General Cycling Discussion - Self-Service bike repair/vending machine (linky)

For those times when the Bike Shop is crowded or closed.


Trek Stop (http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/2008/07/trek-stop.html)

If only they had these everywhere. :(

Biowheels in Asheville had a vending machine that hey stocked with tubes and such for the times they were closed. It was very cool, and very thoughtful. No idea if they still have it at their new location, though.

Awesome! I might have to go check it out sometime.

I wish these were more widespread. This is an idea whose time should be now.

There is a similar 24-hour-access vending machine at the Bike Barn on Kirby in Houston, but I don't remember air being available, unless perhaps in the form of CO2 cartridges.

There's one in front of Great Lakes Cycling & Fitness in Ann Arbor, too. I wonder about the claim to have had the first LBS vending machine in the US in 2005 (http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/2008/07/trek-stop.html?showComment=1215033480000#c1998530238578769241), because GLC&F has had theirs since at least the summer of 2005, and how would you know you were the first, anyway?

That's pretty cool -- I recommended it to my local campus folks.

Great concept and execution. I sometimes wondered about doing something like that with old cigarette machines. Trek did a way better job.

Now if gas stations could deploy those everywhere, it would be a profitable revenue stream, not to mention the good PR.

Gas isn't that profitable, but bike parts are (relatively).