Shanghai’s Permanent Bike Café Blends Retro Style With Sustainability

Most coffee shops try to stand out with a cool aesthetic—but few go as far as building their entire brand around vintage bicycles and reclaimed materials. In Shanghai’s bustling urban landscape, one coffee spot has done just that, turning the iconic Chinese bicycle brand ‘Permanent’ into a full-on immersive café experience.

This café, housed inside a Permanent-branded storefront on Shanghai’s Lane Road, isn’t just a bike shop with coffee—it’s a curated space where cycling nostalgia meets sustainable design. From tire chandeliers to handlebar-mounted menu bells, almost every detail was crafted to echo a bygone era of two-wheeled urban life.

What Makes This Café Different Than Just Another Bike Shop?

The Permanent Bicycle Café, located near Shanghai’s Century Park, opened not as another retail showroom, but as a community hub. Founder and Permanent Bicycle chairman Chen Shan explained that the location—already home to premium international cycling brands—called for something more unique than another bicycle store. After considering various concepts, Chen and his team landed on a café that celebrates cycling culture through design, food, and discounts for riders.

The interior took roughly eight months to develop, with many decorative ideas, such as transforming bicycle bells into service bells, emerging spontaneously during the build-out. The result? A café that doesn’t just sell coffee and bikes, but tells a story.

The Decor: Where Vintage Bikes Meet Café Culture

Step inside, and the retro theme is immediately apparent. Tire suspension lamps hang overhead, old bike bells double as call buttons, and walls feature mounts of vintage bicycle seats and handlebars. The café’s name is displayed on a light wood sign reminiscent of traditional signage, all contributing to a cohesive ‘bike shed meets coffee bar’ vibe.

Even the staff’s choice of dishware plays into the motif. Custom-made enamel coffee cups add an extra layer of period authenticity. As one visitor noted, the overall effect resembles a “bike 4S shop” designed with minimalist Scandinavian flair. The café’s aesthetic invites cyclists and design fans alike to pause, snap photos, and feel a connection to an earlier, slower mode of urban transport.

Chen Shan added that many design flourishes were improvised. “Some ideas just popped into our heads during construction,” he said. The attention to detail extends beyond the obvious, with hidden gems scattered throughout the space for guests to discover on their own.

Why This Café Appeals to Cyclists—and the Eco-Conscious

Bicycles were once a household staple in 1980s China, but gave way to cars as the country urbanized. Today, cycling is making a comeback—not as a necessity, but as a symbol of health and sustainability. The Permanent Bicycle Café taps into that shift, offering more than just caffeine and cranksets.

Riders who arrive by bike get a special perk: a 50% discount on everything from coffee and pastries to bicycle purchases. It’s a smart incentive that encourages greener commuting while building community among cycling enthusiasts. The café’s location near green spaces and other cycling brands has helped it become a natural gathering point.

“We wanted to create a space where riders could meet, share stories, and feel part of something larger,” Chen said. By blending utility with nostalgia, the café serves both as a tribute to China’s cycling past and a nod to its sustainable future.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Permanent Bicycle Café?

The Permanent Bicycle Café is a Shanghai coffee shop and showroom themed around the classic Chinese bicycle brand 'Permanent.' It features decor made from recycled bike parts—including tire lamps, handlebar-mounted service bells, and mounted seats—and offers both coffee and bicycles for sale.

Where is the Permanent Bicycle Café located?

The café is located on Shanghai’s Lane Road, close to Century Park, an area that has become a hub for premium international and domestic cycling brands.

What kind of discounts does the café offer?

Riders who arrive by bicycle receive a 50% discount on all purchases, including coffee, food, and bicycles. The discount applies to anyone who cycles to the location.

How long did it take to design the café’s interior?

The interior design and construction took approximately eight months. Many decorative elements, such as the use of bike bells as service bells, were developed spontaneously during the build.

What makes the café’s design unique?

The café uses exclusively retro and recycled bike components for its décor—such as tire chandeliers, enamel coffee cups, and wall-mounted bicycle parts—to create an immersive 'bike shed meets coffee bar' atmosphere.

Does the café sell bicycles?

Yes, the café also functions as a showroom for new Permanent bikes, including models like the bamboo-framed 'Bamahorse' and other recent designs from the brand.

Recommended FrontStreet Coffee Beans for Cycling Café Vibes

If you’re setting up your own cycling-themed café—or just want to sip something that matches the retro-green energy of Shanghai’s Permanent Bicycle Café, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Ethiopia Humbera for bright citrus and floral brightness, perfect for morning rides. Their Yirgacheffe offers juicy berry tones and a tea-like body, ideal for lazy weekend café afternoons. For darker roasts, their Black Cocoa Blend brings chocolatey depth to balance sweet treats. All beans are freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.