Your New Favorite Prospect Park Pit Stop

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Inside you'll find bikes, juice and more bikes. Photo: Juice Pedaler

Inside you’ll find bikes, juice and more bikes. Photo: Juice Pedaler

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I bellied up to the healthiest bar around–the juice bar at the combination bike shop and beverage stop, Juice Pedaler, in Windsor Terrace. A relatively new addition to the area, this welcoming establishment specializes in bike sales, repairs and rentals for children and adults, as well as seasonal fresh juices and Stumptown Coffee.

The storefront pops with clean, white wood siding and the distinctive rainbow of the world championship’s five racing stripes below the front window. Inside, the shop is polished and refined, but inviting with more racing stripes and splashes of color. Bike accessories line the wall to the right, and to the left you’ll find a fireplace and said juice bar with four stools and a friendly staff. Owners Nicole Bilu and Deborah Capone designed the place with a 1970s, California feel in mind, they said.

I ordered an Overhaul–kale, spinach, romaine, parsley, celery, cucumber, lemon and ginger (optional)–and enjoyed it while watching the staff press a myriad of fruits and vegetables into 16oz cups for other folks in line.

You don’t have to have bike business to get a juice. Photo: Juice Pedaler

On the two-wheeled side of things, you can rent a city bike–a stylish yet sturdy bike built for cruising from place to place in an upright position–$3o for the first day, $15 every day after that. A Dutch-style cargo bike goes for $50/$30. There are lots of options for young riders. Kids’ bikes go for $25/$10; a trail-a-bike for $20/$10 and a child seat for the back of a bike $10/$5. The city bikes seem made for exploring Prospect Park, and are a great option for out-of-town guests who would enjoy seeing Brooklyn from a saddle. All rentals include a helmet and a lock, so that you, and your bike, are safe.

You can also buy a bike at Juice Pedaler–when I inquired about renting a tandem they didn’t have one available, but offered to special order one if I was in the market for a bicycle built for two. The bike mechanic’s workshop is right outside the back door, and the backyard offers ample seating, so you can enjoy your beverage of choice while your bike gets a tune-up or they fix your flat (at least in warmer weather). There’s also an herb garden filled with nature’s goodies that ultimately find their way onto the juice menu and into fresh iced teas and infusions.

The feeling of the shop is entirely unpretentious and caters to anyone looking to enjoy a ride and perhaps bring their kids, or a friend who is new to Brooklyn bike riding. It’s a true neighborhood bike shop.

Juice Pedaler, 718-871-7500, 154 Prospect Park Southwest (between Seeley and Vanderbilt), Monday-Friday, 8am–5:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays, 8am–6pm

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