Vending machine for bicycle parts?
Weird?
No!
It's brilliant i think...
Imagine a scenario like this: You ride your lovely bike far away from home at 05:00..it's a good time to ride...no traffic, peace and lot of fresh oxygen..and....shit happens...flat tire and you forget to bring spare inner tire. No bicycle shop open at that time and that situation leave you no choice except call a cab or hommies to take you home or waiting at nearest bicycle shop veranda.
Vending machine its the answer of that trouble.
If you google it, there's some bicycle parts vending machine in this world today. Sadly, not anyone of them exist in Indonesia :(
Here's some bicycle parts vending machine and their loaction:
1. Sourland Cycles, New Jersey
100 kilometres from New York City in the small town of Hopewell, New Jersey, Sourland Cycles, had a vending machine in its parking lot replete with multiple small bike shop items. The “24-Hour Bike Shop,” is a visually compelling, could garner some publicity and be a very visible way to support the local community. The machine has been deployed for about two years now.
100 kilometres from New York City in the small town of Hopewell, New Jersey, Sourland Cycles, had a vending machine in its parking lot replete with multiple small bike shop items. The “24-Hour Bike Shop,” is a visually compelling, could garner some publicity and be a very visible way to support the local community. The machine has been deployed for about two years now.
“Loading it was fairly simple,”
says Michael Gray, owner of
Sourland Cycles. “But the testing
and programming took a few trial
runs, to set prices and messages.”
The machine is stocked with a
variety of small items including
chains, master links, tubes, cables,
tyre levers, patch kits, multitools
and cables. While many items fit
within the coils that came with the machines, Gray did have to order
some larger coils for certain items.
It is set to only be used with
credit cards, to avoid the hassles of
dealing with change and potential
vandalism/theft. This does mean
that it costs a small monthly fee for
a wireless connection to process
card sales.
While the vending machine may
look good and prove that Sourland
Cycles thinks about its place in the
community, Gray says it may never
pay for itself. He says it does not
really sell a lot of product,
averaging less than US$50 per
month on average. Given that the
cost of the machine was around
US$4500, profit is at best a
multi-year possibility.
“I have more people taking
pictures of it than actually using it,
but that was kind of the point – it is
a definite gesture to the cycling
community,” says Gray.
2. Bikestock, New York
Bikestock vending machines offer bicycle accessories and essential products for cyclists and urban dwellers on the go. As an alternative to the traditional bike shop model, Bikestock provides do-it-yourself service around the clock. Bikestock also offers free to use tools and air to ensure you can get back on the road with minimal effort.
Products Offered:
– Inner Tubes (all sizes)
– Patch Kits
– Lights
– Locks
– Brake Pads
– Rim Tape
– Multi Tool
– Tire Boot
– Headphones
– Phone Chargers
– Power Block
– Seasonal Items (Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Etc.)
– Food and Drink
– Many more items. They have 4 vending machine spread in New York, click this link to see the location.
3. Fixtation, Minneapolis
The Fixtation is really just a vending machine, but with bike parts instead of snacks (though there are some snacks in case you’re getting hungry on your ride). What makes it most convenient is the bike mount and tools–attached with aircraft cables to prevent theft–alongside the vending machine. You can replace that flat or adjust your brakes yourself without dealing with the characters who usually are employed at bike shops.
4. University Bicycles, Boulder, Colorado
They sell gels, nutrition bars, CO2 cartridges, tubes, cycling cap, gloves, lights, chain lube, multi-tools, and more. Lester Binegar at University Bicycles says the machine paid for itself in about one year, and they've had almost no problems with it in the three years it's been outside the store.
5. Bike Box, St. Louis, Missouri
They sell tubes, tires, levers, chamois butter, patch kits, drinks, sunglasses, hand warmers, condoms, cigarettes, candy bars, and more. In summertime, squirt guns are the machine's top seller; at night, it’s cigarettes. A workstand in front of the bar has tools attached to help cyclists with fixes.
6. Tom's Pro Bike, Lancaster, New York
They sell Gatorade, energy bars, tubes, CO2 cartridges, and more. After realizing how upset a cyclist might be if a tube or CO2 cartridge didn't drop out of the machine, owner Tom Lonzi installed a unique feature: guaranteed vend. The vending operation isn't complete until a product reaches the bottom tray, so if an item gets hung up, you can hit the button again until one drops—no need to physically assault the machine over a patch kit.
7. Rebound Cycle, Canmore, Alberta
They sell tubes, food, water, CO2 cartridges, pedals, hand warmers, and more. Rebound says the average user of the machine, which has been outside the shop for three years, buys 2.2 things from it—a rate the inside sales staff tries to beat so they won't be replaced by vending robots. Perhaps driving sales: Many items come with a surprise $5-$10 gift certificate.
8. Green Zebra Grocery, Portland, Oregon
They sell bike tubes. The Green Zebra Grocery store is like a bike-friendly minimart for health nuts, with a vending machine, bike pump, work stand, and covered bike-rack area.
Source:
http://www.bikestocknyc.com
https://www.fastcompany.com
http://www.bicycling.com
Bikebiz magazine, April 2017
Ride On!
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