Site for Renting EUCs - Seeking Feedback on What YOU want <3

[Kai Sosceles 3]

Hey all, long time lurker, first time poster (i generally hang in the FB groups cuz I'm an addict).

I hear the same story a lot in my network of wheel friends--we all travel, often by plane, and it's painful to go to a new city and not have our wheel. Relegated to lesser forms of transport like scooters or bicycles. Why not be able to rent wheels, they ask? I think renting wheels like scooters, or bikes, or cars, doesn't make a lot of sense because the learning curve is so steep and people don't learn to ride them as part of cultural tradition like bikes or cars.

But I do have an idea. A way we can leverage existing community to solve this problem.

I'm building a platform that will let people sign up and rent their own wheels out in their area, similar to like an AirBnB. You'd be able to set your own prices and there'd be some kind of small fee paid to the site to make the connection happen. If you're going to a new city, you can check in on the platform by typing the city location to see who around the area has a wheel for rental. You'd schedule with them a pickup and return time, exchange money by cash or credit, probably be able to set some kind of deposit and rules around damage.

I'm wondering what kind of questions or concerns you'd have before renting to / from your peers through such a service?

Edited December 29, 2018 by Kai Sosceles

[The Fat Unicyclist 4,068]

I'm keen to coordinate the New Zealand end...

[Kai Sosceles 3]

Thanks @The Fat Unicyclist. I'll keep you posted. :-)

[Smoother 3,259]

There's a phrase that comes to mind: "Drive it like a rental car" meaning thrash the shite out of it and then return it like nothing happened.  I see a new phrase entering the lexicon "ride it like a rented wheel".

I would not let anyone I didn't know, ride my wheels, and some of them I wouldn't let them ride BECAUSE I know them.  It's a noble idea, but I'm not sure how it wouldn't end in anger and accusations.  An example:

As the only rider of my KS14c, I knew it hadn't been abused.  But one day, 100m into a typical ride on paved road the axle broke.  Now imagine if that ride had been to a renter.  What would I think? Did they abuse it?  How bad would they feel?  OK, I know KS14 axle breakage is a known problem, but I hope you get my point.

[Alex Kerkis 0]

Great idea! I really need to rent a wheel on 15th for couple of days in Munich, Germany. Is this platform working already?

[Jean Dublin 179]

17 hours ago, Alex Kerkis said:

Great idea! I really need to rent a wheel on 15th for couple of days in Munich, Germany. Is this platform working already?

I suggest you find a Facebook group or other way to contact the Munich community, if there is any, and ask if anyone would be willing to lend or rent one to you, and maybe even go for a ride with you.

Some people have more than one unicycle and will be happy to lend/rent one if they trust you enough (from your online profile/s)

[meepmeepmayer 6,808]

17 hours ago, Alex Kerkis said:

Great idea! I really need to rent a wheel on 15th for couple of days in Munich, Germany. Is this platform working already?

You'll just be harassed by the police if you ride in Germany (EUC may or may not be legal atm) in a big city, especially as a foreigner they'll be extra unfriendly. Sad but true. Wouldn't recommend it.

[Alex Kerkis 0]

its unfortunate if it's illegal there. I go there to shoot some travel video and unicycle is the best way to do so , because I can move around good looking places in the city freely with a steadycam in both hands. Thanks for suggestion checking out facebook groups, hopefully ill figure out a wheel there and won't annoy the police. 

[Jens Muysoms 27]

that would be a great service for people like me who travel a lot for there job, I hope you can get it up and running.