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ThinkBike

 

ThinkBike, your bike shop in Rathmines, was founded on the 1st of November 1998, but its story started many years before. The local repair shop was located where nowadays you can indulge yourself with tasty delicacies from The Orange Tree Bakery. Back in the 80’s, instead of tasty cakes and the heart-warming aroma of freshly baked scones, the building was filled with the smell of gear grease, parts and spares for bikes. Not surprisingly, it was chosen by the local boys as the place to hang out. As one would expect, John Clarke was among them, at the age of 12, and already immersed in the cycling world.

 

Coached by Stephen O’Shea, John Clarke started to work fixing bikes at the repair shop when he was 17 years old. At that time, he was juggling three jobs – all in the same street. John was also working as in the kitchen of Flames, a chipper located where today is Kafka Restaurant (by the way, a great place if you’re looking for a good meal), and in the change boot of Mario’s, an amusement arcade where today you can find Manifesto.

 

Three years later, at the age of 20, John invested all his savings and got a loan to take over the business from Stephen. In the beginning, ThinkBike offered only bike repair service, second-hand bikes and the customers could buy one type of lock and one type of lights. After two years, the first renovation brought a tiny retail area with a slightly wider selection of products.

 

The business outgrew their original location. In 2001, ThinkBike moved to their current building, conveniently located a few meters away, in Rathmines Road. With a bigger retail area, the products and the customer service shared the space with the repairs, which were made in the back of the shop.

 

In 2007, a building was vacated at the Observatory Lane. ThinkBike made a significant and exciting step forward by creating the ThinkBike Workshop, a maintenance centre to all bikes. Since then, this is the place where the major repairs are made, and the high-end bicycles are built. ThinkBike Workshop became a Shimano Service Centre, where our continuously trained and qualified staff can offer reliable technical advice.

 

In the store, nearly 20 years later, we are proud to offer much more than one type of lock and one type of lights. At ThinkBike, you can find from commuting bicycles to racing and mountain bikes, bicycles for kids and micro scooters, a wide range of waterproof jackets, locks, shoes, lights, maintenance kits, action cameras, and computers. Open late 7 days per week, we are a convenience store for cyclists, and we are here when you need.