BikeBiz Bicycle and cycling retail news
While perhaps of limited interest to those making a profit selling bikes, new bike sharing app Spinlister has opened a new space in the market that might help put spur on the numbers of those on bicycles.
US-based Spinlister is pitched as an opportunity for bike owners to make a return on their investment by renting out their bicycle. With a user base in over 100 countries, Spinlister users can view all the bikes near their position via geo-location and an insurance policy of up to £5,000 against theft or damage provides a degree of confidence for renters.
Spinlister has now officially launched in the UK, providing an alternative to Boris Bikes and other hire schemes.
So next time a customer tuts at the cost of a bike you’re trying to sell them, how about telling them they could get a return on their investment?
“Spinlister offers an open service that encourages people to share their bikes with other cycling enthusiasts," said Spinlister’s Chief Marketing Officer Andrew Batey.
"The number of users on our UK site is growing every day, indicating just how much potential there is for people to bring in additional income by listing their bikes and sharing them with other enthusiasts.
“At its core, Spinlister was set up to create a socially interacting community of global cycling fans and it has evolved as a sophisticated alternative to expensive bike rental options. With unlimited access to a variety of cycling products, including cruisers, hybrids, mountain bikes, fixies, tandems, road and cargo bikes – from low to high end, the needs of cyclists at all levels are catered for. Furthermore, with our insurance measures in place, listers can lend their equipment with full confidence that any incidents of theft or damage will be covered. Cycling is Britain’s third most popular form of transport in the UK, with an estimated 3.1 million people riding their bikes each month. Our ultimate goal is to boost that figure, encourage more cyclists to share their equipment and make sure the UK’s cycling community becomes more social than ever before.”
Spinlister launched in Santa Monica, California in April 2012.
