Our 25 favourite bicycle spots in the world
The world is best discovered on a bike — whether you’re at home or on the other side of the planet. When we’re travelling, we love finding new shops, cafés, and bars that revolve around cycling. We proudly present to you, in random order, our collection of the best cycling spots on the globe — the 2016 edition.
FACTORY FIVE (Shanghai)
Factory Five is an incredible new shop in Shanghai. The space is a fine example of raw design, with poured concrete floors and bare brick walls. A wall featuring every handlebar imaginable made a great impression on us. Beautiful steel and aluminum frames are made here as well, while the multifunctional space is perfect for a variety of cycling events, such as film evenings, small festivals, and bike markets. And then there’s the bar… also awesome. wearefactoryfive.com
BIANCHI CAFÉ (Stockholm)
A piece of Italian paradise in the centre of Stockholm — that’s the best way to describe the Bianchi Café, which is situated on the Norrlandsgatan in the Swedish capital. With perfect Italian coffee, pasta, antipasti, and of course plenty of celeste-coloured bicycles, the only question that remains is: when and where can we expect the next Bianchi Café? bianchicafecyles.com
MEESTERKNECHT (Amsterdam)
Situated on a small side street in the centre of Amsterdam, Meesterknecht is a true delicatessen with the best of cycling on offer. The shop, which takes its name from the Dutch term for super-domestique, is sure to have those special socks you’ve been looking for, as well as kit from the likes of Ten Speed Hero, and high-end Ritte’s. meesterknecht.cc
CICLI BERLINETTA (Berlin)
Cicli Berlinetta has a passion for Italian frames from the past. Casati, Cinelli, Colnago, Masi, Paletti, Olmo — Cicli makes works of art out of frames such as these. The flagship product on their website, a restored Cinelli track bike, is on sale for almost 15,000 euros. Stay calm though; at this wonderful store, you can satisfy your retro appetite at a more manageable price point too. cicli-berlinetta.de
TREADLY (Adelaide)
From a leaky shed to Adelaide’s best place for local business, Treadly has slowly been pedalling away to help people enjoy bicycles in this part of Australia. A local bike shop of the kind we love: honest and stacked with beautiful frames, parts and wheels. treadlybikeshop.com.au
CHERUBIM (Tokyo)
A renowned Japanese marque, Cherubim is known for their sensational bikes, which are made by Konno-San. With stores in Machida and Aoyama in the region around Tokyo, there is plenty to see and buy when you visit Cherubim. They also organize a variety of rides. cherubim.jp/store
PELAGO (Helsinki)
Makers of bikes, bike clothes and accessories, Pelago is on the rise. Their high-end products are available in shops all over the world, but the Pelago shop in Helsinki is still their home base. It is an extremely tasteful space, just as we’d expect from the design-minded Finns. pelagobicycles.com
THE ATHLETIC (Portland)
Cycling couple Jeremy Dunn (formerly of Rapha) and Julie Krasniak (multiple-time champion of France) run The Athletic in Portland. Founded as a sock company, The Athletic has become a brand and a shop with much more to offer. The socks based on the Portland airport’s famous carpet are still our favourites, but there is something for everyone — be they runners, hikers, or collectors — at The Athletic. theathleticcommunity.com
SERK (Beijing)
Serk is the epicentre of cycling culture in Beijing, China. The business is a collaboration between the Australian Shannon Bufton and Liman Zhao. If you are looking for high-end service, night rides, events, or a spot on their ‘Panda Corner’ during the Tour of Beijing, this is the place to visit. serk.cc
BOULDER CYCLE SPORT (Boulder)
Located in what is perhaps the fittest city on the planet, you’ll find anything you might want at Boulder Cycle Sport. A cycling walhalla, with everything from kid’s bikes to cyclocross bikes to relaxed cruisers, Cycle Sport is the hub of a truly active community, where activities and rides are always on the agenda. If you want a bike from Cervélo, Scott, or Focus, among many others, you should pay a visit. bouldercyclesport.com
LOOK MUM NO HANDS (London)
Look Mum No Hands has become the quintessential London shop. With two locations in the city, plus pop-up shops at various locations during the summer, it is the place to go to get your bike adjusted, have a coffee, check out an exposition, or try on some new kit when you are in London. lookmumnohands.com
KAPELMUUR (Madrid)
A great, Belgian name for a bike shop in Spain, Kapelmuur takes its title from the Muur van Geraardsbergen’s nom de guerre, evoking that climb’s infamous cobblestones, which feature in so many of the Flemish classics. Their website seems to be permanently closed because they are out riding, but who can blame them? kapelmuur.es
BAR BIDON (Ghent)
