A Problem That Needed Solving
Millions of people around the globe ride bikes. But historically, this joy on two wheels would come to a screeching halt when you traveled because the equipment was too difficult to transport. The dedicated would turn to rentals, however there was always a problem of finding a good bike and knowing where to ride in an unfamiliar land. And for the most part, there was no such thing as advanced reservations. If you found a place that rents, you pretty much just walked in and chose from what was available.
The Vision
RentaBikeNow.com started as a vision in 2007 to help cyclists find a rental bike and a good route to ride when they traveled. The concept was simple – create a marketplace where people who wanted a bike (travelers) could be matched with people who have bikes (bike shops). Participating bike shops could list their available inventory on a website that consumers could use to search, locate and reserve online – no matter where they traveled. Hey, it’s done everyday for hotel, car and airline reservations, why not rental bikes? Of course, it had to be easy for everyone.
Confirmation
The business was introduced to the bike industry in the Fall of 2008 and was an overnight hit. Hundreds of shops signed up even before the business was officially introduced to consumers. Just as the business promised to easily solve problems for cyclists, RentaBikeNow.com solved problems for bike shops and helped them capture a new revenue stream. If you’re thinking Win-Win here, you’re right!
Go. Ride Everywhere.™
RentaBikeNow.com debuted to consumers in early 2009. A powerful interface is presented as a simple tool where consumers can search for available rental bikes by geography, date, bike type and size. And if you want to add accessories like a kid’s trailer or want to go on a tour – those are available too. In fact, RentaBikeNow.com boasts the world’s largest fleet of rental bikes available from one location. And bikes are available in pretty much every size, shape and flavor to suit any need – comfort bikes, road bikes, mountain bikes, kid’s bikes, recumbents and more.
And to help consumers make the best choice, bikes are presented with photos and pricing to help them find the perfect bike. A secured checkout collects a reservation deposit fee, which is followed by a printed confirmation to make the transaction as safe as it is easy.
For bike shops, RentaBikeNow.com offers a powerful marketing and inventory management tool that makes rentals easy and profitable. Large-scale rental operations grow larger and more efficient while shops new to renting get new revenue and a road map to success.
Where We’re Going
RentaBikeNow.com initially launched in the United States & Canada and is currently the predominant resource for bike rentals in North America. As landing spot for over 200 web domains that focus on bike rentals and host for countless links from affiliates and partners, RentaBikeNow.com looks to expand globally and help travelers to and from countries around the globe. Through RentaBikeNow.com, people can ride bikes in more places and more often.
RentaBikeNow.com is a division of Go. Play. Everywhere., an Iowa LLC with primary offices in the Chicago area (Northfield, IL). In spite of rapid growth, board meetings are still held during exceptionally long bike rides.