Top Bike shops in Ireland .

Lazairus

Cyclists of Ireland

Apparently there is a shop , Stagg cycles is rated as one of the best shop in Ireland , So consider value for money and variety , in your experience what is the best shops in Ireland???

lady_marmalade

MacDonald Cycles in Rathgar has possibly the friendliest and most helpful customer service I've encountered in this country. It's terrible isn't it when good customer service seems out of the ordinary!

The prices are reasonable too.

BeardyGit

Value for money and variety aren't the only suitable measures if you're wanting to find the 'Top' bike shops in Ireland. Customer service comes first and foremost for me, as long as the prices are affordable and they can supply what I want.

On that basis - Joe Daly's or Cyclelogical win my vote.

daymobrew

I'm a fan of Cycle Superstore in Tallaght. A good range, helpful staff and discounts with the free Loyalty card.

For basic service I use Little Sport in Fairview. Quite cheap but good.

Bradidup

Noel Carrs in Ennis, opened only a few years good selection & friendly. In Dublin it would be Joe Dalys of Dundrum.

kmick

There is a little place in Tenple Bar which is underground. This is the best value for a service or parts. The guy is sound but it can tend to be slow as he has a big backlog. He is beside the rcord shop close enough to the Temple bar music center. Above all he will tell you the truth which is rare.

Commuting solutions in Rathmines are very knowledgeable and friendly but little bit pricey. Also I once brought a bike in with a skipping cog and they told me it was fixed when it was actaully not fixable. For this they lose a few marks. I had to go to another shop to get the info that it was not fixable i.e. needed a new part which was so expensive the bike was not worth fixing.

MacDonald Cycles in Rathgar is a grand place and the guy is very friendly. However it is a little bit pricey as well. He once fixed a problem for me for free so I would defo go back.

Hollingsworth Cycles Templeogue - I have had a few bad experiences here and on that basis I dont recommend.

Cycleways Parnell Street - not that interested and will tell you whatever you want to hear. You never know where you stand with these guys. Steer clear.

Cyclelogical - they dont do servicing so in my mind they are not a proper bike shop.

el tel

For the Northern continginet who may read this, I can't recommend Dave Kane Cycles, Newtwonards Road, Belfast (http://www.davekanecycles.com/) highly enough. I've been going there for as long as I can remember and have never failed to get what I wanted, no matter how obsure the part or kit. Their range of bikes and parts is superb, advice is always sound and they also have an excellent clothing shop just down the road too.

Recently I have also been spending large amounts of my hard-earned in ChainReactionCycles, Doagh, County Antrim. Everyone must know of their web-based mail order operation (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/) but you can also call into the showroom (weekdays only) for those times when you need to try something on or don't want to wait on the post man delivering.

youcancallmeal

I got my last bike in Cyclelogical and it was a very goog deal with loads of extras thrown in. Only problem is it more or less impossible to get it serviced there. When I brought it for my 1st free service I stupidly didnt ring and was told they had no room when I got there. After ringing them nearly every day for 2 weeks I finally got it booked in for a service, after that I always brought my bike to another city center bike shop to get serviced. Then recently I started getting broken spokes and I was advised I should bring my bike back to where I bought it from to get the wheel rebuilt. Another two weeks of phone calls and being told everytime they had no room, then when they did tell me to bring the bike in I was told there was no room when I got there :rolleyes: I think they have the best selection for Hybrid bikes in dublin but just don't go there to get your bike serviced.

Cycleways is great for bike repairs/servicing but their selection of bikes isnt great. Last time I wanted to buy a spcialized cirrus in there I was told it was a 2 month wait to get my frame size in.

mockerydawg

Cyclogical
Unless you've dropped a load of cash or know the owner, its hard to get your bike serviced in there. They rarely will service if you havent bought it there in the first place unless its rare and expensive. And expensive bikes are not ones with bouncy seatposts that cost €500 in the christmas sales.
Even if you have spent alot there, dont expect any favours. They used to be good, offering advice and discounts but since that expansion I think they could be classed as explorers rather than than a bikers, as they seem to have crawled so far up their own arses...
Not that I hold a grudge or anything

Best thing is to learn yourself - or feed gil biscuits and tea to help you

milod

kmick wrote:

There is a little place in Tenple Bar which is underground. This is the best value for a service or parts. The guy is sound but it can tend to be slow as he has a big backlog. He is beside the rcord shop close enough to the Temple bar music center. Above all he will tell you the truth which is rare.

