Cycling stop off venue advise

[growingvegetables]

Wonder if I'm the only one who flipped over to Googlemaps and looked for cycle routes in Shropshire?

Fwiw - well impressed! A wee corner of the world I knew nothing about - looks well worth exploring And Shropshire county council look well-sorted too. Loads of maps and routes.

 

[Globalti]

This is a great idea. Are you going to re-name the pub as well? How about The Cyclist's Legs?

Seriously though, this is what I look for in a stopping place:

Firstly: somewhere I can sit and keep an eye on the bike because I don't carry a lock. The best place is an enclosed patio or garden from where it would be difficult for a thief to remove the bikes to a waiting van unseen.

Plenty of hot tea or coffee - the Clarion Cafe in Pendle supplies tea at 50p a pint and you could do the American thing with unlimited coffee topups because most cyclists wouldn't want more than one mug anyway.

A selection of cakes and light snacks. Cyclists don't want a full meal while out on the road.

Water, a pump, magazines, maybe sell a selection of spares like inner tubes and gloves, have a look at the website of the Green Jersey bike shop in Clitheroe.

As well as this, cyclists want somewhere warm and cosy to relax and chat with pals so a quiet, warm, well-ventilated room is good. Puddleducks cafe in Dunsop Bridge, the centre of the UK, used to be a terribly steamy place in winter with uncomfortable humidity and condensation running down the windows until the owners installed a woodburning stove, which warms the room while sucking massive volumes of air up the flue. It is now a much more pleasant place. No music, no TV and chairs that don't scrape on the floor. Oh, and nice clean loos with space for washing and changing.

The Alpine hut shoe suggestion is quite a good one but I suspect the flip-flops would all get pinched.

 

[kasilof]

Hi Folks
You will have to excuse my ignorance here but could you clarify something for me. Do cycling folks generally only want to jump on their bicycle at home and ride out from and back to there, or do they pack their bike into a car take it to new locations around the country and set about a ride in that area? Then repack in the car and drive back home?
Regards Kas

 

[srw]

Cyclists don't want a full meal while out on the road.

Try telling cycle tourists that...

If the pub wants to cater for groups, then it needs to be able to cater efficiently for groups. That means that when a group of 15 or 20 pitches up it needs to be able to serve them all whatever they're after within a reasonable timescale - say 20 minutes - or else have the systems to serve in strict order of arrival, to serve exactly what was ordered, and keep the waiting cyclists accurately informed as to what's happening to their food. And not to annoy the regulars.

For my money, it's perfectly reasonable to insist on groups only by prior arrangement, or else to restrict the menu for groups only to what can essentially be served instantly - i.e. pre-prepared sandwiches or pre-cooked food kept warm in an oven.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

Both, Kas. I suspect you're thinking of your car parking space

 

[compo]

Hi Folks
You will have to excuse my ignorance here but could you clarify something for me. Do cycling folks generally only want to jump on their bicycle at home and ride out from and back to there, or do they pack their bike into a car take it to new locations around the country and set about a ride in that area? Then repack in the car and drive back home?
Regards Kas

Both. A lot of road riders will set off from and return to home, whilst some will drive to new areas, have a ride then drive home.
I live near Epping Forest and the place is crawling with mountain bikers many of who arrive in cars.

 

[summerdays]

It's nice to use the car to get out of the city and go further afield to explore new areas. If you were aiming for those type of cyclists then there would need to be space to park the car and also have a cycle rack (ours is mounted on the tow bar), though it doesn't matter if it overhangs a grass verge. Then you could also display a large map and some potential routes. (Or have that information on the pub website.) Is it a quiet area that would attract family groups cycling?

 

[doug]

As well as the map and few on and off road route suggestions, maybe add a leader board for people to add their times. Phone number for a bike friendly taxi company for those with injuries/mechanicals/too much beer. Offer discounts to local cycling clubs. Put up some nice cycling pictures and old bike paraphernalia around the place (rather than the old horse brass stuff).

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Wonder if I'm the only one who flipped over to Googlemaps and looked for cycle routes in Shropshire?

Fwiw - well impressed! A wee corner of the world I knew nothing about - looks well worth exploring And Shropshire county council look well-sorted too. Loads of maps and routes.

Emma and her team at the council have worked really hard promoting cycling in the county and it is starting to pay off.

It is well worth exploring the county as it's pretty diverse here. There is genuinely something for everyone cycle-wise, from flat easy going stuff in the north to the big hills and serious climbs in the south and west, plus pretty villages, market towns and still plenty of rural pubs.

Of course I am slightly biased.

 

[MrJamie]

The main thing that lets most pubs down is the cycle parking, which is often non existent or just terrible. Those Sheffield stands are good but ive never seen them at a pub. Shelter would be nice but not essential, it would be better to have the bikes parked in view of the inside. It would be good to have a sign up by the bike parking advertising your cycle friendly features.

It would be nice if you had a few basic bike tools to hand, track pump, repair kit, maybe even sell a small selection of innertubes - could probably get by with about 3 sizes. Also some uber cheap "get me home" sets of lights could be good.

A tap would be awesome for refilling waterbottles and would double up for doggy bowls.

I wouldnt personally have cake with my beer, but homemade cakes tend to go down well.

Good luck with it, its a great idea if the location is right

 

[Crankarm]

I have this feeling that if you have to ask ...................................

I don't drink alcohol so a pub is the last place I would want to go. Certainly not to look at other folks who are 24st, have a huge beer gut and need to roll in and out of their equally huge cars.

Good luck with your endeavour anyway.

 

[growingvegetables]

Of course I am slightly biased.

It's all planned - just got to wait for kiddo to come back from Croatia and agree dates.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Cycle lockers (or similar), if it's the establishment is on on/near a known long distance route? I did a fair bit of cycle touring some time back and safety of panniers etc was always a concern when you nipped into a pub/cafe in an 'unknown' area.

 

[gavgav]

Hi Folks.

I hope you might be able to help me. I have a friend who runs a local pub and we wanted to try to make the venue cyclist friendly. I won't mention the name or location as I am sure this would in breech of the forum rules. Briefly though, it is in a good location 18 miles from two large communities on the main road link between. There is good outdoor space and car parks etc.

The reason for the thread is to ask your advice as cyclists as to what facilities you feel would be of benefit to visiting riders. I know that basic security facilities and cycle parking area is a must, but you guys would know more about the other things you would like at a stop off venue. What type of menu? other facilities such as tools being available etc..

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

We've been looking into a cycle tour of Mid Wales and finding a hotel/B&B with SECURE cycle storage is proving nigh on impossible. Options we've been given so far are a Function Room, Open Car Park and Wine Store! Therefore that must be your 1st priority, but other than that I would say good hearty pub food, nothing too flash or expensive and also some good real ale to ease those aches and pains in an evening

 

[BrumJim]

Emma and her team at the council have worked really hard promoting cycling in the county and it is starting to pay off.

It is well worth exploring the county as it's pretty diverse here. There is genuinely something for everyone cycle-wise, from flat easy going stuff in the north to the big hills and serious climbs in the south and west, plus pretty villages, market towns and still plenty of rural pubs.

Of course I am slightly biased.

I'd suggest chatting to Emma and her team for a bit of good publicity and encouragement. Not yet, but when you are up and running.