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Old Fourth Ward coffee shop enters Atlanta's bike rental biz

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Cafe in burgeoning bike hotspot offers caffeine, pastries, wheels, and a bicycle parts vending machine

In the latest sign that private industry is tapping into Atlanta's growing bike infrastructure, a coffee shop and eatery on Edgewood Avenue in the Old Fourth Ward recently brought a unique business model to the table.

Along with Octane Coffee and a French-inspired menu, Cafe + Velo is now serving up rentable bikes.

It’s in a prime spot in terms of convenient bike-ability. Bike lanes on Edgewood lead both downtown and to the growing Eastside Trail, which is four blocks away.

Co-owner Jeff Demetriou tells Curbed Atlanta the Dutch-style 8-speed cruiser bikes can be rented daily ($35) or weekly ($200).

There’s also "The Bike Box," which is a bicycle parts vending machine. It’s got tubes, tools, lights, patches, and snacks for the avid biker on the go.

It’s been interesting watching the area become more and more bike conscious and friendly over the past several years.

For instance, the City of Atlanta’s Relay and Bike Share program debuted over the summer. And these newish bicycle lanes aren't hurting the city's Bike Score.

Will the momentum continue to shift toward a more bike-friendly Atlanta? With business decisions like this, it seems likely.