CYCLES YES OR NO

[Pun]

Ive really opened a can of worms last night while talking to a couple of friends ref Gites and if supplying push bikes and childrens swings etc was a good idea or not.

Two of the four people do rent out Gites and both say No way. to many problems ref accidents and theft of the bikes.

The odd man out couple "so to speak" say Yes to both bikes and swings/slides etc.

 

Well what do the gite people think??

Would I be letting myself into a load of trouble if I do provide good serviced push bikes for mum/dad/ and 2 kids "maybe a cycle trailer for the adult bikes to enable the smaller kids to be pulled along by the adult bikes.

And a childrens play area with swings/slide/climbing rope etc etc, all would be mounted on grass.

your thoughts please.

[nimportequoi]

Do you want to attract families? If so, then the more things for kids to do the better. There is always risk involved, but there is in anything - inside the gites as well as outside, but as long as you have the appropriate insurance for everything, then there shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't want to go to a remote gite and have nothing in the garden for the children to do. We have a big garden and have a slide and some swings, a trampoline, a badminton net/rackets, a goal and football, a full length boules court, a swimming pool and quite a few bikes that we lend out (they only tend to be used locally, so I don't want to charge). When we show guests around we do point out things to try and keep potential accidents to a minimum - like the swimming pool security and one person only on the trampoline. We get a lot of families and have always been complimented on the facilities that are offered for children and adults. I'm going to get a table tennis table next year too.

[betoulle]

We have several bikes available for our guests & every year we enter into long discussions with prospective clients about what there is for the kids to do here & everyone booking during the school holiday season insists that they want to hire the bikes - well our 3rd season is almost over & yet again this year only one family (the same family every year incidentally...)has hired the bikes....so I guess the answer is that yes, its a good idea to attract business but the chances are that they will rarely be rented out as no-one has the energy or inclination to do anything but sit by the pool, play tennis/chess on site - Dad usually ends up driving down the village to pick up the bread every day while the kids have a lie-in.  What energy they do have is used up by going out to the Adventure Park, Velo Rail, horse riding & canoeing/kayaking etc......Otherwise most kids this year have come equipped with Playstations & i-Pods - a sign of the times...............

[Smiley]

I debated tis subject too and instead of supplying bikes ( with any potential insurance & maintenance risks) decided to locate the local bike hire shop and publicise it, if my guests ask. This way they get the bikes, the money goes to the local economy and my guests are happy. No risks or added headaches for me.

That is of course if you have a local place that hires bikes!!!

[Cassis]

We've offered bikes this year and have had only two couples take it up.  Most go horseriding instead as it's a bit different (though just as hard on the legs and butts the following day).

[alnmike]

We have a couple of adult bikes and these seem to be well used. We don't charge for them - they are included in the cottage rental. I do have concerns over the 'risk' aspect especially where children are concerned, so apart from some (hopefully) safe games - plastic boule, skittles etc, I do not have any play equipment for children. Equally, and I know this is slightly off-post, I don't have a stair gate. I don't because I was concerned that if I had one, and it wasn't used correctly and an accident occured, I would be responsible? I have no idea if I'm right - it is a bit of a worry.

[Pun]

Hello susanAH

Many thanks for your reply its given us a lot of ideas and the best way forward.

once again thank you.

[Pun]

Hi  beloulle

thanks for your reply, once again its a great help

[Pun]

Hi smiley,

We once had a canal boat called smiley "near chester" any connection,

We dont have any hire shops near the future Gite, but thanks for the idea anyway,

[Pun]

Hello alnmike,

Sounds good to me, like you we are having the gite as one price, (everything included)

we are wayout in the countryside here and thats why we,like to provide as much as possible

many thanks

[Pun]

Hi   Cassis

we,ve fields of cows/bulls sheep but no horse riding I know of, "Idea maybe RODEO"

BUT THE BULLS HERE ARE REALLY SLOW AND A LITTLE DAFT,

So bikes it will be

thanks CASSIS.

[Apero]

We are keen cyclists and usually take our own, on one occasion we rented what seemed like a 1st class establishment as we would be continuing our holiday from Italy; specified that they had ample bikes to suit all ages, after confirming that they indeed could supply cycles to our requirements we booked. We did not take ours on that particular trip, however, the cycles we were expected to ride were a danger to us and anyone on the road. Brakes were inop as was the tyres, only flat at the bottom.... When we questioned the owner the reply was- oh dear must have been the previous guests that had a flat and didn't inform us. I doubt if they could be sold at the flee market in Paris for a profit. So there we were, no cycles with crying children, thankfully there was a hire place nearby.  My experience as a paying guest is that if one states that they have cycles they must be checked at each turnover for defects and should be roadworthy.

[Pun]

Hi  APERO,

A very good point made and one I,will use .

Im noting all this info now and Im pleased Ive asked the question.

 

Thank you for your help.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

[quote user="alnmike"]We have a couple of adult bikes and these seem to

be well used. We don't charge for them - they are included in the

cottage rental. I do have concerns over the 'risk' aspect especially

where children are concerned, so apart from some (hopefully) safe games

- plastic boule, skittles etc, I do not have any play equipment for

children. Equally, and I know this is slightly off-post, I don't have a

stair gate. I don't because I was concerned that if I had one, and it

wasn't used correctly and an accident occured, I would be responsible?

I have no idea if I'm right - it is a bit of a worry.

[/quote]

Provided that items - be they bikes, play equipment or stairgates - are

supplied and maintained in a properly functioning condition than I

cannot see that one could be responsible for injuries that occur

through misuse or plain stupidity. It is natural to be concerned about

risks, but should we then remove kitchen knives in case people "misuse"

them and cut themselves? Or BBQs in case they burn themselves (a

surprisingly common injury during the summer months, according to my

SIL who works in A&E).

As far as bikes are concerned, we hire them out and check them over

every time we hand them over to guests. We invite them to do the same,

point out that the brakes are the other way around in France (why is

that?) and  make it clear that they should not continue use if a

defect arises. That, to my mind, is demonstrating reasonable care.

[Rob Roy]

[quote user="Pun"]

Hi   Cassis

we,ve fields of cows/bulls sheep but no horse riding I know of, "Idea maybe RODEO"

BUT THE BULLS HERE ARE REALLY SLOW AND A LITTLE DAFT,

So bikes it will be

thanks CASSIS.

[/quote]

I would suggest Pun that there is no such thing as a really slow and daft bull - don't be fooled by their placid appearance. As I was told at Agricultural College "The two most dangerous things on a farm - (a) an 'unloaded' shotgun and (b) a 'quiet' bull.[;-)]

[Cassis]

I can just see Pun riding a bull now:

[img]http://www.worldofstock.com/slides/PRE3454.jpg[/img]

[sueb]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if you do provide bikes for the guests use do you also provide cycling helmets?

[nimportequoi]

I don't provide them - guests do sometimes bring their own if they intend using the bikes, particularly for children.

[Cassis]

[quote user="sueb"]

Hi all,

I was just wondering if you do provide bikes for the guests use do you also provide cycling helmets?

[/quote]

Yes.  And a puncture repair aerosol and a pump.

[Pun]

Hi  ROB,

Thanks for  your  reply,

Im sure that was good advice given and one I,ll make sure I pass on to the guest using the Gite,

I may have a sign in the welcome book, "no rodeo wrecks please"

once again thanks Rob.