Hire of Bikes to Guests

[piggys]

We are thinking of buying some VTT bikes for guests use as we have been asked several times about the hire of bikes & nowhere locally seems to offer this. We were wondering if anyone knows the answer to the following question , as you may have come across this with your gite guests .....

If we were to charge a small daily hire rate for this should we have some additional insurance/liability in case of any guests having an accident whilst using our bikes or should we get them to sign a disclaimer along the lines of - use at your own risk ?

Any advice/info welcomed !

[nimportequoi]

I have several VTT bikes which the guests use when they want, free of charge. How do you charge them when they may only want to use them for 20 mins a day?

My public liability insurance covers them for use of the bikes.

[euro]

hiring bikes could present a few hassles  ie enough of the right size and type for your group - plus if they are paying would complain about any little thing !

what do you do if the chain snaps and they are miles away ? go and pick them up ?

i have half a dozen or so - courtesy bikes Free of charge & they get used a bit ,clients like the freedom to help themselves and its just a little extra thing that they maybe didnt expect.

 

but to buy new bikes etc ?????

 

i know i wouldnt want the hassle for what little return you could get.

[Wendy]

We bought two bikes for our guests June last year. DONT do it!

Every single person who has requested a bike has also 'requested' the seat be adjusted, the handle bars be adjusted, it seems however we adjust them someone else always wants us out with the spanner to adjust them yet again.

We have had the bikes returned 4 times with punctures, twice with broken chains and one time because two guests rode too far and were 'too worn out' to ride back so we had to go and collect them.

Last weekend we had a couple hire them who had not ridden bikes for over ten years - so they said.

They rode up to Chateau Queribus ( to those of you who know this landmark you will know the terrain) and on the way down, one went too fast and just jumped off the bike in mid-air thus injuring herself.  I spent 30 minutes bandaging her elbow and knee. The other managed to break yet another bike chain and, instead of returning it to us, just threw it away over the edge of the cliff.

Harvard University students they were.

We are not hiring them out anymore.

Mind you, my sons have taken the bikes out on rides in-between guests and have not had any trouble with them.

In the hands of the public though they are nothing but a bloody nuisance. People dont respect others property.

 

 

[JJ]

Piggy,

You do not say where you are?

[jc]

My wife and I went on a walking holiday(in mountains)-we thought we would be at the back somewhere-we turned out to be the fittest-we had people who couldn't walk on the flat!!!

[dave21478]

I have aquired a load of basic mountain bikes over the years. They are currently collecting dust in a barn, but I am considering investing a bit to repair them (new tyres, tubes, saddles and the odd cable etc) I have priced it up and can get 6 in good order for under 100euros, keeping a few of the derelict ones for spares. Im not sure what to do though. I doubt i would want to hire them out at extra cost, so was considering just leaving them on site to be used if the guests wanted. Im worried about the liability though, not from an accident insurance point of view, but who will get the phone call when someone has a flat tyre miles away and be expected to go and sort things out? me of course. Wear and tear on bikes can be quite high especially if ridden by over-enthusiastic kids/teens, so maintenance could becaome a financial drain. Also, many peole who havent ridden for a long time have no idea how to work a mountain bikes gears, I dont want to have to be giving lessons!

I think it would be a nice idea for the guests, but am worried that it could turn into more hassle than its worth.

 

 

[Apero]

"Any advice/info welcomed !"

Recollection off this being discussed previously,  therefore searched the forum and found this previous thread, hope it is off use to you.

http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/738078/ShowPost.aspx

Apero

[boristhebold]

Chains only snap because they are badly maintained...for which read, lack of lubricant. I have just returned from a place in Normandy (with 12 other members of my family) that had 6 bikes, all were in a terrible state of repair. I oiled the chains, put air in the tyres, adjusted the seats and away we went, most of them had a little use over the week but as a paying guest, I expected the bikes to be fit for purpose on my arrival...it'd be like a gite owner expecting me to clean a dirty pool, oh and could you just rewire that barn while you're at it.

I cannot see a problem at all in getting a few differing size VTTs from say Decathlon, £70 each new, if looked after they will last a few seasons, a list of do and don'ts together with the rest of the house rules etc

[LEO]

We bought 5 bikes at various vide grenier (boot sale ) average 30 euros each

Free for guests, no problems as yet

[Chief]

[quote user="boristhebold"]

Chains only snap because they are badly maintained...for which read, lack of lubricant. I have just returned from a place in Normandy (with 12 other members of my family) that had 6 bikes, all were in a terrible state of repair. I oiled the chains, put air in the tyres, adjusted the seats and away we went, most of them had a little use over the week but as a paying guest, I expected the bikes to be fit for purpose on my arrival...it'd be like a gite owner expecting me to clean a dirty pool, oh and could you just rewire that barn while you're at it.

I cannot see a problem at all in getting a few differing size VTTs from say Decathlon, £70 each new, if looked after they will last a few seasons, a list of do and don'ts together with the rest of the house rules etc

[/quote]

At £70 a chuck, i would spread the cost over the booking weeks and add into the rental charges.  The increase of the rental would be minimal spread over the booked weeks, and the bikes would be bought and paid for annually, allowing you to renew each year, which if you are one of the "cannot be bothered to maintain that" brigade is not a bad thing.  Rule number one in business....The customer pays for everything.....

[nimportequoi]

[quote user="boristhebold"]

Chains only snap because they are badly maintained...for which read, lack of lubricant. I have just returned from a place in Normandy (with 12 other members of my family) that had 6 bikes, all were in a terrible state of repair. I oiled the chains, put air in the tyres, adjusted the seats and away we went, most of them had a little use over the week but as a paying guest, I expected the bikes to be fit for purpose on my arrival...it'd be like a gite owner expecting me to clean a dirty pool, oh and could you just rewire that barn while you're at it.

I cannot see a problem at all in getting a few differing size VTTs from say Decathlon, £70 each new, if looked after they will last a few seasons, a list of do and don'ts together with the rest of the house rules etc

[/quote]

I agree that the tyres should should be inflated (and not have punctures) and the chains oiled, but I think seat adjustment depends on the person using the bike so it isn't the gite owners job to do this. I check all my bikes at the beginning of the season and get them fixed where necessary and make sure any punctures are fixed if they occur during the season.