‘It’s got a nice chilled vibe’
Check out this great new biking hotspot during a day of riding the beautiful Welsh valleys
CHAIN & SPROCKET
● Bike nights every Wednesday
● Seven days a week, 9am-3pm with bike nights on Wed 5pm-8pm
● Find out more / www.facebook. com/chainandsprocketcafe Hen Lon Parcwr, Ruthin LL15 1LY
Simon Holding wasn’t necessarily in the market for a biker café, but after taking his bikes to the Moto-R Ducati Clinic, it wasn’t long before he noticed the café at the end of the industrial estate had come up for lease.
“I went to Moto-R and was having a chat about bikes, and they said the café next door had come on the market. This was just as Covid hit and they had shut the place down completely, they had given up and walked away.”
Simon thought it would be an easy fix to put his stamp on the café, but unfortunately the venue needed completely gutting and starting from scratch – even the floors had to be replaced. But, after posting about the revamp of the café on Facebook, customers followed its progress and waited patiently to be the first through the door when it opened.
“I used to ride this route a lot into Wales,” Simon says. “So I was coming past all the time so it made sense to get involved. It’s just a nice place, it’s off the beaten track to an extent but if you look at the biking routes plenty of people are coming past. It all just fell into place.”
After being disappointed with other biker cafés, Simon wanted Chain & Sprocket to have a focus on good food to ensure everyone, not just bikers, wanted to visit.
“The food is really important.
There is a misconception about motorcyclists, they like good food! We wanted to make sure that we sourced all stuff locally. We got all the butchers in the area to come in and we tried and tested until we found which sausages we preferred.
“And on bike nights, we theme our food and try a different menu every week.”
Burgers were on the menu for American night, but they’ve also had Italian nights, Thai, Mexican and went British for the Jubilee. Breakfast wraps are a sure-fire favourite, but the local ice cream always goes down a treat.
For more information, check out www.facebook.com/ chainandsprocketcafe
RIDE TO THE SEA
Join Ruthin North Link Rd and right onto the A525. Over the roundabout onto the A543 then take a left onto Vale Street, Smithfield Road and back onto the A543. Wiggle your way to Bylchau and join the A544 then take a left at Llanfair Talhaiarn onto the A548. Turn left, then left again onto the B5381 then right onto Dolwen Road to Colwyn Bay.