SqureWheels Cycles is the place, Ciaran is the guys name - honest and reasonably priced.

kmick wrote:

Cycleways Parnell Street - not that interested and will tell you whatever you want to hear. You never know where you stand with these guys. Steer clear.

Cyclelogical - they dont do servicing so in my mind they are not a proper bike shop.

Yep, these two places are ones to avoid - I had two very bad experiences with Cycleways - I've a Specialized and foolishly thought the main agent might know what they were doing...

As for Cyclelogical - they're very elitist but I believe they do service bikes that cost over €1500 To be fair though they're honest enough to admit when they're not interested - it was they who directed me to SquareWheels with my g/f's budget end Ridgeback...

Capt'n Midnight

milod wrote:

SqureWheels Cycles is the place, Ciaran is the guys name - honest and reasonably priced.

Kieran

21 South Temple Lane
City Centre
Dublin Dublin

Most bike shops have or can get in expensive racers or mountain bikes or the latest fashion on overpriced accessories, but if you are looking for anything out of the ordinary its worth a look. Stuff like unicycles and trailers..

hunnymonster

I've yet to find a place in Dublin that is suitable for me. The cycle superstore in Tallaght is the best of a bad lot. More often I go to cycling pursuits in Limerick and Cork.

Money Shot

Cycleogical - terrible, terrible shop. Simply refuse to do any repairs or service whatsoever. You would be better off buying blind online. They are pricey too and never have any real specials.:mad:

Cycleways - Good repair service. Never have what you want in stock, well maybe sometimes. Not very compromising on parts swaps on new bikes and don't want to know you once you've shelled out. I hear the same spiel everytime I go in - even though I've been cycling for nearly twenty years - you'd think they'd regocnise me by now.

Little sport - steer well clear. I bought a second hand bike here years ago and it fell apart, literally, after a few weeks. Any repairs have always had to go back for the job to be actually done, or done properly. :mad:

Chainreactioncyles.com - Cheap, free delivery, never any problems. Pity they don't do many bikes or service or repairs.:D

Money Shot

Halfords - Oh My God. For starters you will be left standing for at least half an hour like a complete tool. The you will be served by some barely living spotty sixteen year old who can barely talk. Every transaction, no matter how small, is like pulling teeth. Don't expect quality service, repairs or advice. They have no knowledge whatsoever and don't care one bit about customers.
They do have some good deals though - but learn to do basic repairs yourself.

Ghost Rider

Commuting Solutions in Rathmines are friendly chaps who do repairs reasonably quickly and at reasonable prices. They also let me road-test a bike three times without requiring a deposit or a credit card. I like them.

I also like the little bike shop in Ranelagh. The guy who owns it is decent and, while not always able to repair stuff without first ordering the parts, is straightforward enough to let you know the score in advance.

My initial experience of Cyclelogical was that they were stand-offish, but when I expressed an interest in buying a particular bike they became quite friendly and helpful. (I guess they get a fair few time-wasters in there.) Never bought a bike from them, though, so I can't comment on their service record.

As for Cycleways, I bought some Ortlieb panniers there recently and found the manager very helpful indeed. I also road-tested a bike and found the sales guy pretty informative, without being too pushy.

By the way, as for prices of bike shops here, it's regularly said that they're over-priced compared to their UK counterparts but I was in the market for a hybrid/sports-hybrid bike recently and I found the prices very similar between there and here.

When it comes to parts and accessories, however, I suspect that may be a different story.

milod

Money Shot wrote:

Halfords - Oh My God. For starters you will be left standing for at least half an hour like a complete tool. The you will be served by some barely living spotty sixteen year old who can barely talk. Every transaction, no matter how small, is like pulling teeth. Don't expect quality service, repairs or advice. They have no knowledge whatsoever and don't care one bit about customers.
They do have some good deals though - but learn to do basic repairs yourself.

