Creakyknees

Was out at the races last week and saw a buddy. He has a new bike and I'd only seen it indoors before; out in the sun surrounded by other high-end bike, it was truly a standout bike. And I'm not usually much for bling. So I said, hey that bike is super sharp man, nice job on it.

He goes, thanks, here take it for a ride. In fact, we're the same size, go ahead and race it tonight.

I was taken aback. First by his amazing generosity. Second by his naivete of the "no new equipment on race day" rule. But mainly by the nature of the offer. I mean, he may as well have offered me his wife, as far as I'm concerned. The only people who've ever been on my bike besides me are the framebuilder and my best riding bud so I could prove a point about a handling quirk to him.

So am I a weirdo? Do you let people ride your bike so casually? NTTAWWT.

photonick

metal & plastics, thats all it is.

uspspro

Ride to try it = Yes of course.
Race it = No

Vetboy

No one rides Betty but me. I might let someone ride "Ugly Betty" (winter bike) but only if their life was in danger.

grahny

Sure, why not.

Blade-Runner

Agreed

dalava

+1

I actually have the opposite problem. Sometimes some of your buddies, not riding buddies, wants to try your bike, how do you politely say "no"?

Ih8lucky13

I look at them for not being polite.

Don't even think about riding my bike.

cuski

It's a bike, not a girlfriend. Then again, some people.....

cooker

Are you worried he'll ask for a reciprocal ride?

ShadowGray

Eh, I don't mind if any of my friends ride my bike. Most people ain't interested in it anyway, considering every other person on campus rides a bike.

uspspro

Yeah, I don't care in that sense.

However if they lay the bike down, or crash it then it creates a rather inconvenient situation. If you do it, it's your fault. If someone else does it, and they can't afford to pay you to fix/replace it you might get stuck paying for someone else's mistake.

Just saying... I can't afford to buy another bike like my nice roadie. I'd be stuck out there on the hard/epic group rides with my commuter. That would suck.

dogpound

yes, though it's too small for most.

the guy at my former LBS let me take out his custom bike, which was really really nice of him.

InTheRain

They can ride my touring bike (steel), they can ride my comfort bike (aluminum), and an experienced rider can ride my cannondale synapse (carbon). If they want to race the steel or aluminum bike... fine... but not the carbon. If someone is going to bust up the carbon, it's going to be me. I have a neighbor that does triathlons and she has been doing the biking portion on a mountain bike with a suspension fork. I told her she was welcome to use my touring bike or comfort bike (has slicks on it) for her races if she would like. I figure if you let someone use your bike you are willing to eat the cost of repairs or replacement. The steel touring frame can most likely be repaired if it gets bent up a bit in a crash. The aluminum comfort bike was only $250 and if it was a total loss, I'd still be willing to eat the cost of that for a friend (as long as she doesn't get hurt too bad in a mishap.) But $2500 for a full carbon frame bicycle, nuh uh. I'm sure that she would be so nervous riding it that she probably would crash.

garysol1 

My neighbor has had my Steel Benotto for a few months now and he will have it for a few moths more until his first Tri. I am hoping that by letting him use a nice bike he may catch the bug and I may get a new riding buddy.

mr handy

I have never had anyone want to ride my bike, I dont really have any roadie friends and my friends know how much it cost and would be afraid they would fall off. (they are also freaked out by the clipless pedals)

On the other hand I have loaned out my golf clubs which cost about as much as my bike. I snapped the shaft of my 3 wood one day and it was my fault. Than one day my GF snapped the shaft of the same 3 wood, and I was unable to get a replacement shaft for it, so I went without my 3 wood for 8 months.
It was a shame to because I really liked that 3 wood, it was my go to club for tight par 4/5's

BTW both broken shafts happened on the driving range, Moral? don't go to the driving range.

Tulex

That almost begs for a link to the "man has sex with bike" thread.....

drafters65

ill let them ride my bike especially those that dont own bicycles. this way they might get into cycling. =)

Pharmr

my bike??.....yes....my motorcycle??....doubtful.

LowCel 

I have never had a problem loaning my bikes to others.

So far this year I have loaned one of my SL1's to a friend that broke his bike. He used it for a couple of races and for a week or two of training. I think he might be borrowing it again in the near future for some more training and races.

I have loaned my mountain bike (Titus Motolite II) to a friend of mine on about three or four occasions, once to go to Pisgah for three or four days.

I am getting ready to loan my Redline Conquest to another buddy for a couple of months. I just put new road tires on it and gave it a tune up. He is riding a 15 year old bike and his easiest gear is 42-21. He doesn't have a chance at doing any of the climbs around here. He plans on buying a bike around October but I thought it would be nice if he had a decent bike to ride until then.

I have loaned my bikes to several people that I don't even know to let them decide if they like the bikes or not, also to check out sizing. A buddy of mine owns a shop and gives me great deals. To return the favor I try to help him sell bikes.

Oh yeah, I've also offered my Zipps to quite a few people that I know for time trials. I've loaned my Trico Iron Case to people that I don't know as well. What can I say, I like to help people out. I've had people help me out in the past so I like to do the same.

Tulex

My bike yes, my wife, no.

LowCel 

So far I have had three friends try out my ZX14 (Kawasaki Ninja 1400), my brother rode it but only up to around 145ish, and a guy that I didn't know did two passes on it at the drag strip. They have all been slightly impressed.

CrimsonKarter21

I only let certain people ride my bike, and those people are the ones who I feel have a lot of experience. Otherwise; no.

Fissile

I allow people who I know will respect my gear and not abuse it. If it's an honest wreck, well so be it, could have been me. I will not allow noobs or people who I know to be jerks.

YYZRider

Not only no, but hell no.