Originally Posted by bargainguy

I think there's a good reason that folding bikes are generally not available as rentals. They require more care and feeding than rigid bikes. Lots more to go wrong, easier to screw things up if you're not careful, liability issues if not used properly, plus the general public might treat a rental folder the same way they treat a rental car, i.e., not well. Doesn't exactly produce a successful business model.

On top of that, the better folding bikes will be more costly than a rigid bike, so it's harder to amortize that cost unless you increase the rental rate, and people will balk at that. We're back at square one.

I have a dozen folders at least, and not cheap ones - half a dozen Bike Fridays, a few Dahons, a Brompton, etc. I'd be loathe to rent one or even loan one out unless I was assured that the rider knew exactly how it worked, how to fold and unfold, what to avoid, and especially in the case of Bike Fridays, how to pack correctly in a suitcase if being used for long distance travel.