Aha, I see you've visited the Coolock Branch... or are all of them that bad?!

Money Shot

No, never been to the Coolock Branch, but have experienced the Liffey Value and Blanchardstown varietys.
Where do they get the guys that work there - they seem to hire people who can perfect a certain gormless, uninterested look. They are always under staffed too.
As I say though - they do thave some good deals, unlike most LBS's

mockerydawg

Carrickmines and the one in Mahon cork are the same. Avoid like the plague

magicbastarder

i've only ever been in cyclelogical twice; both times, i waited for about 30 seconds a couple of foot from the counter, waiting for the staff to finish talking to their mates/other staff, both times i walked out without them even acknowledging my presence.
both my bikes were bought in cycle ways, one from brendan (i think - lanky aussie) and one from justin (i think). no complaints about the service i got from either of them.

BeardyGit

I love these threads......

30 seconds....Too long to wait for service? Give me a break....

daymobrew

Gil_Dub wrote:

30 seconds....Too long to wait for service? Give me a break....

I would have left too. magicbastarder said he was standing at the counter and ignored. IMO the customer should get the priority and the conversation with mates put on hold.
When I lived in California service was infinitely better than here - they know who pays the bills! I was in Sainsburys in NI last summer and the service was a ton better than Tesco here - no talking with mates while scanning my shopping.

Another thread tells about another brutal example of bad service in Ireland (a car dealer).

BeardyGit

I won't argue with you Damo, you and I've both been around long enough to know there are pro's and con's in dealing with EVERY bike shop in Dublin, let alone Ireland.

The point is that sometimes it's more about the customers approach than the sales persons response. If someone hovered around the bike shop for a while before ending up over around the counter, then they might not attract too much attention. Think about the layout in Cycleogical too - The counter is choc' full of stock, overhead is full of N.O.S brake parts, chainrings and saddles etc. I often stand there looking for bits and pieces as opportunity buys, without a nod from the staff, and that's the way I want it. I want to stand there with my nostalgia drool pooling on my manboobs while I contemplate another purchase of something that's stashed behind the counter, or overhead....There a set of AMP B3 forks in there, NOS, that I could spend 20 minutes looking at.... I doubt I'm the only one who's like this in that shop.

Now in fairness, I would expect someone who walks up to the counter and says "Excuse me, can you help?" would be met with a response. But if the approach was more like my usual one, I'd actually expect to be ignored...

Different strokes for different folks. I'd rather ask for help and be left alone by shop staff apart from that. Maybe others expect staff who might be on their way out the door to lunch, or passing through on their day off to snap to it.... But you'll never get that in Cycleogical, as you and I both know. That doesn't make it a crap shop - It just appeals to a different type of customer.

Ausdubliner

I need help!!

I have been trying to buy a mountain bike. Finally found one cheap enough for my budget at cycleways. All was going well, finally got to cycle places instead of catching the bus!!

I had my bike TWO weeks and it has been stolen from the building where I live! (

Is there anywhere I can get a reliable secondhand bike (willing to pay upto about Euro 200)? I dont think I want to go through losing a second brand new bike.

Why do people feel they can steal other peoples property...it really annoys me.

daymobrew

Ausdubliner wrote:

I had my bike TWO weeks and it has been stolen from the building where I live! (

Is there anywhere I can get a reliable secondhand bike (willing to pay upto about Euro 200)? I dont think I want to go through losing a second brand new bike.

Why do people feel they can steal other peoples property...it really annoys me.

That's real bad luck - my first bike lasted a month before being stolen from outside my school (that was back in 1984 - I'm still annoyed by it). For the next time you should look into house contents insurance.

GP

The Bike Shop in Wexford (www.thebikeshop.ie).

Going 25years (maybe more....) and the best wheel builder I've seen.

A tool for every job and MORE importantly, the knowledge.

Probably one of the best stocked bike shops in Ireland

GP

magicbastarder wrote:

i've only ever been in cyclelogical twice; both times, i waited for about 30 seconds a couple of foot from the counter, waiting for the staff to finish talking to their mates/other staff, both times i walked out without them even acknowledging my presence.
.

