anotherbrian

But it is that way for _anything_. What makes the bike so special? Or should you refuse to lend _anything_ to anyone?

And ultimately that is why you will choose to say yes or no to a request ... still don't understand why some consider it rude to be asked.

RPK79

It's not like they could comfortably ride it without making a ton of adjustments.

banerjek

That's very different. And I frequently lent my own truck out (when I had one for 17 years)

That's because everyone knows how to use a pickup truck and you know they'd treat it like their own. Also, when people are asking about the truck, they're asking for help with something they need to do. In addition, both parties have insurance in case something really goes wrong.

Bikes are not like that, at least when we're talking about people who don't understand how the equipment works. Unless the bike has something truly different like different shifters, transmission, or braking system, I'm not sure why anyone would even ask since a bike set up for someone else isn't going to tell you much. Someone who doesn't know anything about bikes or ride much isn't going to learn anything, but the chances of them messing something up is high.

There's a big difference between a bike geek trying to understand something specific and a regular Joe who's just curious what if feels like to have a ton of money between his legs.

banerjek

You look at what the specifics of each case are. I lend all kinds of things (my neighbors used to call me "The Tool Guy" because I had everything). But other things I wouldn't lend to just anyone such as my carbon fiber kayak paddles. Someone who knows how to paddle and has experience with the same type of gear would be just fine, but if I gave them to some normal schmo, odds of them breaking it on rocks or doing something else would be high.

kcollier5

I'm amazed at these answers. Absolutely yes! Life is to be lived, and enjoyed, not hoarded and fearful.

An uncle of mine once said, "I'd rather wear it out, than let it rust out." And that's a great way to live. Will things happen? Of course, but what a full life to live! Obviously, I'm not going to lend it to a stranger without first making sure of a few things but if you are a close friend or family member, have at it! It's just a bicycle! And the last guy I ended up loaning my bike to loved it so much, he went out and bought a nicer bike than mine and rides with me on a regular basis. It's great!

Machka 

Try thinking of it this way ...

You've purchased a new pair of shoes ... they fit you perfectly, they are really comfortable as well as being fashionable, and you paid the money for them to be that way.

How would you feel if acquaintances kept coming up and asking to borrow those shoes for the afternoon?


You see, for me, shoes are a much better comparison than a cup of flour because of the size issue. When I get my bicycle set up the way I want it, I don't want to change that set up so that various people I hardly know can ride my bicycle for an entire afternoon or day. And I want to be the one to break in my new Brooks saddle, not a group of different people.

anotherbrian

For all I know, those shoes were test ridden, er test worn, around the shoe store before I ever put a foot in them. I don't stretch a pair of leather shoes out in an afternoon, so I wouldn't expect someone else to. If they got all scuffed up, then that is damaged, and that isn't acceptable (and I wouldn't lend them to someone that that wasn't tacitly clear).

I also wouldn't expect someone to borrow a bike and change the setup beyond the saddle height without mentioning it. If they really did need to change anything besides the saddle height, I'd put a piece of painters tape and a little mark and be able to go back to the original setup. But again, tacit assumption is if they are sophisticated enough to get it a proper fit, they'll be sophisticated enough to put it back (kinda like refilling the gas on the lawn mower). Nobody is going to upwrap the bar tape to adjust the levers, etc.

DaveWC

I rely on my bike for daily exercise & my car for moving my family around. I can't afford to do with out either. So those are two things that I wouldn't want to lend. The rest of my stuff I wouldn't care about and if I did lend it out I'd expect never to see it again & be pleasantly surprised if I did & it was in good condition. I have the same attitude with lending money. I don't expect to be repaid but I'm happy if I am.

Machka 

No ... I don't ask people to borrow their stuff. Their stuff is their stuff, I respect that.


That said, if someone offers I might, hesitantly consider their offer.

kbarch

There are a couple of things going on there.
First, eggs, flour, etc are commodities, not personal items, and there is a tradition of making preemptive offerings of such things to new neighbors, and even lawn mowers are often offered because they are things a neighbor might really need. Like a neighbor might be in a pinch and really need a truck.
But a fancy new carbon bike is not exactly a commodity, and it's certainly not something anyone needs: it's usually a very personal item. The interesting thing about what started this thread was that there was an established practice of sharing not-so-special bikes.

StanSeven

Exactly. No one ever asked to ride my bike. But I've volunteered to let them. If they needed adjustments, no big deal. I've got a dab of paint on the seatpost. The stem doesn't move. The same with by vehicles. I'm proud of them and glad to share the fun.

goenrdoug

No.

I have, however, borrowed and lent cars and trucks. Insurance and the laws of the road keep me confident there.

Books, CD's, televisions, the bed, etc. All these things are find to lend. Hell, I've even lent the whole house to friends while I and the family were out of town.

My bike, however, is not to be ridden by others. It's a personal device that I wipe down regularly, have adjusted to my specific size, etc. I take meticulous care of it and I put my health and life (and therefore my family's well-being) on the line with this tool. I don't want to find out my acquaintance accidentally cracked a seat stay when he tossed it in the back of his truck after his ride.

That being said, I have multiple bikes setup for guests. Adjustable seat collars, flat pedals, etc. I treat these bikes differently and more carefully review them maintenance-wise, in that I examine them closer to make sure there are no cracks or dents or whatever else might happen when someone else might be riding them.

Machka 

Offering to let someone ride your bicycle is a whole different thing.

After we got our Bike Fridays, we offered my father a test ride on one. He declined, but we had no problem offering that option to him. After all, we know him and he's into bicycles. He has offered us test rides on his Catrike, and we've taken him up on that offer and have had a spin or two around the block for a few minutes.

However, if people we hardly knew (colleagues or acquaintances) asked to borrow our brand new Bike Fridays for the afternoon or part of the weekend (as mentioned in the original post) ... no. Absolutely not.

StanSeven

If someone i hardly knew asked, I also would say no. Anyone that bold likely is so wrapped up in themselves, taking care of the bike is low on their priorities

jamesdak 

Umm, no! I loaned this out to a friend over 2 years ago, still waiting to get it back.

link0

I wouldn't loan any of my Ti bikes to anyone. Hell no.

TMonk

only if I trusted the collegue/acquaintance as both a friend and a rider. I think think of maybe three or four people.

jon c. 

This was common in my youth, but younger folks I know today seem more inclined to rent a truck.

Bunyanderman

I'd be happy to lend it out, as long as they had an idea of the price tag.