Do you keep a loaner bike around?

[p nut]

I have my main bikes I ride that cover all different disciplines within cycling (that I'm interested in anyway). I don't want to add more bikes. But I've got this neighbor. He just doesn't take care of his stuff. Or other people's stuff. I loaned him my axe one time. I saw him later on chopping the wood on top of a rock, then using the BLADED side to scrape the wood off of the rock. I took the axe back immediately. I don't think he does it on purpose. Just ignorance.

I've got a feeling that he'll come knocking one day to borrow a bike since he knows I ride a lot. All of my bikes are in great shape and not cheap. I'm not the heartless kind nor do I want that guilty conscience weighing me down, so I probably won't turn him down. Plus I'd hope he enjoys it and gets a bike of his own. But at the same time, I'd have a hard time handing him a $3k bike for him to trash.

In prep of that day, whether it's the friend, neighbor, or anyone else, I was thinking of building/buying a cheap bike. Some $1-200 Craigslist bike I can hand over without worrying about it. Despite the unneeded expense and taking up room in the garage, I think it would be a worthwhile expense.

I'm not looking for suggestions, per se, but curious if anyone else has been in a similar situation and how it was resolved. I'm sure most of you are more benevolent and giving than I am. :p

[oliver1850]

I've built up a couple of $100 frames for that purpose.

[AngryScientist]

a huge aspect of whether someone will enjoy cycling or hate it is if the bike fits them properly. someone attempting to ride a bike several sizes too big or too small will undoubtedly no like the experience, and it will sour them.

a bike is not like an ax or a lawnmower or a cup of sugar. it needs to be the right size. a "loaner" bike would really only be useful to a certain segment of the population.

[R3awak3n]

I don't have any loaner bike and would not consider building something to just have around so that someone might want to ride with me and doesnt have a bike. I would also not lend my bikes to most people.

I know tons of people like your neighbor, its not that they are bad people, they just don't care about stuff, its just stuff for them (and they are right, its just stuff, its all replaceable but we do hard work in order to buy this stuff and we want this stuff to last so we don't have to spend more time working to have to rebuy this stuff).

I would have no problem telling people, yeah, sorry i don't lend my bikes to people, specially someone that I know for a fact will not take care of it aka your neighbor.

[ofcounsel]

I have a few mountain bikes that I use. Each of them is in the $4k to 9k range (cost to me, but obviously not what someone would pay used). But mountain bikes are kind of made with crashing in mind. So I don't mind lending them out to friends from time to time, provided they are riding on the trail with me.

[93legendti]

I've got a too big for me RB-1 lying around that's been ridden once in 8 years:crap:

[eBAUMANN]

one day i plan on having a fleet of loaners, 54, 56, 58, 60 - identical cx bikes, maybe old caad's or something, 4 frames with 2 wheelsets for all of em.

just cause ;)

[charliedid]

Nope, but you can come by and we can go for a ride. You can ride anything I own :-)

[loimpact]

People always say, "Winning the Lotto will ruin you. People go broke, crazy, etc."

Before cycling, I'm not sure I'd have had a proper coping mechanism to survive a Lotto win myself.

After cycling.....I am 100% sure that cycling would easily facilitate such a requirement.

I'd have a fleet of loaners myself.....All Dogma F8's, of course! ;) :p :D

[mjf]

Always have a spare hanging out with some platforms on it for someone who's just hanging out around town or something.

Might eventually err on the side of having something with fatter tires for others people though

[PaMtbRider]

Sort of, I have a Salsa Casseroll that has only been ridden twice this year. Once by me and once by a friend from out of state. I think about selling it, but it's not worth much so I just keep it as a loaner for when my friend visits.

[Cicli]

Sort of, I have a Salsa Casseroll that has only been ridden twice this year. Once by me and once by a friend from out of state. I think about selling it, but it's not worth much so I just keep it as a loaner for when my friend visits.

Cassrolls are great bikes and underrated in my opinion. I had the old gingerbeer one and loved it. Sort of miss that bike.

[weisan]

My old LOOK KG 281 built up with shimano 9 spd drivetrain is my dedicated loaner bike and when it's not being loaned out, it stays on the trainer. It's not junk (see attached) but it's also something I won't cry over if it gets trashed. I have loaned it out twice so far, once to South African friend who doesn't have a bike but is a super strong rider and second time, to a friend doing a short sprint distance triathlon. It's 55 TT and can fit a good range of riders with different body lengths, not optimal but beggars can't be choosers. :D

Nut pal, you don't mind saying this, I think your "fear" with that neighbor is over-blown. I doubt he would ever come over to borrow a bike.

[572cv]

Got a great deal on a fat bike a few years ago. Not so common for people to have them, so for company, found another, fitted it with a quick release seat post clamp and share it. Neither bike is special. But, it makes for a fun winter day with friends, and gets people excited about biking again. Good stuff.

[jh_on_the_cape]

Yes for guests in the summer.
His and hers bike path bikes.
I love lending bikes but not my $$ bikes. Get something fun that you would not mind riding yourself.

