Our History
Our café and bike shop is located in the historic French Village Train Station.
The Bike & Bean is located in Tantallon, Nova Scotia, approximately 30 minutes from Halifax.
Our café and bike shop is located in the historic French Village Train Station. Built in the early 1900’s, this station was an integral part of welcoming people to the Tantallon area. Although the last passenger train stopped running in 1969, the original building remains an important landmark of the area’s history.
The railroad tracks running behind the station were dismantled in 1996 and the St. Margaret’s Bay Rails-to-Trails was born. This 32.5 kilometre multi-use pathway is open to walkers, joggers, cyclists and horseback riders. It is open year-round, so can also be enjoyed during the winter on cross country skis or snowshoes. The crusher dust pathway is also accessible to most strollers and wheelchairs. This trail makes up a section of the Rum Runners Trail, a system of seven connecting trails from Halifax to Lunenburg, spanning nearly 120 kilometres!
To help our customers enjoy the trail and other nearby attractions, we have a wide selection of bicycles and equipment available to rent. We also sell cycling equipment and accessories from great companies including Sugoi, Camelbak, Sombrio, and Smartwool.
Families hoping to enjoy a safe, secure bike ride can rent trailers or tag-alongs so they can explore our beautiful region with no worries. We also provide snowshoe rentals in the winter, so you can enjoy the great outdoors any time of year!
Of course, all this physical activity will lead to hunger. In our café, we offer a great selection of coffee and tea, as well as delicious paninis, wraps, soups, and sweets. We use many local ingredients and everything is made fresh daily in-house.
The Bike & Bean was originally founded by Marilou Levangie. Marilou brought a love of life’s finer things to this business, and it was quickly loved by locals and visitors alike. Sadly, Marilou passed away in 2012. We strive to honour her memory by carrying on Marilou’s tradition of offering a warm welcome to every Bike & Bean customer.
In March 2016, Dan Flinn purchased the Bike & Bean. Dan is an avid cycler, who has a passion for exploring the outdoors. Drop in to say hello, and let Dan tell you about everything this beautiful area of Nova Scotia has to offer.
Whether you’re looking to hit the trail with your family, explore the surrounding area by bike, or snuggle up with a latté and a good book, the Bike & Bean has you covered.