Dshechter

Hey everyone,

I am planning to bike from San Francisco to Los Angeles at the end of May (feel free to respond if your interested in joining me). I have no bike, and am researching buying / renting one. But I have a question for everyone.

How would you feel about renting your bike? If the price was right, and the person could offer collateral (in case something happened to the bike). Would you be open to renting your bike to someone for 10 days or so. Or is this just a crazy idea that isnt even worth trying.

Im new to all this so I just dont know if this idea is a good one, or a stupid one.

JoelS

I guess it depends on how attached to your bike you are. I don't think I'd want to do that.

TrojanHorse

Well, renting from a shop can run you $60 to $100 a day depending on how nice of a bike you get.

I'm pretty attached to my baby and wouldn't want the bike out of my site for that long so even though I'll be on crutches all May long I wouldn't do it.

I honestly think your best bet would be to buy a bike on Craigs List or fleabay - find something solid but not spectacular for around $1,000 and start riding it now - you need to get some miles in your legs! When you're done, if you're so inclined, you can probably sell it for close to what you paid for it, as long as you stick to something fairly mainstream.

calamarichris

I'd sooner rent out my girlfriend.
Nah, I wouldn't do that to anyone, not even a lawyer, that's why she's my ex-girlfriend.

No, I don't think we'd be able to agree on a fair price. Go to Nytro in Leucadia--reckon that's probably about the cleanest wh0r3house 'round these parts.

Bikegeek1968

I run a small side business renting bikes, so I would do it of course. I am based in South Orange County, so you would have to figure out how to pick it up and return it. Rental for ten days would run a bit less than $30 a day, but you would have to leave a deposit for the full value of the bike. Just click the link in my signature, it will take you to my website. Good luck on your ride!

PhotoJoe 

I highlighted the text that caught my attention. At face value, it sounds like you're new to biking, but I don't want to make any assumptions. If you are new to biking, you are planning a huge ride and I hope you're ready for it. I know a guy in a group called FireFlies. They do an annual fundraiser ride for City of Hope. They ride from SF to LA and they train all year for it.

What is your cycling experience and are you ready for such a ride?

In any event....good luck. It is supposed to be a beautiful ride!

Dunbar

I'd rent out a secondary or backup bike but not my flashy new carbon road bike. I'm way too uptight about it getting scratched, cracked, knocked over etc.

calamarichris

How I'd see it:
For rent: bike only ridden on zero-humidity days, chain & freewheel replaced every fifth ride, please, please bunnyhop over all puddles and potholes, because each spoke's tension is balanced to within 1/8th Nm and all sealed bearing interfaces have been lovingly preserved from all moisture, humidity and latent corrosivity. $25 per day, but only if you promise to sign the mechanical-empathy/maximal DI2 battery charge maintenance/cross-chain abhorrence waiver.


How you'd see it:
For rent: Mountain bike like on tour Day france, good to very good cond. Same carbon as lance et al (lol) butt with more comfurt. NYC messengers and felons ineligible. $350 per day or best offer.

Beachgrad05

^^^^winning^^^

jmX

Hahahah...awesome Chris.

CommuteCommando

If he is budgeted to ride from SF to LA, he should pop $200 bucks and OWN something like this off Craigslist. This is a great bike for that price.

OP, Are you aware that it is pretty much impossible to do that ride without a significant amount of hill climbing?

Pamestique 

Newbie - good luck with this. I would be willing to rent you my "touring" bike which is a 1995 Spec. Rockhopper that has been upgraded and converted for commuting and touring but 1) how would you get the bike since I am in OC (have you thought about posting in the Nor Cal forum?), and 2) do you have any idea what you are getting into? Plus you know its important the bike fit you and be suited towards your riding style. It's just not that simple to get a bike - it must be a bike that works for you!

I have done many rides from SF to LA (actually OC). I train most of the year for them. There's alot of distance to cover each day with lots and lots of hills. And do you know how to maintain a bike? Even change a tire?