Cafe/cake stops?

dai_t75

Since joining the forum/getting interested in cycling (around October time) I have often read about the practice of stopping somwhere on a ride for a brew and some cake.... I am yet to complete this rite of passage :oops:

Basically I am just curious about the logistics of the thing - do you guys find places where you can sit outside and keep an eye on your bikes? Or do you lock them up for a bit and head inside? While by my bike is cheap, I would still not feel that comfortable just leaving it unattended at the front of a cafe.

Anyone got any recommendations for good stops in the South Wales area!?

Mikey23

Both the places I regularly use have outside seating and overlooking windows and I never take a lock with me. At both I park right outside and my bike is always in line of sight. I don't think anyone would be stupid enough to chance it

slowbike

I've been on a couple of club rides where we all just leave our bikes outside - but it tends to be somewhere out of the way - and there's enough tooing, froing and eyes to keep watch on all the bikes.
On just a quiet ride with 2 of us I've been happy enough to leave the bike outside a teashop in a village - although there is quite a bit of passing traffic it's not exactly busy and you'd be unlucky to get your bike lifted.

TBH, if I needed more than a small cable lock to secure the bike then I'd be concerned about stopping altogether.

elderone

Cant see it as a right of passage,it,s just a pit stop.handy for a loo brake though.

dai_t75

elderone wrote:

Cant see it as a right of passage,it,s just a pit stop.handy for a loo brake though.

Maybe that wasn't the best way to describe it... maybe just something that everyone seems to do that I have yet to get around to!

Looks like my best bet is to find a place in a quiet area/somewhere with outdoor seating.

cougie

The best cake stops are ones out of the way where the bikes are safe/visible whilst eating. I've not bothered with locks in 30 years of cycling and its funny when newbies turn up at the cafe and lock up their bikes oblivious to the fact that there's probably about 100k of much fancier bikes left unlocked.

elderone

My nearest spot is the ponderossa at the horse shoe pass.Gets busy with bikes and they are quite safe.Look for a beauty spot in cycling range that has a cafe and you will probly find it gets lots of cyclists.
good luck.

jibberjim

Yes, you know bike stops where you can sit with your bikes safe - either outdoors, or indoors in sight of your bikes in a location where theft is pretty unlikely!

And the places you can go in a group are often different to when solo. Afraid I don't know any south wales ones.

slowbike

Slightly different I know - however, last year we went to see the IG Nocturne ... wow ... excellent event .. and many spectators turned up by bike ...
Most were piled up in a heap right by the track ... didn't see a single lock!

simona75

I always find Garden Centre cafes good for a stop, most seem to have space to keep your bike in line of sight.

IanREmery

jibberjim wrote:

Yes, you know bike stops where you can sit with your bikes safe - either outdoors, or indoors in sight of your bikes in a location where theft is pretty unlikely!

And the places you can go in a group are often different to when solo. Afraid I don't know any south wales ones.

There is a biker's cafe where the road up from Cowbridge meets the A48. Been in there once on a club ride. We just left the bikes leant against the wall. TBH there was thousands of pounds worth of motorbike left unattended so I think our battered roadies were fine.

Nice coffee but the fruit cake was as heavy as hell, gave me stomach cramps for the final 20 miles home. Swear it had lead in it.

Edit - Couple more I remembered:

Beach Cafe Coffee shop on the sea front due south of Llantwit Major is quite nice. http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.394065, ... 3&t=m&z=16

went to Franklins in Ogmore by Sea on Saturday, nice food, good coffee and the most beautiful view http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.460626, ... 3&t=m&z=16

Bozman

The day I stop at a cafe will be the day that I give up cycling and start playing golf. I just don't get it.

slowbike

Bozman wrote:

The day I stop at a cafe will be the day that I give up cycling and start playing golf. I just don't get it.

When you start cycling far enough for long enough you'll get it .... :roll:

dai_t75

IanREmery wrote:

jibberjim wrote:

Yes, you know bike stops where you can sit with your bikes safe - either outdoors, or indoors in sight of your bikes in a location where theft is pretty unlikely!

And the places you can go in a group are often different to when solo. Afraid I don't know any south wales ones.

There is a biker's cafe where the road up from Cowbridge meets the A48. Been in there once on a club ride. We just left the bikes leant against the wall. TBH there was thousands of pounds worth of motorbike left unattended so I think our battered roadies were fine.

Nice coffee but the fruit cake was as heavy as hell, gave me stomach cramps for the final 20 miles home. Swear it had lead in it.

