The Rusty Bicycle, Oxford

The Rusty Bicycle was very busy with an older student crowd on a recent Thursday evening visit. The central bar on the rear wall faces seating along the front of the pub and is bookended by seating either side. The bar counter supports six hand pumps, however three were unused which left cask options of Arkell’s 3B and Hoperation IPA alongside Yellow Hammer’s Carnival Cider. Craft keg is available from taps made from old bike parts along the back bar. I counted ten. This place was more up my street than most of the other pubs in the area that were full of Freshmen.

A sold-looking between-the-wars pub in the back streets which has been transformed internally into a "community pub" with a shabby chic feel. There are lots of benches and grey paint and it appeared to be very popular with young families and various trendy professionals and academics. A bank of handpumps had just Arkells 3B and a cider on, with Hoperation IPA and another clip reversed. On the back wall were 10 keg taps, fitted with bits of bicycle as handles but difficult to identify what was actually being served by them. I didn't mind the place and it was heartening to see numbers of children going to the pub for lunch as a matter of normality.

Formerly the Eagle Tavern, this is yet another Oxford backstreet local that has gone boho hipster; however this one works rather well. Interior has been knocked through a bit but still retains a pub feel. The large bay window seating area is a good spot to sit at. Dark aqua blue walls, stripped floor and some wood panelling. Plenty of retro print bicycle ephemera on the walls (and a life-sized rusty bicycle acts as the pub sign). Selection of board games (all day Monopoly on the go) plus daily papers. Bar snacks available in the form of pork pies and giant sausage rolls (gratifyingly it was much more sausage than roll) which at 3 quid I thought reasonable. Background soul classics made for a better choice of aural intrusion than usual. Rear patio garden. At the bar were four ales that I initially failed to recognize, they were all Arkells that the pub appear to have done new (and better) labels for. Shame they couldn't do the same for the liquid, my Wilts Gold was in good form (via sparkler) but tasted, well, Arkells-like. Old Rosie cider also on. Surprisingly good venue this, I’d be willing to try it again. If some of this sounds familiar, it is because it’s the sister pub of the Rickety Press in Jericho.