[texbike]

I have a Redline Monocog 29r that serves this purpose. Simple, cheap, and easy to work with for a range of people. My daughter is 5' and can ride it. My dad and brother are both 6'1" and have ridden it as well.

Texbike

[p nut]

Thanks for the inputs. Initially, I was going the craigslist route for something like an old steel Rockhopper, but I've got an old Gary Fisher frame hanging around that I might cobble together with some decent parts. It may even be fun enough for me to take out once in a while.

[Mzilliox]

We are giving away our loaner today! its kinda sad. it as the first bike i bought my wife, its too small for her, and its heavy. Its a peugeot carbolite i set up with straight bars, and its leaving me today. My wife found it a new home that may ride it, maybe not.

so now Berty goes back to loaner status

[TunaAndBikes]

one day i plan on having a fleet of loaners, 54, 56, 58, 60 - identical cx bikes, maybe old caad's or something, 4 frames with 2 wheelsets for all of em.

just cause ;)


I'm liking your style!:beer:

[Bob Ross]

"Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

Now, if a cycling aficionado (friend or relative) comes to town and needs something to ride, I have something to offer and will usually do so immediately, happily, generously. But a neighbor who simply knows I like to ride and wants to borrow something? NFW.

[Schmed]

I'd rather lend any stranger on this forum a bike than that guy. There's ignorance, then unappreciative ignorance, and I think he's the 2nd.

When I borrow things, I try to take at least as good of care as the guy I'm borrowing it from treats the item.

A friend of mine is NOT a car guy, and I borrowed his truck. I washed it by hand, filled it with diesel, and brought it back to him. I don't think he noticed, but I feel it's the right way to do that.

BTW, does anyone have a Moots Routt 45 I can borrow for a few years?;) Preferably, a 54 with carbon wheels.

[pdmtong]

Having a loaner bike - no.
Maybe if it was a beach cruiser but otherwise - no.

I also don't loan my tools. Tired of me having to ask my neighbor(s) for them back and then cleaning them up or fixing things that were mis-adjusted.

I used to think that if you borrowed something, how big a deal is it to return it in the same condition you got it and promptly? well, I guess it is a big deal.

[Hilltopperny]

I usually have a few vintage bikes in the shed. Vintage mountain bikes typically sell cheap on Craigslist and once in a while there is a nice vintage roadie for cheap. I only lend out the good stuff to other cycling aficionados and very good friends who take good care of their things. A reckless neighbor would be lucky to get to use my 1991 Cannondale m700...

[fuzzalow]

I didn't have, nor would I consider, a loaner bike even when I had the space to do this living in the 'burbs. So even considering such a thing, now with living in an apartment, is not even a laughable wisp of a thought.

I've loaned out tools on more than one occasion. Always to come to no good end. It seems as soon as the tool crosses hands, the people I've loaned to confiscate the tool to a gleeful view that possession is 9/10ths of the law and they have gotten a tool for free.

I might loan out a bike to some of the brethren I know in this forum. But there are not many that could ride my setup, although I see there might be a few. The great paradox in this IMO is that a EuroPro position is imminently rideable but most never actually advance their own boundaries to find out for themselves that it is, indeed, imminently rideable. So although my setup looks extreme, in reality, things are not what they seem.

[Tickdoc]

Nope. I don't loan my wife out either.

[SoCalSteve]

A Forumite who I sold a few items to came into town to meet up with a woman he was dating. The 3 of us decided to go for a ride together to the beach. I loaned him my Pegoretti. While he was showing off to his girlfriend, he rode it into the sand.

Never again!

[mattwla]

Just built one up! Picked up a redline cx frame on CL, its now a 1 x 8 drop bar w/ interrupter levers, 32mm tires.

The frame is 52cm I think, 5 foot 11ish me is happy riding it with the seat post close to minimum insertion, I bet my 5 foot 4 gf would be happy riding it and maybe someone a bit shorter too even.

So, it can't fit everybody, but most would be happy on it. The interrupter levers and 1x drivetrain keep things simple for those who are only used to riding hybrids, but its got features that would please a bike snob like a soma fork and a rival/105 mutant drive train!

[John H.]

I don't have a longer bike but I usually have a spare of some kind.
I only loan things to people who:
1.) Bring it back
2.) Care for it like I would
3.) Do not have a tendency to damage said item
4.) Have the ability to replace the item if damaged
5.) Will replace the item if damaged instead of saying something like "that's just a scratch"

For me loaning bikes was never an issue. It was always loaning tt equipment- people want to borrow disc wheels and such instead buying them.
But you have to careful- it is easy to damage a disc wheel.

[David Tollefson]

I have several loaners... as long as the person is about my height/inseam.

[pinkshogun]

i always have some casual riders available for Paceliners to borrow

[David Tollefson]

i always have some casual riders available for Paceliners to borrow

You, sir, have a problem....









... You need more space for bikes.



:^)