Edit - Couple more I remembered:

Beach Cafe Coffee shop on the sea front due south of Llantwit Major is quite nice. http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.394065, ... 3&t=m&z=16

went to Franklins in Ogmore by Sea on Saturday, nice food, good coffee and the most beautiful view http://maps.google.co.uk/?ll=51.460626, ... 3&t=m&z=16

Thanks for that - which road near cowbridge are you referring to?

My rides often go past Ogmore and LLantwit Major. I think I can picture the Ogmore one - is that the one with a few picnic style tables out front? Will have to check out the LM one. May have to rejig my routes though as I usually go past these in the earlier stages of a ride.

Bozman wrote:

The day I stop at a cafe will be the day that I give up cycling and start playing golf. I just don't get it.

Lucky for me I already do the golf thing as well :twisted:

Bozman

Slowbike wrote:

Bozman wrote:

The day I stop at a cafe will be the day that I give up cycling and start playing golf. I just don't get it.

When you start cycling far enough for long enough you'll get it .... :roll:

I generally do at least 3 rides a week of distances between 60 and 100 miles, that'll do for me thanks.

slowbike

Bozman wrote:

Slowbike wrote:

Bozman wrote:

The day I stop at a cafe will be the day that I give up cycling and start playing golf. I just don't get it.

When you start cycling far enough for long enough you'll get it .... :roll:

I generally do at least 3 rides a week of distances between 60 and 100 miles, that'll do for me thanks.

Pah ... light weight .... :? :shock:

IanREmery

dai_t75 wrote:

Thanks for that - which road near cowbridge are you referring to?

This one (the segment is the downhill one, it's quite a nice climb the other way too)

http://app.strava.com/activities/59060713#1097234879

dai_t75 wrote:

My rides often go past Ogmore and LLantwit Major. I think I can picture the Ogmore one - is that the one with a few picnic style tables out front? Will have to check out the LM one. May have to rejig my routes though as I usually go past these in the earlier stages of a ride.

Yup you're right about the Ogmore one. Series of three shops - a newsagent (of sorts), the cafe and then a hairdressers. Very popular.

markhewitt1978

The best was in Mallorca were it was standard for groups of riders to just prop their (very expensive) bikes up against a wall and disappear inside, well out of sight, for a good while. Nobody had any issues. Wouldn't try that here!

k3vinjam3s

If I'm eating inside I always lock my bike up, only takes a few seconds and someone's off with it. Even if they are more expensive rides around I just won't chance it even in the most rural of cafes. Heard a story last year of a transit van pulling up to a quiet cafe and getting 4 bikes before anyone noticed. Quite surprised how some cyclists really don't seem to realise how easy it is to make off with their beloved bikes.

markhewitt1978

k3vinjam3s wrote:

If I'm eating inside I always lock my bike up, only takes a few seconds and someone's off with it. Even if they are more expensive rides around I just won't chance it even in the most rural of cafes. Heard a story last year of a transit van pulling up to a quiet cafe and getting 4 bikes before anyone noticed. Quite surprised how some cyclists really don't seem to realise how easy it is to make off with their beloved bikes.

Is why if I know there's a chance I might stop I carry a little cable lock with me. True it won't stop an equipped thief for more than 15 seconds, but it does stop someone just riding it away.

TheSmithers

I very rarely have coffee stops. Just a quick 5 minutes to down a banana/energy gel or whatever grub I've brought, switch drinks bottles round, have a slash and I'm off again.

For me, coffee stops are counter-productive; all my muscles cool down and I find it hard to get going again. During winter, it can also be hard to get warmed up again.

slowbike

TheSmithers wrote:

For me, coffee stops are counter-productive;

Depends why you've gone for the ride doesn't it? Some of us go for a bit of socializing or just for a ride - it doesn't have to be a training ride every time!

TheSmithers

Slowbike wrote:

TheSmithers wrote:

For me, coffee stops are counter-productive;

Depends why you've gone for the ride doesn't it? Some of us go for a bit of socializing or just for a ride - it doesn't have to be a training ride every time!

Fair enough.

philwint

Slowbike wrote:

TheSmithers wrote:

For me, coffee stops are counter-productive;

Depends why you've gone for the ride doesn't it? Some of us go for a bit of socializing or just for a ride - it doesn't have to be a training ride every time!

It's probably closer to the truth to say that

Most of us go for a bit of socializing or just for a ride.....