Would you lend a friend a bike?

pangolin · July 2012

Someone my friend knows convinced him to do a 4 day charity ride in the Alps. He also told him he'd lend him a bike. That was months ago. Now, shortly before the ride (which is in September) he found out the guy has sold his spare bike. So my friend asks to borrow mine.

I thought about it for a while and said he could borrow the kaffenback. He's using it this week to see how he gets on with it. But... it feels so wrong. So very very wrong.

rick_chasey · July 2012

Depends what kinda borrowing right?

My mate once borrowed my BSO to get into town and back.

S'abit different to lending a guy a bike for 4 days in the Alps.

pangolin · July 2012

Yeah that's true. That's part of what concerns me, there's a lot more time / mileage / hills for something to get broken in. And I'll be fixing anything that breaks, he's not much of a mechanic.

styxd · July 2012

Whats the problem?

Just make it clear any breakages are paid for by him.

Ive lent bikes to friends before, because they are exactly that - friends. Is he actually a friend?

dhope · July 2012

I lent my Boardman to a mate to go from London to Edinburgh. Though he's a better rider with more experience fixing the things and the cash to pay if he breaks it, so I wasn't too concerned.

jedster · July 2012

definitely

clarkey cat · July 2012

lent my missus' bike to a mate's missus for a triathlon. came back 6 months later in pieces without so much as a thank you.

So yes - if they are a decent egg.

No - if they're a self-entitled little princess.

pangolin · July 2012

styxd wrote:

Whats the problem?

Just make it clear any breakages are paid for by him.

Ive lent bikes to friends before, because they are exactly that - friends. Is he actually a friend?

Umm, yes. Did you really never feel a bit uneasy when your bike was out in the big wide world without you?

rick_chasey · July 2012

I wouldn't dream of it.

I have to far too much future joy invested in a bike.

Then again, I wouldn't ask to borrow a bike either.

styxd · July 2012

Umm, yes. Did you really never feel a bit uneasy when your bike was out in the big wide world without you?

Not really! Even though it was a relatively expensive bike. Although it was one I never used much. It didnt get broken though!

TommyEss · July 2012

I've only lent a bike out once, and rode with her the whole time!! (Just cos we were going out for a bike ride, not cos I didn't trust her.)

*(I mean, I didn't trust her, cos she'd not ridden in years and had never ridden on drops or with STIs before, but I was pleasantly surprised in the end)

mattcroad · July 2012

Would you ask to borrow your friends OH?

No!

Same goes for bikes

iclestu · July 2012

mattcroad wrote:

Would you ask to borrow your friends OH?

No!

Maybe this is hasty.

We need to factor in the type of friend, type of relationship and nork size before we reach a premature 'NO', surely?

pastey_boy · July 2012

many years ago i was seeing a skank single mum, i lent her my giant mcm carbon bike to go for a ride (with me) so we are riding along when i hear her shriek i look behind me to see her and the bike in a pile on the floor, the greasy bint tried to light a cigarette whilst riding, the resulting fall caused a huge gouge in my newly fitted maxm carbon risers, on top of that i got a right mouthful as i was more worried about the bike than her !!!!!!!! i will never make that mistake again.

rick_chasey · July 2012

pastey_boy wrote:

many years ago i was seeing a skank single mum, i lent her my giant mcm carbon bike to go for a ride (with me) so we are riding along when i hear her shriek i look behind me to see her and the bike in a pile on the floor, the greasy bint tried to light a cigarette whilst riding, the resulting fall caused a huge gouge in my newly fitted maxm carbon risers, on top of that i got a right mouthful as i was more worried about the bike than her !!!!!!!! i will never make that mistake again.

What, seeing someone you describe as 'skank'?

Yes, that would be a mistake you wouldn't want to repeat.

Sewinman · July 2012

I lent one to my spare roadie to a friend of a friend for a sportive once. Turned out to be a nutter Italian who buckled the wheel going over a pot-hole. Would I do it again...yeah, probably.

rjsterry · July 2012

pangolin wrote:

Yeah that's true. That's part of what concerns me, there's a lot more time / mileage / hills for something to get broken in. And I'll be fixing anything that breaks, he's not much of a mechanic.

Isn't sturdiness the USP of the Kaffenback? So long as he's not a complete idiot, the bike should be fine, but only you know whether he has a good attitude to looking after other people's things.

whyamihere · July 2012

I once lent a road bike to a mate, and he brought it back because it had broken him (it was a bit long for him and he strained a muscle in his back).

I took it as my baby trying to get home. Was quite pleased with that.

pangolin · July 2012

rjsterry wrote:

Isn't sturdiness the USP of the Kaffenback? So long as he's not a complete idiot, the bike should be fine, but only you know whether he has a good attitude to looking after other people's things.

It is a sturdy steel beast, tis true. And I put some decent CX wheels on it (Planet X A57), so I think all will be okay. I think he'll look after it, partly because I told him to.

Logic only goes so far to removing the troubling feeling of someone else having your bike though

And partly I was curious to see whether other bike enthusiasts would happily lend someone theirs. I'm surprised how many would tbh!

rolf_f · July 2012

I went for 'all of the only' - but only because the 'never under any circumstances' was a bit extreme. It's possible I would lend someone a bike but I'd probably find an alternative solution.

The best they'd get would be my mountain bike. People just don't look after bikes properly. I never, ever lean my bike against something by its top tube because you never actually need to but most people do and scratch them up in no time. If someone wanted to borrow my Ribble or Look, I'd prefer to rent a bike for them than live forever with the consequences of what they might do to my bikes!

spasypaddy · July 2012

my CX no problem, my fixie no problem.

the other two no chance.

however on both of the above they would be liable for damage/theft.

DonDaddyD · July 2012

I've been asked. I've said yes. It's the pedals that make them back out.

memsley89 · July 2012

My Giant has an ISP and i'm taller than my cycling friends...
so they can't ride it :P

bdave262000 · July 2012

I don't have any friends so its never been an issue.

merkin · July 2012

The problem is anyone who is likely to look after it as you want them to probably wouldn't ask in the first place. Someone who is likely to ask probably isn't that keen on bikes otherwise they would own one surely?

davis · July 2012

Think there should also be a "unless it's a girl I fancy" option...

cooldad · July 2012

No question. What a selfish bunch of walkers*

* viewtopic.php?f=10007&t=12718742

mroli · July 2012

Yep - currently got 2 bikes out on "long-term" loan - the CX bike to a mate of my missus who needs it to train for a charity ride and a Condor that I lent to a mate for the same reason.

Not bothered about them being out on loan as: there are less bikes around my place and then n+1 becomes a lot easier!!

More tricky if the wife ever does the maths though...

pangolin · July 2012

cooldad wrote:

No question. What a selfish bunch of walkers*

* viewtopic.php?f=10007&t=12718742

Having cracked your amazing l=n code, are you serious? Most people said they would.

twist83 · July 2012

Yes I would have no problem to a good friend. Wouldnt lend it to a random as such.

It is big boys rules you bend it you buy it. As long as that is understood I have no issues. I have loaned out my Fireblade track bike a few times to a mate. Once he binned it at Silverstone. Nothing major but he paid for the damage.

They are only metal/carbon at the end of the day.

Would you lend a friend a bike?

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