POWAY, Calif. (KGTV) — With the cost of everything seemingly on the rise, some San Diegans are now renting out hobbies for extra income.
At his home in Poway, Paul Blelloch can sometimes be found getting his bikes ready for the rides, but he’s not the one riding the bike.
“The goal is that anyone who wants to enjoy a bike here in San Diego can experience it,” Blelloch said.
Blelloch first bought the two road bikes for his sons several years ago, but the bikes saw little use and he decided to rent them out.
Enter the Spinlister app, the so-called Airbnb for bikes and water and snow sports. On the app, anyone with a bike, surfboard, paddleboard or snowboard can decide on a rate and rent it.
“Usually I rented either for a day for $40, or for a few days for $100, or sometimes even $200 for a week,” Blelloch said.
For the lister, on a $100 rental, the app, which handles all financial transactions, charges about $15 in fees.
“Our primary user on Spinlister tends to be primarily the hobbyist, cyclist or water sports enthusiast, who wants something better or better,” said Mark Gustafson, CEO of the Los Angeles-based company. .
Gustafson says that while rentals plummeted during the pandemic with the drop in travel, rentals are now increasing, even surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
“In San Diego, we’re already seeing very early indicators of people booking ahead, booking months in advance, and pre-planning their trips,” Gustafson said. “We are very excited about the upcoming spring and summer.”
A look at the San Diego County section brings up over 100 listings.
Both advertiser and renter are verified by cell phone and credit card. For each rental, the advertiser is insured up to $1,000. For the renter, optional damage and theft insurance is available.
As for Blelloch, his plan is to continue listing his two bikes.
“Anyone who has bikes in the garage and doesn’t want to sell them, it’s a great way to earn some extra income,” Blelloch said.
Gustafson says about 90% of renters are travelers for work or pleasure. He says the most popular rental in the San Diego area is for triathlon bikes.
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