That's just an Irish thing...not only bike shops

hunnymonster

cyclogical are particularly bad though. They also look down their noses at people when you do actually get to talk to someone.

Bluefoam

Ausdubliner wrote:

I need help!!

I have been trying to buy a mountain bike. Finally found one cheap enough for my budget at cycleways. All was going well, finally got to cycle places instead of catching the bus!!

I had my bike TWO weeks and it has been stolen from the building where I live! (

Is there anywhere I can get a reliable secondhand bike (willing to pay upto about Euro 200)? I dont think I want to go through losing a second brand new bike.

Why do people feel they can steal other peoples property...it really annoys me.

I have a GT Aggressor mountain bike that's a couple of years old, it's in good knick & would be a perfect hack/commuter bike. 18". Will let you have it for €120.

crosstownk

I only go to Wolfe Cycles in Kimmage. I've been dealing with them for nearly 20 years (with a substantial gap in the middle). Friendly staff, excellent service. I can't say what they are like for price because I never go anywhere else. But they cut me such a good deal on a racer I bought years ago that I never looked back. Recently I bought my current bike there - they did me another great deal and threw in loads of extras. All in all I'm very happy with the service. I'd have to recommend them.

kona

i found halfords great, i waited my turn in line due to the place being very busy like any shop on a weekend,:(.
also the fact some prick in front was abusing the staff like a know it all from boards.ie ,complaining bout the time it took to process his credit card but was only buying a repair kit:confused.
so i waited some more like any sane person:) ,and eventually was greeted politly by a little blond dude as if he didnt give a **** about the arsehole of a customer behind him shouting at him:eek:, he had a few spots :eek: :eek: :eek: ,needed a haircut:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: ,like all lads his age do,but shockingly he told me the truth(didnt lie):rolleyes: about ****e bikes, knew all about the different parts,:rolleyes: the advantages and disadvantages, he told me what i needed to know and i am now the proud owner of a kona firemountain:cool: , which i got at a disgracefully cheap price.

bogmanfan

I'd have to second the OP. Stagg's in Lucan is brilliant. Got a Trek 1400 at an amazing price there a couple years ago. He also sells some seriously high-end second hand road bikes on behalf of friends of his. Could get a bargain there...

Bluefoam

I have a service contract with Halfords and brought the bike in for a repair on Sunday. They told me to take it to a precision engineer... Think I will look for my money back!

Anyway brought the bike to a number of different stores and no one would touch it - because they didn't deal with the brand...

Brought it to The Bike Rack in Cabinteely & they fixed it within five mins. The mechanic was dead on, fair play to them.

I had asked Halfords to order in two bolts for me last Sunday & they still can't tell me when I will have them.

Drapper

Ccyle Inn in talaght ! great service and no bull**** advice!

Gautama

lady_marmalade wrote:

MacDonald Cycles in Rathgar has possibly the friendliest and most helpful customer service I've encountered in this country. It's terrible isn't it when good customer service seems out of the ordinary!

The prices are reasonable too.

Friendly yes, but otherwise I disagree stongly. Just dropped €25 there and the gears are rattling like crazy, won't stay in low gear for more than a minute before jumping forward one.

So disgusted with the bike and their service I'm just going to buy a new bike, but not from them.

ednwireland

chain reaction for me never been to the shop but how they get stuff posted out so quick i'll never know rarley more than 2 days but then i live out in the wilds where the local bike shop owner hates customers (really)

crashoveroid

The one place i find good for advice and tips specing repair and equipment and selection of bikes all bike are custom build no straight out of the box type bikes so its a big old pic and mix which is great

Douglas Cyles in Cork

turbosnow

Re Cyclelogical
I have to say that my experience with them has been completely the opposite of what others have reported. I am from out of town (the U.S.) and they have been very accommodating to me. I did not buy a bike from them but have come in several times to buy accessories and ask for help. They trued one of my wheels for free one time when I went in there, and have always been extremely helpful. I have been looking at buying a bike to replace my GT that is a bit too small for me, I went in today and they showed me the bikes that were in the right price range, they did not pressure me at all and even told me that there was no reason to spend too much $$. Then they said to think on it and come back, overall my anecdotal experience has been excellent with them.

bikergal

I find cyclelogical very helpful anytime i have any problems, they are fixed straight away. The lads are very friendly and helpful.

