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The Rusty Bicycle, Oxford
Oxford
OX4 1RB
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about The Rusty Bicycle
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.
On 27th December 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5251 recommendations about 5219 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Rusty Bicycle
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.
On 2nd June 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about The Rusty Bicycle
Dating from at least the 19th century and probably rebuilt in the 1930s, as mentioned this was The Eagle until 2009.
In the late '90s I used to live in the same street as this pub a few doors down, but don't remember ever going in, so there must have been something problematic with the place. It's clearly all changed now and as stated below, this is a bit of a boho hipster pub which would look more at home in perhaps parts of Islington but certainly Shoreditch or Hoxton, looking somewhat out of place in a rather Islamic community.
The interior is a bit stark with bare boards and basic modern furniture including plywood and tubular steel chairs which look - literally - old school as well as modern utilitarian benches; the walls are painted hues of the obligatory grey/blue and a blues soundtrack played at a decent volume over the gramophone.
A friendly barman presided over four pumps - clips reversed - thereafter Arkell's Wiltshire Gold and Hoperation at £2.00 a half and very nice too.
This pub is worth visiting if in this rather banal Oxford backwater but isn't worth a special trip. It would though make for a decent double with the Fir Tree around the corner.
On 30th August 2017
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Rusty Bicycle
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.
On 7th November 2014
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Eagle Tavern
Formerly known as the Eagle Tavern this pub became the third pub to be owned by Arkells in Oxford in April 1999
And in early 2009 it underwent an extensive refurbishment and changed its name to The Rusty Bicycle when two former students (one the son of the chairman of the Swindon-based Arkell’s Brewery) took it over.
And I have to say they did a decent job with the place and appear to continue to run a decent pub.
Internally it is mainly one large clean space with wood floors, a log burning stove in a fireplace, cosy corner areas bold wallpaper, and an assortment of different furniture and a collection of photographs and drawings, all done by friends of the landlords. And externally there is a patio area with trestle table seating.
The main space has a long bar area which supports five ales pumps. Usually there are three regular ales from Arkell's and two guest ales. We only visited for the beer and the pint of 3B I had was spot on.
There is a very decent food menu on offer as well ranging from finger food from £4 to Burgers and other assorted mains for around a tenner.
It was quite quiet when we popped in on an early Saturday evening, but as the Iffley Road area of South East Oxford has a largish student population I can well imagine this is a popular venue for spending ones grant cheques..
Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me to record the pub sign which is……. A rusty bicycle hung on the side of the building.
On 21st August 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]