The sports and shopping destination Circulo Verde in Quezon City is now the home of a new bicycle store that doubles as a cafe.
Called Celeste Cycles PH, the store opened over the weekend and promised to bring topnotch bicycles to cyclists while serving up hot (and cold) cups of coffee.
The store is a cyclist’s dream come true. One section of the space has multiple rows of bikes, from road bikes to triathlon bikes. Cycling helmets and tools are hoisted on the walls, while cycling shoes are displayed in glass cabinets. The warmly-lit cafe provides ample space for people enjoying their drink or even getting some work done.
The owner of the place, Paul Tan, told Coconuts Manila that he came up with the concept for the cafe from his travels to Italy, where he went on a cycling trip with a friend.
“A lot of cyclists love going to a coffee shop after they train, especially in Italy. We were inspired by Bianchi’s cafe in Milano; that’s where we modeled this from,” said Tan.
This is not the first Celeste Cycles for Tan, who first opened a branch in Congressional Road in 2017, but this is the first time that his store comes with a cafe. This newer store serves as his flagship showroom where avid cyclists can buy bikes priced from as cheap as PHP2,000 (US$38.28) to as high as PHP1 million (US$19,140). A few brands on sale include Bianchi, Factor, Look, as well as a brand of bikes which Tan’s company manufactures, called Devel.
But more than just selling bikes, it’s also a great place for avid cyclists to train. Their studio has a technology called the Acer Xplova Noza Smart, a bike that allows people to pretend that they’re cycling in real life. The concept is somewhat similar to VR, but instead of using a headset, the images appear on a screen attached to the bike. The system is customizable as the terrain can be adjusted to suit the cyclists’ needs. Customers can even train with someone who is overseas.
The place also offers a slew of services, from bike wash to tire changes and even bike adjustment.
Meanwhile, the cafe sells a few cold and hot drinks which Tan said were brewed using locally-sourced beans. Coconuts tried the Ice Blended Caramel (PHP175/US$3.35) a rich, sweet drink which comes generously with milk. We also tried the Ice Blended Peppermint Mocha (PHP175/US$3.35), a yummy drink that comes drizzled with chocolate on top.
Tan said that they’re planning to introduce more food at the cafe but for the time being, they’re only selling a few cookie and pastry varieties.
FIND IT:
Celeste Cycles PH is at Industria Road, Circulo Verde, Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City.
Opening hours: Cafe is open from 8am to 8pm while the store and studio is open at 11am to 8pm
Both sections are open every day, except Mondays
Phone: (62) 917 637 1633
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