Not already a member?
Join our community and
- Rate & review pubs
- Upload pictures
- Add events
JOIN for free NOW
Chat about:
Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Graham Coombs
Submitted on Friday, 22nd September 2017
With picture contributions to 5136 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (7 more images)
Detail Pages
The Cyclist, Balham, SW12
SW12
SW12 9BP
Served areas
The Cyclist
We’re buzzing inside and out today!
Join us for lunch, dinner or a few drinks on the terrace...
1:26 PM May 22nd 2019 from Twitter Web Client
Reviews of The Cyclist (Average Rating: 4½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Cyclist
Previously a branch of Wetherspoons, this is now a large, open plan bar and eatery with the kind of nondescript, everyman decor that will suit young cocktail drinkers and older coffee sippers in equal measure. The room has a nice parquet floor, whitewashed brick walls and a ceiling almost entirely obscured by ugly utilities. The bar is to the rear left and has a very plain wood panelled counter, painted in gastro-grey, in front of a sparkly mirrored bar back. There are loads of tables and chairs in the front part of the room, some spilling out through the bi-fold doors onto a pavement-side space, whilst padded banquette booths run down the right-hand wall, each with an unusual partitioning screen between. The room opens out down this side of the room into what felt like a rear dining area full of basic tables and chairs. There are loads of pictures on the walls, with an overarching cycling theme, whilst sprigs of flowers on each table added some colour and a few decorative lampshades, that looked a bit like tatty skirts, brought the visual distraction. A dull ambient-chill soundtrack played in the background throughout our stay.
Unfortunately, there's no cask ale here, although six craft kegs from the likes of Camden, Two Tribes and Beavertown ensure a bit of variety to the selection. The friendly Irish barman served up a passable pint of Little Creatures Pale Ale and we enjoyed sitting out on the pavement watching people rushing to and from the nearby station.
I thought this was a pretty run of the mill pub, straddling the line between an old-school drinking barn and a contemporary mass-appeal bar. The presence of some real ale would have been an added bonus and I left here expecting to have pretty much forgotten about the place within a week or two and would suggest it probably did a better job when it was a ‘Spoons.
On 22nd November 2022
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rex Rattus left this review about The Cyclist
Actually it advertises itself as a "Modern British Pub". Unfortunately a true boast, and accurate I guess as there are now loads of these madeover modern pubs, but not necessarily a good thing as I don't reckon you can beat a traditional British pub. Tradition trumps modernity as far as pubs go - in my opinion anyway.
There are no real ales of course, but a handful of keg fonts on the counter to the left offer what is probably described as "craft" beer. A half of Beavertown Neck Oil was £3. You won't get much pub grub in here either; I did see "beer-battered North Sea haddock, triple-cooked chips, tartare sauce, mushy peas" advertised though.
The room is J-shaped, with the area at the back on the right having all tables laid for diners. As you might expect there's exposed brickwork all over the place; ugly metal ducting covering the ceiling; and some dark greeny-blue paintwork. The drinking area has a mix of tall tables/tall stools and normal tables and chairs. There are no surprises here. It was doing a busy trade when I dropped in at around 6.45 PM on a Wednesday, so they must be doing something right. Not really my sort of place though.
On 16th February 2020
- rating: 4
[User has posted 2606 recommendations about 2520 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Philip Carter left this review about The Cyclist
Just popped in to get a quick look. Brighter than when it was Moon Under Water. Couldn't see any real ale taps. Says on the outside "Proper British Pub" I think I got the words correct.
On 23rd May 2019
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 757 recommendations about 720 pubs]
View more reviews of The Cyclist (11)
Pubs Galore is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
- Official site of The Cyclist - www.cyclistbalham.co.uk
- Facebook - The Cyclist Balham
- Twitter - The Cyclist
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Cyclist - whatpub.com
Wandsworth Common, 0.64 miles, 12 min walk (show)
Streatham Hill, 1.27 miles, 24 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 23 May 2019 by Philip Carter
- Beer Garden : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 23 May 2019 by Philip Carter
- Car Park : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Darts : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Dog Friendly : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Function Room : No last updated 22 September 2017 by Graham Coombs
- Jukebox : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Karaoke : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Live Music : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Micropub : No last updated 22 September 2017 by Graham Coombs
- Pinball : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Pool Table : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Quiz Night : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
- Real Ale : No last updated 23 May 2019 by Philip Carter
- Real Cider : No last updated 17 August 2013 by Aqualung .
