches in the area after a hard day of pedalling up and down the hilly streets of the city. Stop by for lunch and you are guaranteed a filling meal that will keep you satisfied until the end of your commute. Cyclist friendly, Ike’s Place offers sidewalk tables and a good view of your bike parked outside, plus special offers and deals that are hard to pass up.

San Francisco has a lot to offer, from beautiful sun rises by the bay to parades, festivals and dancing at night. Most of its wonderful locations are accessible by bike, in a place where the city’s government has put a lot of work into special trails that will take you to places you would have never thought existed. So gather up your gear, put on your helmet and prepare to enjoy the wonderful views that San Francisco has to offer, but don’t forget to make a point to stop at the amazing cafes we have listed above, as your experience would not be complete without drinking a cup of coffee or enjoying breakfast, lunch, or even dinner at one of them. Join other cyclists in the quest for a greener, fitter world, or simply bring a good book to read, whatever your fancy, you are sure to find it fulfilled by San Francisco’s cycling culture.