redfooj

For colleagues, lent my bikes. Lent my cars. Some even have keys to housesit or place their visiting relatives while I'm away for the holidays.

I don't know why bikes - even "carbon" ones - are elevated to such lofty cherished status. Or why there is such rampant distrust amongst what I (naively?) assume are reputable, professional, working adults.

I mean, we're talking direct colleagues that you interact with on a daily basis, not that Jerry guy 3 floors away down in Accounting...

rpenmanparker 

I hate that guy.

banerjek

I would lend a friend or family member anything I thought they had business using. I would let an acquaintance, colleague, or even aficionado stranger try out anything I thought they could handle if I were around.

Having said that, me thinking they'd be able to handle something requires me to have a specific reason to believe they know what they're doing.

Nachoman

I see your point. But what if your co-worker responded "sure you can borrow my Ford", then what?

DXchulo

I wouldn't do it. It's less about the money (my bike isn't that expensive) and more about what my bike means to me. I've spent so much time on it that it feels like a part of me. Letting someone else ride it just seems like an invasion of my personal space. It's irrational, I know.

Would you let someone borrow your bibs or your helmet? Sure you can wash them off, but for some reason they feel just a little too close for comfort.

indyfabz

I give up. How come?

c_bake

Haha then it would have been worth the risk and I would have had a fun Saturday night!

Cyclist0108

I loaned someone my touring bike to get home after an earthquake in 1989, and it got stolen.

Now, nobody touches my favorite bike.

I only loan out bikes that I am less concerned about losing. Currently, I am living in fear of having one returned.

FLvector

Everyone is entitled to make their own choice regarding loaning out their personal items including an expensive carbon bike. There's no right or wrong answer since we each have our own reasoning. For some of you to believe your way is correct and to explain yourself to make it appear others are wrong - I find that a bit bizarre. Do whatever you want and live with the consequences. I don't really care what other's would do.

rpenmanparker 

It wasn't a rhetorical question. I am truly puzzled.

pdedes

at school we teach our kids to share stuff. we shouldn't.

thin_concrete

It depends on who he person is. I work with a few bicycle riders who are really into it, and I wouldn't hesitate to let them take my bike.

mLuMaN83

Not unless an agreement was made to pay for any damages.

In reality, I wouldn't "lend" it to anybody. I'de let another cyclist ride around a bit though...

CliffordK

I can't think of when anybody has ever asked to borrow my road bike. Perhaps the OP's friends see the fat bike more as a beater toy.

I have borrowed Mom's old bike on occasion.
My brother now has Dad's old bike which I blew up the tires so I could ride with his kids last Christmas. He offered for me to ride his personal bike, but I just didn't feel comfortable with that (plus it had a flat tire too).

redfooj

Do you ride your bike naked?

Are you okay drying your bits and bobs with hotel towels?

Homebrew01

Don't tell your co-workers about your new bike.

indyfabz

In my situation, I couldn't care less about the answer.

Shuffleman

I will lend out my mtb or hybrid but not my road bike.

TimothyH

I would never lend an explosive carbon road bike to anyone.

ZIPP2001

I have lent my Zipp TT Bike out for months at a time, to friends that do tri's. Also my Zipp SS Bike once and a while to friends. Those bikes were bought by my sponsor along time ago when I raced. So it's not like I'm losing anything money wise if they get ruined.

Machka 

And that brings up another good point. Once you've got your setup dialed in, the last thing you want to do is to readjust everything for every Tom, Dick, and Harry that wants to try your bicycle.

rpenmanparker 

No surprise.

adrien

Carbon has nothing to do with it. If I had a carbon/epoxy production bike (I do not), I would be more likely to lend it than the hand-made stuff. But still probably no.

I lend my bikes only to riding buddies I know and trust. And only when riding with them.

GravelMN

Well, I don't really have an expensive bike by many standards, so if I had a lot more into my "good" bike my answer might change. I have let a few close friends who are known to be good riders and upstanding people take my good road bike for a test ride, something like swapping bikes for a few miles when riding together. I don't do this often and there aren't a lot of people I'd let do that. I never lend out my good bike for someone to just take and ride. I do keep my older Plan B bike around as well as an older road bike that mainly sees trainer duty. Those I will let a guest ride or would loan to a friend whose bike was incapacitated. Both are safe and mechanically sound but neither would cause me much stress if something happened to it.

2manybikes

That's when "we" use the men's or the woman's loaner bike. They are also beater bikes. Not valuable. I ride with them anyway.

"we"