I rented a bike for a day tour, and the service could not have been better. The people were…read moreincredibly friendly, though I found that across the board in West Ireland. All the gear was in top shape. They set me up with rain gear, just in case. Fortunately I didn't need it. Their advice on out of the way places to visit and on the bike trail to Mulranny was brilliant. And since I was going off the beaten path they loaned me a pump and a patch kit.

Thanks to Travis and all staff for facilitating us on our bike trip to Achill last Tuesday. Travis…read morewent above and beyond the call of duty. Travis made every possible call to ensure we could complete our day.

I have never left a negative review for this or any other company, but Westport Bike Hire did not…read morelive up to the services it promises when it comes to assistance if any issues come up during the ride. My intergenerational family group of nine recently used Westport Bike Hire to transport from Westport to Achill, pick up bikes there, and ride back to Westport. Because we had grandparents and kids in our group, we specifically visited the shop the day before to ask about how their service would work and what would happen if we ran into any problems. We were told then as well as before taking the shuttle the next day that their shop number was printed on the bike and to call for assistance if we ran into any problems or anyone in our party couldn't make it the whole way (see attached picture) - this was reassuring to hear as a few of our group were nervous about the trip. On the day of the ride, everything went smoothly until about two-thirds of the way through the day. Unfortunately, my mom (a 68 year old grandmother) took a fall after her bike slipped on the downhill into Newport where the trail merges into car traffic. It was very frightening for her and the rest of us who witnessed it. While she had some cuts to her face and body and a slight knock to the head, thankfully there did not appear to be any major injuries. Nonetheless, she was feeling pretty banged up and needed to pull out of the ride to get some rest​, assess her condition, and avoid aggravating any potential issues. We decided that we would take Westport Bike hire up on the offer to call them for assistance and have my mom head back to Westport along with my dad to make sure she was okay. We called the shop and a man who said he was the owner answered the phone. I let him know the situation and that we hoped he could give two of our party a ride back to Westport. He said that he could not do that as they do not transport people - it turns out that their advertised "shuttle service" is actually them hiring a cab to take riders to their Achill facility. He told me that they won't transport people and only come out on the trail to deliver replacement bikes if needed. I then asked him to call a cab for us. He again said that he would not do that and suggested that we walk to another bike hire company in Newport, leave our bikes there, and ask them to help call a cab. This new information really surprised me because they publicly advertise the shuttles as "our shuttles" and had told us on multiple occasions to call in an emergency. I was frustrated by his response, and let him know that I thought he should help us more directly. Shockingly, he told me that he did not have time to help because the all-Ireland Gaelic Football final was on and he was watching that at the shop​ (note that this was during their business hours and the shop was open at the time). This response made me even more upset, and I let him know that I thought his customer service was unacceptable and that I would be asking for a refund if he could not give us a ride or help call a cab. When he still would not help, I hung up and we walked to find the other bike shop in Newport. The folks there were friendly but also did not proactively help find a cab. They did thankfully track down a phone number for a cab company for us, but unfortunately the cab company did not answer. I tried Uber, but could not get any cars to respond to the request. I would imagine many drivers (and others) were watching the all-Ireland final which made finding a ride tough. Given the lack of a ride, I ended up riding my bike as fast as possible back to Westport, turning my bike in at the shop, and taking my rental car back to pick up my parents in Newport. In the meantime, the rest of my party rode back to Westport in a few different small groups. Needless to say, this took quite a bit of extra time to get my mom back to the room to rest and also ruined the day for her and those of us trying to deal with a difficult situation while receiving zero support from Westport Bike Hire. Perhaps the most revealing comment from the owner came when I returned the bike and quite directly expressed my opinion that this was the worst customer service I had ever experienced. In response, he stated that "your mom getting hurt is not his f****ing problem." While I'm sure Westport Bike Hire works great for folks on most trips, be advised that they may not be there when you need support in an emergency.

We arrived in the evening around 5:30 after meandering up the coast from Galway hoping to get to…read moreride for a bit up the Great Western Greenway. Despite the fact that they were closing at 6:00 pm, the shopkeepers agreed to rent us bikes for a couple hours and then meet us back to check them in. They even offered a reduced rate because we weren't using the bikes for a full day. The late sunsets (around 10:15 pm) on this glorious June evening allowing for a great family bike ride including meeting a few very friendly locals out enjoying a sunny stroll. It was lovey! Very grateful for the opportunity to see the countryside from a different perspective and for the hospitality displayed by Bikes 4 Hire.

The good: Very helpful staff. Provided excellent map and directions, and helped us plan a route for…read morethe time period we would be there. The Trek 520s were a very nice bike for what we were doing. Water proof panniers for our gear was a nice free bonus. Lodging selections were perfect and they were flexible with our preferences. Our transport to the starting point was great. The not so good: One of bikes suffered a front brake mechanical leaving us to unhook the front brake and complete most of the ride without a front brake. Not really the fault of West Ireland Cycling, as it checked out fine before we left. The staff did follow up with us and make every effort to accommodate us - so this really isn't that bad or their fault. Overall, we would use WIC over and over again.

Great service!! My husband and I are in Galway at the moment with our 2yo son and wanted to spend…read morean afternoon cycling around the city. I emailed the shop a few weeks back to ask about availability and John promptly responded and was so helpful! We made it to the shop today and John had two bikes and a child seat waiting for us. He helped us find a nice route to ride and we had a great time. The shop is a really quick walk from Eyre Square too. I would definitely recommend renting bikes from there during your stay in Galway!

Situated just at the start of the Newport - leg of the Newport-Mulranny leg of the fantastic Great…read moreWestern Greenway (http://www.greenway.ie/) is Clew Bay Bike rentals. The guys are fast, not overly expensive,and the bikes are always in good condition. well worth a shot if you are in the mood for a quick cycle!... BUT make sure to book in advance, they are busy and you are unlikely to get a bike on short notice!

Tom is super friendly and easy going. Bikes were at fair prices and he threw in helmets, gloves,…read moreparkas for rain, locks, maps, reflective vests. It was a great experience to rent from them. Ask in the sweater so next to the sign for Doolin rent a bike.

Had a pleasant experience with this bike shop. You can rent a bike for €10 for an entire day,…read morewhich is pretty reasonable. (You also have to put down another €10 deposit, but you get that back when you return the bike) They also give you a handy map of the island. All of the bikes looked to be in good condition, and mine was good enough. It had some problems shifting between certain gears, but it had enough working gears that I was able to handle the hills just fine. Plus the suspension was pretty good and dealt with the rocky terrain nicely. Recommended overall. In my opinion, bikes are the best way to navigate the island if you're there for a day trip.

I recommend the bike ride, but be prepared for squeaky brakes! These are not "new" bikes like they…read moreadvertise, however, they worked fine, the brakes acted as a "horn" to let others know we were coming up on them, and it was a cool way to see the island. ***Unless you want a hike up a HUGE Mountain that is unpaved...do NOT take the windy northern path on the map on the way back....I had to walk up the last part of the hill/mountain, and lets just say I saw my life flash before my eyes on the way down....****

Our flight from Chonamara airport was cancelled due to poor weather. Our tickets for the flight…read morewere immediately refunded. We then contacted Aran Bike to ask for a refund on our prepaid bikes. After contacting them 3 times we still haven't received an answer. No refund, no credit, no response. That says it all.

Amazing service- best bike hire on Inishmore. Right next to ferry for easy return on your way out!read more

My brother, 14 yo niece and I took a 2hour surf lesson with Bens in Lahinch on a whim in July 2014…read more It was amazing, mostly due to great attitude of the staff, a guy called Mike who sorted us out and the owner Ben who gave us the lesson. He is the most highly qualified instructor (level 3?) and vowed, he told us, to only let his instructors have a maximum 6 students at a time, with smaller groups the norm. He was able to give us instant feedback on every single wave we tried (and sometimes succeeded) to catch. We were all novices, though comfortable in the water, but made good progress, I'm convinced because of his instruction. DONT try surfing without first getting a lesson, as there is a lot that is counter-intuitive to us beginners. Ben himself is an absolute gent, good crack, and a very clear instructor. They also give instruction all the way up to advanced level, are open year-round, and he is expanding this year having bought a new premises to move into right beside the beach. I cant think of anything negative to say. The beach itself is very safe, with shallow waters that go out for hundreds of metres, professional lifeguards on duty, and a friendly vibe from all the other surfers and schools around. Non surfers, wives, kids,can enjoy the beach too while you are 50 metres away paddling on your board. Bens also does bike rentals, rock climbing and kayaking and this part of county Clare is perfect for those types of activity. Can't recommend this guy and his business highly enough.

From the owner: Surf School and Adventure centre in lahinch, Co. Clare offering surf lessons for all levels…read moreincluding intermediate and advanced, surf rentals, kayaking, rock climbing, Stand Up Paddleboarding, indoor climbing and archery.

It was a fine summer day and we'd driven from Bangor Erris through the most stunning scenery…read moreimaginable on some of the worst narrow roads imaginable. We crossed the Michael Davitt bridge onto Achill island and drove past a mobile Ulster bank van. We had Keel as our destination as we negotiated the narrow roads and meandering sheep who were everywhere and who see tourists as an inconvenience. The entire experience was a tad spooky as despite being a fine day in early summer the entire island was shrouded in mist the whole time we were there and we were there about three hours. We chose Keel as my wife used to holiday here as a child. Her family arrived with a tent to a caravan park and pitched up 15 yards from the wild Atlantic. Travelling west from here the next land is the USA. We got to Keel and the caravan park and we walked along the beach with the mighty blue/green Atlantic Ocean roaring at us as my wife relived fond memories of a stark, haunting very beautiful wilderness. Hard to believe that this stark, rugged island has been continuously inhabited from 4,000 years BC. Wow now that's impressive.