Coffee and Bikes
@coffee.and.bikes
“We’re putting the Houston Cycling Scene on the map."
And I will tell you, it absolutely belongs there! I can’t overstate how incredible this scene is. I consider myself to be well-seasoned in Coffee Outside, having attended the event in several different cities across the country, and Houston has absolutely been the most welcoming, inclusive, and well-organized Coffee Outside style event I’ve been to.
I arrived in Houston at 3 pm on Friday and by 7PM I was already rolling with the Cemetery Ride (write-up coming soon). I couldn't believe how many people I overheard talking about the Coffee and Bikes ride the next morning, how big was this ride going to be? Most Coffee Outside rides I’ve attended bring around 20-40 people. When I rolled up at 7:10 am, groggy and exhausted from the night before and the two-hour time jump crossing into a new time zone, there was a small handful of people. As I brewed my coffee, more and more people kept showing up! Eventually, we had a total of maybe 80 people, and people kept telling me this was a small group and that normally the ride brings in about 200 cyclist! Normally, Coffee and Bikes is hosted on Sundays, but this one was different since Saturday was International Coffee Outside Day. With the party ride the night before and a few competing Saturday morning rides, it was understandable why the crowd was a bit smaller.
Once caffeinated, I slowly came back to life and started chatting. This Houston bike scene is so friendly, everyone I spoke to was so welcoming, and I immediately felt at home. The group was diverse, and everyone felt comfortable, and happy to talk.
After about an hour of coffee, we took off for the all-inclusive post-coffee ride. The entire group got on their bikes (track bikes, mountain bikes, roadies, and me on my cargo), and we took off for the 16-mile casually paced loop route with a stop at a local coffee shop close to the end. This week we stopped at 2nd Cup Coffee, a community-focused shop that focuses its efforts on addressing issues of human trafficking. From the chats in the park to the welcoming nature of the group and the selection of the coffee stop, it is abundantly clear that the ride host, Lucio, is truly dedicated to supporting community!
The route took us through neighborhoods and in and around downtown Houston. The pace was chill, and we got to see a lot of beautiful neighborhoods, murals, and trails. The ride regrouped often, and nobody was left behind. The environment felt safe and supportive.
The Official Pink Tag Review:
5 out of 5 Pink Tags!
This ride comes with my highest recommendation. Building on a foundation of community, this casually paced ride is a perfect way to start a morning. With great people, great coffee, and great routes, this is a must-do event in Houston, Texas.
