Cyclists of Glasgow!
How many times do you pass along The Broomielaw on your bike?
“Free coffee!” He shouts, as he holds the flask up.
“What’s the catch?”, cyclists think as they scoot by. There is no catch!
The coffee is free, and the chat is great.
Who are we talking about? Steve, coffee man of The Broomielaw.
Who is Steve?
Steve Rooney is the man behind ‘Glasgow Coffee Outside’. He used to serve in the Royal Air Force, and always rode his bike around the RAF bases. He’s cycled most of his life, roaming the streets of Hamilton on his beloved Raleigh Chopper. Steve has seen lots of the world, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Germany, and Cyprus. He loves to escape the madness of Glasgow by celebrating his love of two wheels and heading off to Loch Lomond for the weekend. Nowadays he cycle commutes to his current job in communications in Glasgow city centre, where he has a perfect view of the Clyde every day.
Free Coffee
You might wonder, why the free coffee? Steve was inspired by Russ Roca and his ‘Paths Less Pedalled‘ YouTube channel. He wanted to create a community culture on the Clydeside for cycle commuters, and brought his idea to life through his love of coffee! He encourages cyclists to meet once a week to have a coffee with him, indulge in bike chat, and share stories of cycling advocacy in the area. Steve shares that lots of cyclists pass him by, because they don’t understand that it’s a genuine and free offer to connect. Though he does say that after a cyclist stops once, they often return week after week for a ‘wee blether’.
Where can you find him?
Steve parks himself on The Broomielaw from 7-9am every Wednesday morning. You can find him at the Tradeston footbridge on the Riverboat Casino side of the Clyde. You will find him with his road bike or his Brompton, and a giant flask of coffee. He also provides tea, water, and a multitool for small bike emergencies. He hopes to get a banner soon, advertising ‘Glasgow Coffee Outside’, but for now word-of-mouth seems to be doing the trick.
Stop on The Broomielaw next Wednesday morning and have a coffee with Steve, he would love to meet you!