Our History
Dave Kane
Dave first put his leg over a racing bike at 14 and has never looked back. Now nearly 60 years later his passion for cycling can still be seen as he works away in the bike shop. Having competed and raced all over the world for Ireland, Dave decided to hang up his wheels on an illustrious racing career, which saw him compete in three Commonwealth Games, numerous World Championships and stage races, and stop working in Belfast's ship building empire Harland and Wolff to open Dave Kane Cycles in the winter of 1978.
Specialising in lightweight equipment it was not long before the shop was a haven for racing cyclists from all over Ireland and further afield. It was not just a bike shop but a place where you could come and get advice on training, nutrition and bike position and of course to get a new bike or hand built wheels by Dave. To this day this is still our main passion within the shops.
Debbie Barclay (nee Kane)
Debbie opened the "clothing boutique" in 1982, the first of its kind in the UK, a separate shop selling only clothing and accessories to kit-out the cyclist from head to toe. All of a sudden there were hand-made shoes from Italy and hand-sewn shorts from Switzerland available over the counter in Belfast and not just to be seen in magazines. Debbie also represented Ireland at the highest level in ladies cycling, having won numerous Irish titles (and often beating the men) and competed in the World Championships in 1986. Unfortunately, a very serious accident while Debs was competing in an international ladies event in England left her paralysed from the chest down. Today, Debs can still be seen at the shops and also giving out banter at the races. The spirit of a true bikie never leaves us!A Family Affair
The shops are still a family-run affair. Mark raced semi-professionally in France and has represented Ireland at the highest level, competing in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and has also been Irish National Champion in 3 disciplines: Road, Hill Climb and Cyclo-Cross. This gives Mark unrivalled experience in running the bike shop: with bike maintenance, selling and bike fitting you will be sure to get expert advice.
Paul now looks after the clothing end of the shop, having also competed at high level at home as a silver medal winner in the Irish National Time Trial Championships in 2002. Paul has been running the clothing boutique for over 20 years and can give expert advice on all that you need to make your cycling more comfortable and enjoyable.
To this day both shops aim to cater for everyone's cycling needs. From your first road bike to the city worker, or to just having a family cycling day out, we have something to suit all!
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Our history in pictures
