Move over Bixi (and Bixi competitors), there’s another bike-sharing system that’s making its way into Canada.
Enter Spinlister.
It’s being described as the AirBnB of cycling, and allows people to list their unused bicycles and search for available ones to rent within a specific area. Users can search bikes by type, frame size, and rider height, and the bikes can be rented by the hour, day, or week via a website or app. The number and type of bikes available in any given location depends entirely on the users.
Meaning, you can’t blame the California-based company if the pickings are slim in your desired ‘hood.
According to the company, 70 per cent of people who rent the bikes do it while travelling, and others opt to use the bikes for charity events, or to test out the more expensive makes before splurging on one.
Spinlister launched in 2012 and branched to other countries in 2013 – including Canada. The problem is, the demand for the bicycles currently outstrips the supply of them, according to a company spokesperson.Currently, a few dozen bikes (of all types) are listed in Toronto and Vancouver. The hope is that the idea catches on.
In the meantime, it’s probably easier to grab one of the Bixi bikes that’s currently within blocks of your home or office.
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