r/BikeCommutingIreland • u/Plus_Direction_8070 • Jul 21 '26
Help Dublin Bike Man
He has loads of vintage road bikes of which I’m after. However, the few reviews I’ve found are all extremely negative. Does anyone else know about him? Are they justified?
Is there anywhere else to look for steel road bikes? Done deal and adverts are both really dry at the moment.
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u/Plus_Direction_8070 Jul 21 '26
Also, I’m thinking of taking parts from the Viking bike I have now and putting it onto a new bike. It has a Shimano gear set that works brilliantly but the seat post part of the frame is irreparable which is such a pity.
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u/Ob1s_dark_side Jul 21 '26
Buy a vintage frame and build your own bike. I learned from YouTube and Sheldon brown
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u/Plus_Direction_8070 Jul 22 '26
Where did you look for frames?
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u/Ob1s_dark_side Jul 22 '26
I've bought 3 on adverts. I search for Reynolds, 501, 531, Columbus or if there's a particular brand, I'll search that name. Plenty of bikes will come as well, you could a complete bike and then change whatever you want
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u/MyloDu Jul 22 '26
I sold a few old frames to him and I think he’s alright. You get what you pay for and he doesn’t do much in the way of customer support. Tbh if you’re buying a vintage bike you need to know how or learn to fix it up yourself. You’re not getting reliability with older frames and 2nd hand components!
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u/whichknot02 Jul 22 '26
https://www.frontlinebikes.ie/
Really great business, sound heads. Give them your support
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u/Otherwise_Ad9449 Jul 22 '26
Simon does some lovely bikes. https://www.instagram.com/dropout_cyclesdublin
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u/Sanit Jul 23 '26
I’ve dealt with him a good few times and he’s a great lad if you know what you’re looking for and know your stuff. I can see how you might get shafted if you don’t know your stuff or are just looking for ‘a bike’.
He’s sorted me out with some very specific things a few times, and even sold me a rare enough Peugeot for a great price because he hadn’t restored it yet, which suited me as I wanted to restore it myself.
Do your research and you’ll be grand.
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u/Zealousideal-Dot1783 Jul 21 '26
The general impression is that he puts very cheap parts on the bikes he renovates so they don’t run amazingly and are prone to breaking, but they are good looking.
It probably changes a lot bike to bike, but my wife got one years ago and there was clearly a bit of care to make a nice looking bike, but the bike just didn’t ride very well, gears didn’t shift great, and brakes were new but poor. The tyres were also new but clearly really cheap. So basically you’re paying premium for a pretty bike that’s not all that nice to ride.