Hungrycol

bikergal wrote:

I find cyclelogical very helpful anytime i have any problems, they are fixed straight away. The lads are very friendly and helpful.

Ditto

kincsem

Three posts in a row boosting Cyclelogical.

turbosnow

And I bought a bike from them today, good price and they were very nice setting it up for me to test out and then having it ready for me later that day.

coggs

top shop on the northside is richies bike shop in swords . On south side joe dalys dundrum and cycle superstore in tallaght . All have have great value for money , good service and excellent repairs .

Hungrycol

coggs wrote:

top shop on the northside is richies bike shop in swords .

I don't find their component selection that great unless you want BBB. Nice guys though.

crashoveroid

Douglas Cycles In Cork

Everthing Brian Bulilds is Custom pick the frame parts wheels and he will put it together good on clothing and parts knows his suf too as he races himself and know,s most people on the scene.

garo

Back to Cyclelogical - I have always found them incredibly helpful too. There is never any pressure - you may have to wait a bit when they are very busy but they always show you the right stuff and never try to oversell. When I buy a bunch of things, I've always had a few bucks off the marked price as well. I was talking to them about a second-hand bike I wanted to buy once and they offered to check it out for me for free. The guy even told me a few things to look out for in used bikes. That when it would have probably lost them a sale of a new bike.

Was in Cycleways the first time today and the lads there are very helpful - almost too helpful.

I think shop ratings would probably depend on what you want to get there as well. There is probably one rating for buying a bike, another for repairs and a third for buying accessories.

ali97

UCD bike shop, great for repairs!! Cheap service too

Quigs Snr

I have had good experiences with cyclesuperstore (online and in-store), also I love chainreaction cycles. Fantastic.

Locally, the best bike mechanics I have ever encountered are worldwidecycles in clonmel. Second to none, but thats what you would expect with top class cyclists owning and running a shop and doing all the repairs themselves. (e.g. kept their shop open late one night when my LBS wouldn't fix a gearing problem the night before I flew out to the etape... I called worldwide who were also too busy to help but when they heard my plight, told me to call up after work - its about an hours drive, they kept the shop open till 7:30 instead of 5:30 ! , fixed my bike on the spot, whilst I wandered around and bought loads of stuff, after which, they charged me nothing for the labour and gave me a nice discount on all the stuff I bought !) They really are brilliant and are just as happy for you to stop by and chat about cycling even if you are not buying anything ! Recommended if you are in the area... also I find that they sometimes match or beat the best prices I can get online and if you are looking for something extra special, they can usually get you a good deal on it.

Junior

Quigs Snr wrote: »

I have had good experiences with cyclesuperstore (online and in-store), also I love chainreaction cycles. Fantastic.

Locally, the best bike mechanics I have ever encountered are worldwidecycles in clonmel. Second to none, but thats what you would expect with top class cyclists owning and running a shop and doing all the repairs themselves. (e.g. kept their shop open late one night when my LBS wouldn't fix a gearing problem the night before I flew out to the etape... I called worldwide who were also too busy to help but when they heard my plight, told me to call up after work - its about an hours drive, they kept the shop open till 7:30 instead of 5:30 ! , fixed my bike on the spot, whilst I wandered around and bought loads of stuff, after which, they charged me nothing for the labour and gave me a nice discount on all the stuff I bought !) They really are brilliant and are just as happy for you to stop by and chat about cycling even if you are not buying anything ! Recommended if you are in the area... also I find that they sometimes match or beat the best prices I can get online and if you are looking for something extra special, they can usually get you a good deal on it.

To be fair Barry and Ray are legends.

