Do you have a couple extra bikes in your garage that you wouldn't mind loaning out to make a little extra cash? Liquid is a new online marketplace that lets you list and find bikes to rent, whether from individuals or bike rental shops. Liquid makes it easier for you to meet up, exchange bikes, handle payments, and just generally have a good renting experience, whether you are the renter or the lister.
On the rental search page, all you have to do is type where you want to ride and Liquid gives you the best bike rental options for that location. Currently, you can narrow your search by bike type, such as mountain, road, or fixie, and rider height. Once you have found a bike you are interested in, you can either message the owner for more information or choose the time and date of your reservation and checkout. The bike owner confirms the rental and you're all set to ride. The Liquid messaging system enables you to handle any final details internally.
If you'd like to list your bike on Liquid, just snap a few pictures and share your idle ride to make some extra cash. It's free to list and you can accept rental requests when it's convenient for you. When your bike is dropped off at the end of the rental period, Liquid deposits money into your account.
Much like Airbnb, Liquid depends on reviews to provide a self regulating level of security. Reviews give you a good idea of which bikes and which people are best to not only rent from but also to. If your bike is damaged or stolen during a rental period and the renter is unable to reimburse you for the fair value of your bike, Liquid will cover the cost up to $5000, arguments about fair value aside.
Originally branded Spinlister, Liquid is currently live in the US but also now accepting listings from anywhere in the world. The current inventory is definitely varied. A search for Mill Valley shows everything from an extremely unique Egg Bike to a fabulously pink Marin full suspension mountain bike.
Does the name change mean Liquid is going to move into crowd-renting all types of things including other outdoor gear? Time shall tell. I am also curious how this will affect, if at all, lifetime warranties on frames. For example, if I rent my carbon fiber Trek mountain bike out to someone and they crack the frame, can I still get Trek to replace it?
Would you rent from or list your bike on Liquid?
