Decent bike shops?

DadaKopf

What are the bike shops worth going to for:

• Advice
• More complex jobs (as in not buying off-the-peg bikes)?

I'm in the Camden St./Portobello area. Near me I've got

• Penny Farthing
• That place down the end of Camden St.
• Thinkbike in Rathmines
• Joe Daly in Dundrum
• A small one in Ranelagh (Cycles & Locks or something)

If I want them to sort me out with some odd jobs for building a fixie, where should I go? Are they all roughly the same in what they can advise/do?

lukester

DadaKopf wrote: »

If I want them to sort me out with some odd jobs for building a fixie, where should I go? Are they all roughly the same in what they can advise/do?

Used to live in the area, but have no idea which of them would be good for that. But assembling a fixer is not hard mechanically, so I'd imagine they'd all be capable of doing odd jobs.

Have used Mc Donald's on Camden St for minor, emergency type stuff while commuting. Always helpful.

The small shop in Ranelagh had the cheapest MTB slick tyres when I was looking for some a few years back. Guy fitted them during lunch and was good to deal with.

Have only heard good things about Joe Daly's, and similar with Thinkbike.

If you can, I'd be inclined to try to do it all yourself, you'd be surprised how much you'll be capable of. This is from a former cycling techno-phobe. All the info you need is online, and lots of experienced folks here too.

DadaKopf

Yeah, I've been asking around, but I'm quite stuck as I haven't the tools and I'm confused about the bottom bracket on this yoke. It's an old bike. So not sure what to do. I'm finding it hard to get an opinion from someone on it in the lad in Ranelagh.

lukester

DadaKopf wrote: »

Yeah, I've been asking around, but I'm quite stuck as I haven't the tools and I'm confused about the bottom bracket on this yoke. It's an old bike. So not sure what to do. I'm finding it hard to get an opinion from someone on it in the lad in Ranelagh.

Can you post pics of it here? Someone is bound to know.

I presume you've consulted Sheldon?

Another option for this kind of thing might be the bicycle cave that is Square Wheel in Temple Bar.

blanco

Avoid Penny Farthing like the plague!!

Went into The Square Wheel a few years ago to get the cassette replaced. The old fella in there wasn't the most pleasant guy in the world. Not been back. The job was fine and the fee was fair enough, but I don't like grumpy mechanics.

The guys in McDonnells at the corner of Camden St / Kevin St. are decent guys. Especially the red haired young fella.

DadaKopf

Especially the red haired young fella.

Is tha yerself? :P

Another place is the motorbike/bicycle shop at the Harold's Cross bridge. I dropped in today to ask about used frames, bottom-brackets and the like. The old fella who runs the bicycle side of things wouldn't let me leave as he waxed lyrical about the old Carltons and Raleighs, his son's Dawes (Reynolds tubing). He said I could get a threadless bottom-bracket installed if I wanted to replace the crankset for fixed gear, but they admittedly know little about fixed gears in general.

I might go there about the BB. On the other hand, no idea what crankset/axle length I should be getting if wanting to convert to fixed gear.

blanco

DadaKopf wrote: »

Is tha yerself? :P

No it's not. I say young fella.. he's probably mid to late 20's now. Used to call in there a few years ago on my way home. Would also see him at the bus stop on Kevin St. which seemed funny at first, seeing as he worked in a bike shop.

SerialComplaint

I found yer man in Ranalagh to be very poor on customer service a couple of years back. I had to ring him repeatedly to check on a part. He'd rarely answer the phone and never rang me back.

Jawgap

DadaKopf wrote: »

What are the bike shops worth going to for:

• Advice
• More complex jobs (as in not buying off-the-peg bikes)?

I'm in the Camden St./Portobello area. Near me I've got

• Penny Farthing
• That place down the end of Camden St.
• Thinkbike in Rathmines
• Joe Daly in Dundrum
• A small one in Ranelagh (Cycles & Locks or something)

If I want them to sort me out with some odd jobs for building a fixie, where should I go? Are they all roughly the same in what they can advise/do?

McDonalds in Rathgar and the one down the end of Camden Street are owned by the same person (I think) - very helpful, and I bought my Giant from them (in Rathgar).

Thinkbike did some servicing for me and some repairs and I always found them excellent and having moved away from that area it's proved difficult to find a shop providing as good a service.

Penny Farthing was a complete waste of time. Staff were useless, disinterested or both.

Joe Daly's - I've been in here and found them to be helpful and very friendly, but I think they assumed I had a greater knowledge of cycling than I actually have!!! I think they may be for the serious cyclists, rather than the enthusiastic amateur. I know a bit more know than when I was last there so I wouldn't mind taking another run at them.

AstraMonti

Joe Daly is great a shop for advices and servicing the bike, but he is way... waaay expensive on parts. Dave thats doing the servicing is a very very knowledgable guy and he will even take time to explain the most simplest things. The bike always run likes a charm after i get it off his hands.

Acoustic

JHI Finglas

BostonB

Where is that

Acoustic

mckee road , finglas

eeijlar

DadaKopf wrote: »

What are the bike shops worth going to for:

• Advice
• More complex jobs (as in not buying off-the-peg bikes)?

I'm in the Camden St./Portobello area. Near me I've got

• Penny Farthing
• That place down the end of Camden St.
• Thinkbike in Rathmines
• Joe Daly in Dundrum
• A small one in Ranelagh (Cycles & Locks or something)

If I want them to sort me out with some odd jobs for building a fixie, where should I go? Are they all roughly the same in what they can advise/do?

