Bikes and coffee are two of Boulder’s favorite things. So it’s only natural, in a creative city like Boulder, to bring them together. You know. Unity and whatnot.
If you’re a coffee-loving bike-rider or a bike-loving coffee-drinker, here are six ways you can enjoy them both at the same time without having to pick just one.
The Coffee Ride
This unique business was founded on the love of bikes and coffee. The premise is simple: It’s a coffee-delivery service that brings fresh coffee to your door via bicycle. It delivers residentially and commercially in Boulder and the surrounding area (Gunbarrel and Niwot) for free. If you live outside of the delivery area, you can order coffee to be shipped, and subscribe for regular delivery.
The Coffee Ride only sells ethically grown, freshly roasted coffee. It aims to give back to farmers as much as possible, too. Check the website for specifics on which region the current coffee supply comes from (it rotates regularly).
As the story goes, founder Joshua Crane developed of a love for coffee while studying to apply for medical school.
“With a strong foundation in chemistry, I dove headfirst into roasting my own like a mad scientist,” he writes. “I realized my love for medicine and science was in the experimentation process; and, with coffee, I was able to drink and enjoy the end product. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
The Tune Up
Get a cup of coffee and hang out at one of Boulder’s favorite bike shops. Full Cycle, which has two locations in Boulder, has been a staple in town since the early ‘80s. It claims to be Boulder’s oldest and most “inclusive” bike shop. It sells every kind of bike from road to mountain to electric and racing. You can repair and rent bikes here and enroll in classes and group rides, too.
The Pearl Street location, 1795 Pearl St., is home to The Tune Up, where you can have a beer, coffee and snacks and chat with the staff and other bike-lovers. As for non-coffee drinks, there are 16 different lines of rotating, local craft beer, kombucha and more. While you drink your coffee, you can learn about upcoming events, like group rides and Wednesday night trivia.
Strade Bianche Cafe
New this year: the Strade Bianche Tuscan Cycling Cafe, an Italian-inspired cycling cafe next door to the Tune Up. This is the next level for bike-lovers and foodies; it features food (both light snacks and full meals) by Michelin-awarded chef Fabio Flagiello.
The motto for this unique restaurant: “Italy cycling and cuisine.” The inspiration: “the famous ‘white roads’ of Chianti, where you can ride for miles and miles up and down the hills and through vineyards,” according to the cafe.
While coffee isn’t the centerpiece here, you can get lunch at Strade and your after-meal espresso next door. Bikes welcome everywhere.
Longmont Bicycle Co. and Coffee
Downtown Longmont is also home to a place to shop for bikes and get caffeinated. Longmont Bicycle Co. and Coffee, 314 Main St., features bikes (all kinds, from cruisers to mountain and more), cycling gear, maintenance, repairs and a coffee lounge. Sip your coffee in this full-service bike shop, surrounded by gorgeous bikes and gear and talk about riding with folks who share the passion.
Local tip: Ask about specials in celebration of Bike Month (June), like half off coffee drinks.
Rapha Cycling Club
Boulder’s Rapha, 1815 Pearl St., is the clubhouse for local avid cyclists, as well as people new to biking, who are interested in organized trips. The club offers a full program of rides that leave from the downtown location. Learn about events and get ready for the next ride, pick up some clothing and accessories and top it all off with a cup of fine coffee. Of course.
Amante Coffee
While Amante Coffee in North Boulder, 4580 Broadway, isn’t a bike store, per se, it attracts cyclists. Maybe it’s the beans imported from Northern Italy, or the proximity to Boulder Cycle Sport. But you’re bound to see bikers here every day. Especially Wednesday mornings, when there’s an organized ride from (and back to) the coffee shop every week. Let the caffeine fuel your pedals.
