Pump Your Brakes and Have a Coffee Break at Biking Cafe Near NLGX

Feeling deflated? Well now there's a Beijing cafe that can get you pumped – along with your bike's tires.

Biking Cafe (located on Beiheyan Dajie, south of Nanluogu Xiang) occupies a shared space: side is a bike shop, while the other half is a spacious cafe. Its decor features sections of spokes and pedals at the counter, little wheels in the light fixtures, and plenty of pictures of cyclists on the walls. More than two dozen wide wooden tables and chairs fill the space, making it a comfortable enough place to grab some java and chat with friends or catch up on work.

The coffee is less distinctive than the decor, with Americanos, flat whites, cappuccinos and other standard fare on offer in the RMB 30-45 range. These cupfuls will perk you up, though their flavor and prep aren't quite as up to speed as some of the trendier cafes around town. Average customers looking to slurp from a simple cup and enjoy a fun, offbeat space (and/or do some bicycle maintenance) will be fine with that, especially if they feel overwhelmed by fancier menus elsewhere.

Group rides are also coordinated at 8.30am, 6.30pm and 9.30pm for casual cyclists looking to make friends and venture through the hutongs.

It's nice to see how the owners ventured off the beaten path, so to speak, combining elements that one wouldn't normally think of finding in the same space. This particular neighborhood is also somewhat short on cafes, compared to hutongs further north or denser commercial areas like Sanlitun and the CBD, making Biking Cafe a good pit stop for coffee before you hit the road again.

Biking Cafe
Daily 8.30am-6.30pm. 81 Beiheyan Street (6526 5857)
北河沿大街81

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Email: kylemullin@thebeijinger.com
Twitter: @MulKyle

Photos: Biking Cafe