Rapha Cycle Club London was my coffee stop just off Regent Street during this 2016 walk. With Piccadilly Circus behind me, I headed along Air Street to a shop that combined cycling clothing with a café. I had come for a coffee, but the short visit also offered a look at the club atmosphere inside.
From the Roberts London archive: this film was originally published on 18 August 2016. The photographs and observations below record that visit.
From Regent Street to Rapha
The café was on the corner of Brewer Street and Air Street, a short detour from Regent Street. In the film I introduce it as a bike shop and cycling clothing brand with a café inside. That mix made it an interesting place to pause before returning to the events on Regent Street.
The window immediately set the scene. A Tour de France route illustration covered the glass, bringing the sport out onto the street. I remarked on the cycling coverage as I approached, then took the camera inside for a quick look around.
Inside Rapha Cycle Club London
There was more to see than rails of clothing. Framed cycling photographs hung above the displays, bicycles stood high along the wall, and a television added to the sporting setting. The shop and café shared the same space, so the cycling theme continued right through to the coffee counter.
One detail I explain in the film is the bike rack. Those bicycles were customers’ bikes, rather than stock for sale. Riders could hang and secure their own bikes while spending time in the clubhouse. It helped explain the space as a meeting place as well as a shop.
At the time of my visit, I described the cycling club and its organised rides. I also pointed out that you did not need to be a member to browse the shop or enjoy the café. For this visit, my plan was simply to pick up a coffee before carrying on with the walk.
A takeaway Americano
At the counter, cups and sunflowers sat alongside the café display. I ordered a black Americano to take away, then stepped outside to try it. My verdict in the film was straightforward: pretty good. It was a handy coffee stop close to the shopping streets, with plenty to catch the eye if cycling was your interest.
Coffee in hand, I headed back towards Regent Street to see what was happening there. This short film captures that small pause in a longer London day: a shop, a café and a drink before moving on. For another walk from the same period, see my Oxford Street archive from 2016.
Watch the original visit
The two-minute film follows the approach from Piccadilly Circus, the cycling displays inside Rapha and my coffee outside. It is an extract from my longer Regent Street Summer Streets film.