I can't recommend Penny Farthing anyway. The woman is too sweet to be wholesome. I have never left there without parting with the guts of €80. You go in to get something minor done, and they then tell you a load of stuff replaced. The parts they put into the bike don't seem last and must be bargain basement. I bought a Dawes Discovery new in there in 2006 and I have had nothing but trouble with it. I think they sold me old stock, or a slightly damaged bike. To date I have replaced the following:

• Chain (3 Times)
• Pedal Assembly
• Pedal Hub (Twice)
• Wheels Front and Back
• Front Cogs
• Rear Derailleur
• Rear Hub
• Brake Blocks multiple times (never got more than 2 months out of them)

I don't do a great deal of cycling, and the bike was well looked after, kept indoors and never mistreated. I bought it for €350 and I spent at least €500 on parts in the last three years.

It was nicked yesterday... good riddance!!!

Fifs

Can anyone tell me if Square Wheels in Temple Bar is still open? Am on lookout for a get-around bike and have heard good things about his second hand shop. Have searched the length and breath of Temple Lane South on a Saturday and a Sunday and have had no joy. I have heard it's difficult to find so I've scrutinised every doorway! Wonder if maybe he just opens Monday - Friday and when he's closed there's no signage?

Thanks for any tips, or suggestions on where else I could go to pick up a decent second hand (preferably) ladies road/hybrid bike..

'68 Fastback

Fifs wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if Square Wheels in Temple Bar is still open? Am on lookout for a get-around bike and have heard good things about his second hand shop. Have searched the length and breath of Temple Lane South on a Saturday and a Sunday and have had no joy. I have heard it's difficult to find so I've scrutinised every doorway! Wonder if maybe he just opens Monday - Friday and when he's closed there's no signage?

Thanks for any tips, or suggestions on where else I could go to pick up a decent second hand (preferably) ladies road/hybrid bike..

The Square Wheel is about three or four doors up(towards Dame st)on Temple lane. I used to work on the same street and it always seemed like the guy only opened his doors when he felt like it, i never could figure out his opening times. When the doors are open you'll see the ramp leading down to the basement.

hardCopy

I walked past Square Wheel twice today before I spotted it, there's not much in the way of signage even when it's open.

I've had work done there before and never had any complaints

BostonB

eeijlar wrote: »

I can't recommend Penny Farthing anyway. The woman is too sweet to be wholesome. I have never left there without parting with the guts of €80. You go in to get something minor done, and they then tell you a load of stuff replaced. The parts they put into the bike don't seem last and must be bargain basement. I bought a Dawes Discovery new in there in 2006 and I have had nothing but trouble with it. I think they sold me old stock, or a slightly damaged bike. To date I have replaced the following:

• Chain (3 Times)
• Pedal Assembly
• Pedal Hub (Twice)
• Wheels Front and Back
• Front Cogs
• Rear Derailleur
• Rear Hub
• Brake Blocks multiple times (never got more than 2 months out of them)

I don't do a great deal of cycling, and the bike was well looked after, kept indoors and never mistreated. I bought it for €350 and I spent at least €500 on parts in the last three years.

It was nicked yesterday... good riddance!!!

I have a bucket of steam you really need. 50% off at €50

Doctor Bob

Fifs wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if Square Wheels in Temple Bar is still open? Am on lookout for a get-around bike and have heard good things about his second hand shop. Have searched the length and breath of Temple Lane South on a Saturday and a Sunday and have had no joy. I have heard it's difficult to find so I've scrutinised every doorway! Wonder if maybe he just opens Monday - Friday and when he's closed there's no signage?

Thanks for any tips, or suggestions on where else I could go to pick up a decent second hand (preferably) ladies road/hybrid bike..

Square Wheel is Monday to Friday, opens around 10:30 am, closes around 6:30 pm.

It's the heavily graffittied wall with the plain timber double doors just beside City Discs / opposite the end of Curved Street.

I was in there a few times last week. As luck would have it, Kieran said he was finishing off a few bikes for sale second hand, so your timing couldn't be better.

(I can't agree with blanco's sentiment [above]- Kieran is one of the good guys, IMO. Not always the fastest, perhaps, but a top bloke and a good mechanic, i.e. he'll try fixing your problem rather than just telling you you need a new part.)

BostonB

Theres another shop new to me, the Cycle Inn on the GreenHills Road. Not a big shop but decent stuff.

Fifs

Excellent, thanks guys. Had thought he might be a Monday to Friday man alright. Will head down some lunchtime and see what he's got going.

sibyrne

DadaKopf wrote: »

What are the bike shops worth going to for:

• Advice
• More complex jobs (as in not buying off-the-peg bikes)?

I'm in the Camden St./Portobello area. Near me I've got

• Penny Farthing
• That place down the end of Camden St.
• Thinkbike in Rathmines
• Joe Daly in Dundrum
• A small one in Ranelagh (Cycles & Locks or something)

If I want them to sort me out with some odd jobs for building a fixie, where should I go? Are they all roughly the same in what they can advise/do?

Building a fixie.

Mikes Bikes in Dun Laoghaire are very helpful and stock a lot of that gear.

Very good mechanic and wheel builder.

Worth a trip out.