'Airbnb for bikes’ wants cyclists to rent out their rides

Nikhil Balaraman says he’s been able to recover the cost of his 2011 Raleigh Port Townsend bike by renting it out several times. Nikhil Balaraman says he’s been able to recover the cost of his 2011 Raleigh Port Townsend bike by renting it out several times. Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Photo: Liz Hafalia / The Chronicle Image 1 of / 3 Caption Close 'Airbnb for bikes’ wants cyclists to rent out their rides 1 / 3 Back to Gallery

With bike riding booming almost as much as the sharing economy, it’s no wonder someone decided to merge the two.

A Web-based business now pedaling hard to gain ground in the Bay Area allows bike owners anywhere in the world who aren’t using their two-wheelers to lease them out by the hour, day or week to cyclists in need of something to ride.

Spinlister, a business hatched in a tech incubator in San Francisco in 2012 and headquartered in Los Angeles, is making a push locally, hoping to increase the number of members — now about 2,000 — who list their bikes for leasing around the region.

While Spinlister has used the motto “Move over, Bay Area Bike Share,” the business is really something different. Rather than having a fleet of bikes that people can use for short trips around town — Bay Area Bike Share’s model — Spinlister is more of an Airbnb for bikes.

Members who register with Spinlister and list their bikes set their own rental rates and supply a photo and description of the bike. Spinlister posts the bikes offered and names of the listers on its website, www.spinlister.com.

Renters search the city of their choice for bikes, peruse their options, then click to get in contact with the owner. Spinlister puts the parties in contact, and they arrange to meet. The listers get to make the final decision on whether to rent their bikes. If they do, Spinlister keeps 17.5 percent of the transactions, then pays the owners the rest.

So who rents from Spinlister? About 90 percent of their renters are travelers who want to ride bikes in the city they’re visiting but don’t want the hassle of disassembling, packaging, hauling their bike to the airport, then putting it together again.

“For most of our users, it’s a lifestyle choice,” said Andrew Batey, chief marketing officer. “They think: 'This is what I do every day. I’m here, and I want to explore San Francisco on a bike.’”

Others are athletes who want a bike handy for training — or competing. Batey said Spinlister has partnered with Ironman to provide bikes for athletes in its triathlons.

But the company doesn’t rent bikes only to Spandex-clad riders with a need for speed. All kinds of bikes are listed on the website — from beach cruisers to mountain bikes to high-end road bikes. They list from roughly $5 to $150 a day.

“Where else can you rent a wooden bike and a $6,000 Pinarello bike in same city?” Batey said.

Spinlister wants more people to put their bikes up for rent and figures it’s got a good chance. Batey estimates that 62 percent of adults own a working bike.

“We want to have every type of bike possible all over the city,” he said. “That’s when we’re most useful.”

Batey said most renters are careful and responsible, but Spinlister requires them to cover any repairs. It also insures each bike rented through the site for up to $10,000 for repair or replacement.

Nikhil Balaraman, a 26-year-old San Franciscan who works for a tech marketing company, is a Spinlister fan. He said he’s rented out his 2011 Raleigh Port Townsend, a commuter or around-town type of bike, about 15 times over the past two years. He estimates he’s made $800.

“Which means I’ve pretty much paid off the cost of the bike — $750,” he said.

Michael Cabanatuan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan