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N + 1 + Spinlister. Anyone here renting out their excess inventory?

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N + 1 + Spinlister. Anyone here renting out their excess inventory?

Old 05-07-15, 11:55 AM
  #1  
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N + 1 + Spinlister. Anyone here renting out their excess inventory?

I have way too many bikes; I admit it. What to do with them all?

I signed up on a rent-your-bike website called Spinlister more than two years ago, listed a couple of my mountain bikes on it then promptly forgot about it. Got one nibble once, then the guy cancelled before the rental date. Fast forward to this week, I got a Spinlister notification that someone wants to rent the mountain bikes. A little back and forth with the messages and it turns out road bikes would be better for them, so I list a couple of those, too.

I just sent these two out the door this morning with a nice young couple of world travelers. Did some seatpost adjustment, swapped in their choice of saddles, packed them some flat kits and basic tools and off they go. Theoretically, they'll bring them back Saturday night and Spinlister pays me $96. I'll follow up with the results on how it all works out.


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Old 05-07-15, 12:59 PM
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How much is Spinlister's take, and what protection do you have against loss or damage?

Seems like it could be a good thing, depending probably on your location and the likely clientele. I suspect you are in a good spot in both regards.
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Old 05-07-15, 01:14 PM
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That's interesting. I could imagine it would be popular in the Boston area though we do have a public bike share program. I would worry the bikes might not return, but then again I wouldn't be offering the jewels of my fleet for this purpose.
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Old 05-07-15, 01:24 PM
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I'd also want to know what limits my liability if they have an issue and blame the bike.
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Old 05-07-15, 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted by due ruote
How much is Spinlister's take, and what protection do you have against loss or damage?
Good question, they take 17.5% and they say your insurance against loss is up to $10,000 per bike. Be interesting to see how they determine the value of an old bike like the ones I have out, but hopefully it won't come to that.

The Peugeot above is currently for sale for $175 (I thought it would be gone at that price ages ago), the Shogun drop bar bike I would value a little higher, but not planning on selling at this time.
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Old 05-07-15, 01:45 PM
  #6  
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I got lots of bites last weekend, people asking to rent my Bianchi Volpe. Unfortunately, I was away for the weekend. They wanted it for the five-boro bike tour. I got another bite a week or two ago. Funny, because I listed it long ago. Maybe spinlister has had (or put forth) some publicity lately, or it's achieving critical mass.

My question is how to set my rate. I set it at $30/day, which is probably too low. I figure wear and tear will be substantial.
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Old 05-07-15, 01:54 PM
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Interesting concept. AirBnB for bikes?
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Old 05-07-15, 01:58 PM
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Looks like the newer road and triathlon bikes in my area go for $50 a day. Vintage bikes in good shape $20-$30. some bikes as low as $15. Looks like a lot of bikes have racks and fenders.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:00 PM
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Theft is probably not an issue. They would have provided a CC# with the company. I guess accidental damage or abuse could be a concern.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:07 PM
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Originally Posted by himespau
Interesting concept. AirBnB for bikes?
Yup.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:09 PM
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great idea for that $200 bike with imperfect paint and stripped threads.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:23 PM
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I have about six bikes on Spinlister. I have a couple vintage (Schwinn ladies, and Raleigh SS) a couple carbon bikes, a steel Ritchey cyclocross, and an aluminum/cf bike. They are all $22 or less per day, and 5x that for the week. In the last year I rented one 3 weeks, and another for one day. I have a day rental of my Lemond on May 31st.

I'm disappointed but I'm located in the burbs - not convenient for visitors.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:38 PM
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I live two doors down from an entrance into a park by a creek. Has a regional multi user path right behind the house & people visiting the area park in the neighborhood. I use that to my advantage & park bikes out front with For Sale signs. Maybe I should put "For Rent".
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Old 05-07-15, 02:40 PM
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I like the idea. What would your liability be if the renter hurts themselves on your bike? If your crank snaps, etc.?
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Old 05-07-15, 02:43 PM
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And this kids is why the legal business makes the most out of the startup cult.
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Old 05-07-15, 02:52 PM
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I wouldn't do this unless I had bikes I truly didn't care about. A careless renter locks up poorly or not at all? Your bike is gone. They crash? Your bike is messed up and they're probably going to find some way to blame you. Jerks decide to take your road bike off some BMX jumps? Forget it.
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Old 05-07-15, 03:02 PM
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Originally Posted by jeirvine
I like the idea. What would your liability be if the renter hurts themselves on your bike? If your crank snaps, etc.?
The damage to the bike part is far less important than the liability. I'd need something limiting my liability to the renter and indemnifications for third party damages.
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Old 05-07-15, 05:28 PM
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Originally Posted by Italuminium
And this kids is why the legal business makes the most out of the startup cult.
Actually, if the Spinlister folks have any sense, it is the insurance company(ies) who make out better than the lawyers. They get paid regardless of whether anything bad happens or not.

I would hope that part of Spinlister's cut goes toward insurance premiums that list the actual bike provider as an additional insured and has hefty per person and per incident coverage limits, like $1,000,000/$2,000,000. Otherwise, I would strongly advise folks not to get involved with it, as great an idea as it is. If somebody crashes while riding your bike and gets badly hurt or worse, you will be sued. Maybe by them, maybe by their next of kin, maybe by their medical insurer (believe me, medical insurers will want to be reimbursed for what they paid out). You do not want to have to fork up for the lawyer, especially since defense lawyers have to be paid hourly; they do not work on contingency.
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Old 05-07-15, 05:52 PM
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Not worth my time, effort and potential aggravation.
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Old 05-07-15, 08:09 PM
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Originally Posted by bikingshearer
I would hope that part of Spinlister's cut goes toward insurance premiums that list the actual bike provider as an additional insured and has hefty per person and per incident coverage limits, like $1,000,000/$2,000,000.
I am guessing, but can't say for sure, that is the case. In any event, I'd like to think they are clever enough to know any potential plaintiff is more likely to go after the Internet Startup and its insurers than the guy who has little to his name other than a couple of used bikes.

Originally Posted by lostarchitect
I wouldn't do this unless I had bikes I truly didn't care about.
Yep, the DeRosa, Merckx & Grandis are off limits. So are all the lesser bikes in top condition. I've got enough decent beaters to offer a pretty good selection. I can afford to risk more than a few.

Originally Posted by miamijim
Not worth my time, effort and potential aggravation.
Admittedly, half the fun is meeting new people and sending them out for a little adventure in a place that has lots of great places to ride. Secondary motive is to get travelers in the door of the the little hotel I run, where I keep most of my bikes. I'm hanging out there all day anyway, I may as well rent some bikes while I'm there
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Old 05-07-15, 08:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Lascauxcaveman
I am guessing, but can't say for sure, that is the case. In any event, I'd like to think they are clever enough to know any potential plaintiff is more likely to go after the Internet Startup and its insurers than the guy who has little to his name other than a couple of used bikes.


Yep, the DeRosa, Merckx & Grandis are off limits. So are all the lesser bikes in top condition. I've got enough decent beaters to offer a pretty good selection. I can afford to risk more than a few.


Admittedly, half the fun is meeting new people and sending them out for a little adventure in a place that has lots of great places to ride. Secondary motive is to get travelers in the door of the the little hotel I run, where I keep most of my bikes. I'm hanging out there all day anyway, I may as well rent some bikes while I'm there
There are different legal principals and processes that can apply, but basically you invite everyone to the party. I would not do a deal like this without the appropriate hold harmless language, indemnifications, limits of liability and insurance coverages. As far as whether the start up is going to cover the renter, that's a leap of faith I wouldn't make. I would assume they do not.

I went through this a while back...a local wedding planner/venue wanted to rent my triplet. We hit a snag over deposits and third party liability. It wasn't worth it to me to have potentially drunk wedding guests riding my tandem.

I would also check local laws - my guess is that in philly the actual code would require a license of some sort, and for sure the person is supposed to register with the city and pay our business privilidge tax. All of the Ubers and airbnbs exist by promoting illegal behavior by their clients, and I doubt this is any different.

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Old 05-07-15, 08:25 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Lascauxcaveman


Admittedly, half the fun is meeting new people and sending them out for a little adventure in a place that has lots of great places to ride. Secondary motive is to get travelers in the door of the the little hotel I run, where I keep most of my bikes. I'm hanging out there all day anyway, I may as well rent some bikes while I'm there
That is a smart reason. I wonder though, how well it will work for many, the pick up is one rendezvous, but the other is the drop off.
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Old 05-07-15, 08:49 PM
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Originally Posted by Lascauxcaveman
Yep, the DeRosa, Merckx & Grandis are off limits.
Can you jack the price to make it worth your while? It ain't cheap, but you can rent a Ferarri. Beater, $30/day, DeRosa, $300/day.
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Old 05-07-15, 08:49 PM
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None of this would be worth it to me as the potential for damages to me far outweigh the reward of 20-30 dollars a day. All of my bikes have top shelf frames and components, or are otherwise too old and antiquated for this type of use. If I were young and had nothing to loose this sort of thing may be appealing, but after dating a medical mal practice attorney and a judge, I gaurantee that you are liable when you rent your property out to strangers. This is the sort of thing that you need your own insurance policy for if you want to be covered.
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Old 05-07-15, 09:21 PM
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Absolutely would NEVER enter into this arrangement.
Liability varies from state to state and you can surely bet the possibility of being dragged into a mess, even from the most simple fall by a renter OR if they hit and ran over a child on your bike. Plus you're an individual that some potential plaintiff with a pitbull lawyer could wipe you out. You agreed and contracted - regardless. Do you realize the amount of potential legal defense and expense you would need? Even simple appearance and court filing fees should make you think twice.

Should you think collecting the occasional measley $25 - $50 is worth the risk and a great business plan, you might as well protect your azz, register as an LLC or Inc. That being and only then can understand a volume based profit center for some resort or beach boardwalk entering in a contract with this rental operation.

As individual never exchange money for the rental! One would be far better and safer off by loaning a bike and taking zero dollars OR tell a potential who wants to rent a bike, direct them to a LBS or perhaps hit Wallymart and purchase a $125 bike. When done with it, have them give it away or leave at the curb.
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