Situated in the student city of Ghent, Bar Bidon is a perfect spot to spend Saturday morning. Relax with a magazine or newspaper, a coffee and a pastry, and forget about the time for a while. Annelies, the owner, took her inspiration from London when she was designing the place, so you’ll get that big-city atmosphere, without losing the cosy friendliness that Ghent is famous for. barbidon.be
BIOMEGA (Copenhagen)
Copenhagen still leads the way when it comes to urban cycling. Biomega constructs city bikes and, yes, electric bikes. But these aren’t just electric bikes; they are the coolest e-bikes we’ve ever come across. Biomega’s flagship store in Copenhagen is super chic, with white all around. If you are in the city, you have to pay a visit, even if you are not really looking for anything new at the moment. We have seen the future. biomega.com
HERITAGE GENERAL STORE (Chicago)
Heritage General Store — it’s not a name you would immediately associate with cycling. But once you’re in the front door, it all becomes clear: this is one heck of a bike shop. Fixing a flat and getting a cup of coffee will cost you ten dollars. With Google’s help, you can even explore the interior when you visit their website. heritagebicycles.com
RAPHA CYCLE CLUB (Multiple locations)
Rapha has a collection of gorgeous cycling clubs — with two in London, plus ones in New York, Sydney, San Francisco, Manchester, Tokyo, and Osaka. The Amsterdam location is situated in the famous Negen Straatjes. Expect smart displays, good coffee, lots of events, and beautiful clothes and accessories of course. The clubs are also great spots to get together to watch the pros in action. rapha.cc/clubs
KILI BASQUE COUNTRY CYCLING (San Sebastian)
Every year, Donostia’s cycling scene gets a boost when the pros come to town for La Clásica, to make the most of their form one week after the finish of the Tour de France. But when you walk into Kili, you see right away that the city is cycling-mad right through the year. This beautifully designed store organizes trips to Jaizkebel and other places in the Basque region with or without a guide, with your own bike or a rental Orbea. This is cycling country and Kili is your basecamp. kili.bike
MONOCHROME (Buenos Aires)
Quality of life — it seems they’ve found the secret to it in the neighbourhood of Palermo in Buenos Aires. Here, you enjoy life at your own pace. Have a suitable city bike designed for you at Monochrome to cruise around the city with.
rewindbikes.com
VELO CULT (Portland)
Portland is the cycling capital of the US and Velo Cult — a bike shop, café, and bar — is its hub. All sorts of bikes and riders are welcome here. With a diverse programme that features concerts, rides, festivals, and even stand-up comedy, this is a shop dedicated to cycling culture. velocult.com
TUSCANATIVE (Arezzo)
Tuscanative is a bike shop that is not dedicated to coffee for once. Instead, they bring to the fore all of the other culinary specialities that Tuscany has to offer. Founded by Marco Lombardi, a film producer who has worked for the likes of MTV, Tuscanative is an entry into the world of L’Eroica with gourmet sausages, truffles, wine, and cheese on offer. While you are there, book a cycling trip into Chianti. But you had better watch out: before you know it, you won’t want to leave. tuscanative.com
LA FABRICA (Girona)
La Fabrica is the brainchild of Orica-GreenEdge pro Christian Meier and his wife Amber. Here, when they say “life is too short to drink bad coffee”, they are dead serious. Gather around the reading table to plan a nice route around Girona. This is the ultimate spot for the pros and wannabe pros who are based in the city, and for the ride-like-a-pro crowd who just want to experience what that life is like for a treat.
lafabrica.cc
PAVÉ (Barcelona)
Pavé is an incredibly nice bike shop in the centre of Barcelona. The spacious, 700-m2 showroom is an emporium for cycling gear. But there is a coffee corner too, a library and showers for after training and a space to watch televised cycling. With heaps of events and their own chic cycling strip, Pavé is a must visit if you are in Barcelona.
pave.cc
MELLOW JOHNNY’S (Austin)
Mellow Johnny’s Bike Shop in Austin, Texas — yes, Lance’s shop — remains a cycling temple. More than a shop, it is, as they say, a ‘hangout’ for cyclists. Besides the shop, there is a workshop, a café, and change rooms with lockers and showers for commuters. That’s what we like to see. mellowjohnnys.com
VELOCULTURE (Porto)
A well-designed store annex workshop in the Portuguese capital, Veloculture is the spot for steel and retro cycling equipment. Here, they bring old bikes to life. Allow yourself to be seduced by all of the rebuilt beauties on show in the gallery on their website, or pop by to peek over the shoulder of the mechanic.
velocultureporto.com
STANDERT (Berlin)
At Standert, they build city bikes, racing bikes, and fixies. Steel is always the starting point. Their shop in Berlin also features bikes from Ritte, a Californian brand with a Flemish name, and gear from the likes of Giro and Lezyne. There is also a workshop and a café space. This is the focal point of Berlin’s cycling scene. standert.de