Sports
Oseias Matoso and São Paulo's Cycling Coffee Culture
The founder of Coffee Run Bike shares how he combined specialty coffee, cycling, and community on the Rio Pinheiros bike path.
Discover the journey of Oseias Matoso, creator of Coffee Run Bike on São Paulo's Rio Pinheiros bike path. The entrepreneur details the bond between specialty coffee and sports, coffee beans categorized by training zones, and the strength of the cycling community.
The relationship between coffee and cycling goes far beyond a pre-workout caffeine hit: it is about socializing, taking a break from routine, and connecting athletes of all levels. In a conversation on Na Roda do Stemma, hosted by Gisele Gasparotto, Oseias Matoso, founder of Coffee Run Bike, looked back on his journey from leaving Santa Catarina to creating a community hub that became a landmark along the Rio Pinheiros bike path in São Paulo.
With a degree in Theology and a background in Philosophy, Oseias arrived in São Paulo in 2007, initially using a bicycle solely for urban commuting. Over time, he immersed himself in road cycling, duathlons, and running. In 2016, discovering specialty coffee sparked a sensory turning point, giving rise to the idea of building a business designed specifically for athletes.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
From cargo bike pop-up to bike path container
Coffee Run Bike officially launched on August 3, 2020, in the midst of the pandemic. Initially intended to operate at USP, the venture found its home along the Rio Pinheiros bike path during the area's revitalization under Michel Farah's management. The project started small with an adapted cargo bike and a pop-up tent near Cidade Universitária station before growing into a permanent shipping container hub.
For Oseias, the defining factor from day one was an exclusive commitment to Brazilian specialty coffees from smallholder farmers and micro-roasters, turning down commercial deals that would restrict menu variety. The goal was to bring top-quality beans directly to athletes in their training environment, eliminating the need for extra detours after a morning ride.
Beans classified by training zones
To make sensory identification easy for athletes across different sports, Oseias named his coffee bean lineup after physical training intensity zones, spanning from Z0 to Z5.
The scale begins at Z0 (naturally decaffeinated), moves through classic chocolate-forward profiles in Z1 and Z2, reaches Z3 with distinct vanilla or cotton candy sweetness, and achieves greater complexity in Z4 (a balance of acidity and fruity notes) and Z5 (post-harvest fermented beans with striking acidity). When brewing, Oseias advocates for simplicity: more important than specific methods like the AeroPress or traditional pour-over is the origin and quality of the raw ingredient.
Community, connections, and 400 km on the bike path
Beyond serving coffee, the space established itself as a hub for networking and social initiatives. The venue maintains permanent cycling apparel donation bins to support athletes in need of gear and has birthed new projects, such as Friday morning Gravel Coffee group rides that explore unpaved trails along the extended banks of the bike path.
His deep involvement on the track also led to personal milestones: Oseias completed a solo challenge of 400 continuous kilometers on the bike path itself, logging roughly 14 hours in the saddle to promote the venue. Currently focused on training for the Porto Alegre Marathon, he continues his inventory and delivery runs on two wheels, reaffirming that cycling and coffee remain a non-negotiable way of life.
PUBLICIDADE (GAM) — 1250x250
