Thinkbike, which operated stores on Lower Rathmines Road and in Terenure, said it is being forced to close as it is not turning over enough to make the business viable.
Owner and manager John Clarke spoke to the Irish Independent, saying he was doing well given the circumstances.
“It was never my intention to leave the business, but the difficult trading conditions meant we had to,” he said.
“Before Covid, we were extremely busy… we served most of the cyclists in Dublin. But after Covid, it became clear that people’s patterns had changed, and they weren’t cycling to work anymore.
“We really cared about the level of service; we had a great workshop team and staff. We were the first purpose-built repair shop in Ireland and had built up relationships with people who became friends over time,” he added.
Reflecting on the highlights of running Thinkbike since 1998, Mr Clarke said the “best thing” about the business has been the staff.
Thinkbike in Rathmines and Terenure are closing after 26 years in business
“Adrian McLeavey, who worked for us, set up a cycling club back in 2009, and it was great fun and brought a lot of people into cycling,” he said.
“We’ve served people from when they were going to college right up to their kids’ bikes and all that sort of stuff. You grow up with these people, so it is a sad time for them and for us.”
The community of cyclists that frequented Thinkbike was strong, and Mr Clarke attributes this to the “quality of service” his staff provided.
“The mechanics we worked with were the best, and I allowed them to be the best they could be. The quality of the work was very important to me,” he said.
“I’d rather close when our reputation is still high… and be remembered as a good bike shop, than let it dwindle to the point where we can’t provide the service anymore.”
Looking to the future, Mr Clarke said it’s been “a hectic five or six years”, so he has no immediate plans and is taking some time to breathe.
Multiple customers have expressed their sadness at the shop closures, with many saying everyone who worked there was “so helpful” and “brilliant to deal with”.
Others noted that small businesses in Dublin have been “slowly suffering death by a thousand cuts” for many years.
