Bespoke bikes: Dubai cafe Pedal offers coffee and customised cycles

In a plush cafe in Ras Al Khor, a mechanic carefully assembles a bicycle. He attaches the seat post to the frame, fixes the groupset and runs the cabling. The process of putting the parts together, which takes roughly two days, transpires behind glass walls, giving visitors the chance to see a custom bike being assembled as they sip on smoothies. Pedal Cycling & Coffee, a bespoke bike shop and cafe that opened in Dubai last year, offers diners healthy beverages, locally roasted coffee, and gourmet dishes by Malenya Evans, previously the sous chef at Common Grounds. On the menu are items such as chilli scrambled eggs, smoked salmon sandwiches and iced Spanish lattes. Yet, it is the bicycles that steal the show. Other than the repair services provided, Pedal houses bikes from some of the biggest cycling brands in the industry, as well as putting together custom machines, with prices starting at about Dh40,000 and going up to Dh75,000. For those wondering what warrants that price tag, Pedal manager and bike fitter Edward Ross explains that custom-built bicycles are designed to fit the cyclist’s frame and riding style, instead of the other way around, and are then personalised to also suit aesthetic tastes. “If you buy a standard bike from a shop, you may get one that’s according to your height, but it will never be perfect, there will always be areas of compromise, areas that stretch you out,” says Ross. “But when you get a custom bicycle made, you have to consult with professional bike fitters who take your measurements. They also analyse your riding position – not necessarily the most efficient position, but the most comfortable position. These measurements are then sent to a manufacturer who uses the information to build the frame of the bike around them.” Comfort is key here. Ross says no matter how expensive a bike is, if it is not comfortable, a cyclist will not be able to ride it as fast as it can go, or spend too many hours on it. The materials that go into the bikes also factor into the quality of the ride. While carbon fibre – hailed for its durability and lightness – is the material of choice for premium bicycles, stainless steel is also having something of a revival, says Ross. “In the old days, all bikes were made out of steel, and the material is coming back because modern steel is quite lightweight. "There are also bikes made using a combination of materials, putting state-of-the-art technology on to a classic-looking frame.” Pedal deals with four brands to create custom cycles: Bastion from Australia, Sarto and Stelbel from Italy and Czech manufacturer Festka. Each has its unique selling points, says Ross. “Take Bastion, for example. It uses 3D-printed titanium lugs and filament-wound carbon tubes to create a bike that essentially feels and rides exactly the way you want. You can tell them that you like the form of a certain cycle and the engineers there will create the bike with the same stiffness or flexibility, so it doesn’t look like the other bike, but feels like it.” Meanwhile, Sarto and Festka specialise in carbon fibre bikes and Stelbel creates both carbon fibre and steel designs. Although the final process of putting together the different components only takes a day or two, the entire affair takes months, in what Ross describes as a “very interactive process”. It begins with a consultation with Ross regarding the use of the bike. Depending on whether it is for general exercise, gravel biking or speed racing, the aesthetic, weight and shape of the bike will vary. Once the cycle, based on brand, budget and use of bike, is selected, Ross refers the clients to professional bike fitters at Ingruppetto in Al Barsha, where they are measured both standing and seated on a cycle. The information is passed on to the manufacturer, when Pedal also blocks a production date – which is usually about eight weeks away. The customer still has time to discuss personalisation – paint schemes, for example. "One of our customers had a poem by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid [Vice President and Ruler of Dubai] written on the bars of the bike in intricate Arabic calligraphy, which I think is pretty amazing and looks unique," says Ross. Once the parts have been shipped to the UAE, the experts at Pedal do quality control checks on them and assemble the bike in the workshop. “Some people like to have videos of the final assembly of their bike being done, so we have to film the process for them,” says Ross. Other than custom bikes, Pedal retails sought-after brands such as 3T, which is exclusive to the UAE workshop, and BMC. While these are also built to specification, standard frames are used. Like all food and beverage establishments, Pedal was closed for a few months starting in March. However, Ross says that since reopening “people have come flooding back”. He credits the renewed interest in the sport to numerous factors. For starters, cycling is a pandemic-friendly activity: it can be done solo and takes place out in the open. There has also been a general drive towards more active lifestyles over the past few years. Ross also credits the growth of interest to the UAE government, which has been investing in cycling infrastructure around the country. “Building linked cycling tracks ensures people can get out there and bike without having to worry about traffic. It’s [become] a safe sport,” says Ross. There has been a large cycling community in the UAE for a long time and it continues to grow. Mountain biking in Hatta and Ras Al Khaimah is also becoming popular. It is the UAE’s potential to become a cycling hub that led Khalifa Almarri, Humaid Alkhallafi and Faisal Bin Fares to start Pedal in the first place. The three Emirati school friends are avid cyclists themselves, having rediscovered the sport in 2007. “When my friends and I started riding in 2007, it was around Nad Al Sheba, and there weren’t the tracks how you see them today,” says Almarri. “We rode between communities, on the main roads, and simply raced as friends. “It was this notion of endurance sports that came from horse riding for hours, and the togetherness from a coffee culture that made cycling so relevant to us. As time went on, Sheikh Hamdan [Crown Prince of Dubai] led the infrastructure and sports community, so it grew our desire for Pedal’s concept. “Ultimately, what we wanted was a place you could walk into and feel like you know everyone without knowing anyone because you have a common passion and it gives you a sense of belonging,” says Almarri. “Adding coffee and food to the concept is Emirati in virtue of the fact that it's how we gather.”

Bespoke bikes: Dubai cafe Pedal offers coffee and customised cycles

Bike enthusiasts can watch bespoke bikes being assembled as they enjoy a locally roasted brew