How to open a bike rental business

* The calculations use the average data for the World

It would seem that the days when people willingly took expensive machinery and equipment for rent have long passed. Nevertheless, there are still opportunities for earning on such services. The main thing is to choose the right niche. For example, a large number of people are fond of riding bicycles, but not all of them are ready for one reason or another to purchase a two-wheeled vehicle. A good bike is not cheap - from 10, 000 to 20, 000 rubles. Its storage requires a lot of space, which is difficult to find in a small apartment, especially in the cold season.

The bicycle season starts from April-May and lasts until September-October. That is, 4-5 months a year, your bike should be stored in appropriate conditions (an uninsulated balcony is not suitable for this). Therefore, many cycling enthusiasts in large and small cities prefer bicycle rental: it is much simpler, more convenient and more profitable.

When choosing bicycles for your rental point, follow the rule: “more does not mean better”. For a small town, 10-15 bicycles will be enough. For a city with a population of about a million people, 15-20 bicycles will be enough for the first time. In high demand, you will always have time to buy the required number of bicycles. Give preference only to high-quality and relatively expensive models. The savings from buying cheap bicycles for 3-5 thousand rubles are imaginary, since they quickly fail. The cost of a good bike for adults starts at 10 thousand rubles, and for children - from 3 thousand rubles.

The assortment should include bicycles exclusively for cross-country skiing (cross-country) with a frame of 18 and 20 inches (these frames are suitable for people of medium height), bicycles with a rear shock absorber, bicycles for derth and street, children's and women's bicycles. For the first time, the number of bikes of each type can be no more than two. It is best to buy equipment in the winter - manufacturers and wholesalers make big discounts on them out of season. Keep in mind that if you want to sell your bikes at the end of the season, you won’t get much for them: after active use and many breakdowns, they will significantly lose value.

Most people rent bikes for one, two or three hours. Less often rent a bike for the whole day. And quite rarely rent bicycles for a couple of days or more (for example, for bike trips). In addition to the bicycles themselves, you can also rent accessories for bike rides, gloves, helmets, pumps, child seats, etc.

In addition to the cost of buying bicycles, protective equipment, accessories, consider the cost of renting a room for a rental point. It should be large enough in area, since the bicycles themselves, the necessary equipment, equipment, and repair tools will be stored here. By the way, maintenance is another significant cost item. Rental bicycles often fail. The most common failures are tire punctures, broken speed switches, and even frames. As a rule, the cost of spare parts to replace failed parts is paid by the client. However, you will carry out repairs yourself. If you do not have the necessary knowledge and skills, you will have to hire a mechanic. Do not be afraid that he will sit without work: almost every returned bike will need to be put in order.

Another serious problem with rental locations is theft. As a rule, a contract is concluded with a client, where the data from his passport is entered. Some owners of rental companies even take driver's licenses as collateral. However, scammers often present stolen or fake documents. And then it is almost impossible to find them. These risks must also be considered. Possible losses are partially compensated by the pledge. But it is not equal to the full cost of the bike. In the best case, this is only a third of the original price (for example, a deposit of 3 thousand rubles for a bicycle worth 10-12 thousand rubles). In addition, customers will always prefer to rent a bike where no deposit is required.

Not only customers can steal, but also employees of your rental point. Unscrupulous employees rent bicycles “unofficially”, taking all the money for themselves. Therefore, if you are not confident in the staff, the best option for protecting against fraud is to work yourself.

In one season, you can not only return all the money invested in the business, but also get a good profit. The payback periods of a bike rental business and the size of the profit depend on two main factors: the weather and the location of your rental point. In hot weather, bicycles are not in great demand. True, unfortunately, it is impossible to influence the weather factor. Unlike the place. Ideally, it is advisable to look for a room in an area with high traffic, where there are good conditions for skiing (for example, city parks, groves, gardens, etc.). Check if bicycles are allowed in these areas (for example, in many parks they are prohibited).

The cost of renting a bike is from 100-150 rubles per hour or from 500-800 rubles per day, depending on the region. The monthly profit excluding expenses for the payment of wages to employees may amount to 50-100 thousand rubles.

Bicycle rental points are open, as a rule, from 9-10 to 20-21 hours (in resort towns until 22-23 hours). Most customers are on weekends and evenings on weekdays. In the morning and afternoon hours on weekdays, children's bicycles are most in demand. In the future, it will be possible to think about expanding the range and offer for rent electric cars for children, scooters, skateboards and rollers, and in wintertime - snowboards, skates, skis.

Sysoeva Lilia

(c) www.clogicsecure.com - a portal to business plans and guidelines for starting a small business 08/18/2019


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