Quigs Snr

Aye, that they are ! Tell me this Junior, was that you out on the Comeragh Sunday spin last weekend ?

theshiels

I actually work in one of these shops... Let the firestorm begin. I'll speak for myself anyway here. I'm a cycling enthusiast and cyclist first, a sales assistant second when it comes to work (i see a p-45 coing my way!). It's a pity to hear alot of the negativity coming out. And again, I'll speak for myself, I'm sorry that we've ticked you off in any manner or pushed your patience in the past.

I'll address some of the issues from my point of view. So, in future you can come on and gripe to me, however you want to play it, rather than vent on the web, where untill recently the wrench bearers couldnt try and make amends....

Lack of interest? Not in my case, if you enjoy pushing your pedals around, we'll get along. Honestly, I've been cycling since i can remember, I'm in my twenties and i don't drive because i cycle everywhere. It's a passion first and a job second, guess i'm lucky in that respect. And yes, i count myself lucky to work in one of "those" shops a lot of the time. I know a lot of the others in the shop feel that way, all bicycle nuts. Competing athletes, ex athletes, the lot, they work there. If i walked into a shop and expressed no interest in the people working there and only wanted to buy something quickly and walked out, I'd hardly expect the time of day from them. Now i'm not saying you should have a lengthy conversation, but understand that while they're there to serve you, they're still people! Bored out of their minds from re-stocking tubes and getting berated because the factory in italy which has nothing to do with them is out of stock of a certain gillet!

One of the issues there is, if you connect on the same level, you'll get a lot better service. Goes with any shop. I can't tell you how many times a smile, or a "how's it going" has caught me off guard. Good manners on both sides of the counter are detrimental to a good relationship, because let's face it, you grow loyal to certain bike shops, it's not like a self service tesco now is it? And while you're 100% right to expect top notch service, you can't expect the best reaction to a bad attitude. I remember one customer telling me i wasn't a "real cyclist" because i wasn't a roadie. And no, he wasn't joking. Insult and injury when he asked for a staff member who "knew about real bikes" and wanted discounted goods.

I have recurring customers who i look forward to seeing because they brighten up the day by being friendly and nice. The reason they come back is because i've done my damndest to treat them with respect, do right by them and even if i make a mistake make sure that in the end they get what they need! At least i hope that's why they come back! There are some days customers make you feel like the scum on their shoes. Rather than get pissy and refuse to serve them like some do, in my case i try and grin and bear it. It's not always easy, and as can be expected if you're rude and aren't all that understanding, you may not be handed everything on a silver platter. Sometimes if you can't get a part or a straight answer IT'S BECAUSE NEITHER CAN WE. It's not in my nature to lie to people, but sometimes there are thing beyond the bike shop employees control.... Local distro- Euro distro- etc etc etc

In terms of recognition, yes if you are in a shop a lot and they dont recognise you, it's a bit off. But i can tell you this for free, there are some customers I look forward to dealing with when they roll in, or if i spot 'em outside. Not even for the banter, some people are just nice. However, some people...well. you know yourself. I'm not saying that if you aren't getting discount you're a) b) or c). Or if you're getting talked down to that you know nothing about bikes. But if you can build up a relationship with the person youre dealing with, note person, then i'm sure you'll have a much better experience in any shop you go into. If i was looking for a bike, i wouldn't presume that the person dealing with me knew how much i knew about bikes!

Some customers get discount and deals because they've been coming in for years and have built up a rapport. Some get it because they know a staff member. Some get it because they make a bloody good first impression. Sometimes, you may have to point out you've been coming in a lot, not the fairest, but it happens. And in my case i actually like doing deals with people, makes them satisfied and me happy because they are.. blah...

I'm going to leave my reply there, hopefully that adds a little to our side of the scales (the bike shop employees all over)

I understand where youre all coming from, i've been in your shoes. If you have complaints, go into the shop, tell them. Up front, it can be embarrassing, but it is also appreciated, I have had to rethink how i deal with people everyday from my first week in work. Everyday i have to.. But also, remember that we work in a bike shop because we love bikes, and if you can maybe treat us as fellow cyclists too, it'll benefit both of us... I should replace jerry springer...

Fabio

Aidan Quinlan in Barrack Street, Cork City.

Honest, reasonable and knows his bikes inside out.