I love bicycles, but I have a bit of a mixed history with them. Within a month of buying my first…read more(used) bicycle here in Dublin, it was stolen. A very generous fellow student gave hers to me, since she is busy with study, her family, and career, and doesn't find time to ride often. It needed just a bit of TLC, though.
I haven't had much luck with the bicycle shop in the center of Ranelagh, and so I tried Think Bike. The service was excellent, and so was the pricing. I asked for a new font basket, a new seat, u-lock, air in the tires, and a general check overall. For all of this, plus installation of things that I bought, I was only charged 80 euros, which seems like a fantastic deal to me. The repair shop folks are very professional and quick, and they will even send a text message to let customers know when bicycles are ready to pick up.
The retail shop offers new bicycles (and the occasional used bike - you need to call and ask daily to see what they might have, if anything), accessories, and even a limited range of clothing.
Since it was my first time bringing in a bike, I didn't understand the process. I told the person in the retail shop what I wanted to have done for the bicycle, and he sent me up to the repair shop, which is a block up. Once there, I was told that, actually, I needed to go back down to select the basket and lock, and then come back again. Not a big problem, of course, but it was all a little confusing.
When the deadline for when I was told my bicycle would be ready was approaching (and I needed to take care of other errands), I used the number that I found on the web to call Think Bike. Again, it was a bit confusing. I knew, from reading about them on the web, that Think Bike offers training workshops, and so when I spoke with someone on the phone and he asked whether I was calling about the "work shop," I thought he meant a "workshop." I went to the repair shop, but it was 2pm and closed for lunch. Bad luck on my part, I guess. A person in the retail shop helped by providing the direct line to the repair shop.
All confusion aside, I can't fault the bicycle service nor the pricing. The men in the repair shop were also friendly and helpful. Best of all, the bicycle is in perfect order now, and I wouldn't hesitate a moment to go back to Think Bike. Especially since I now know the lingo and procedure!