I used Spinlister a couple of weeks when I was out of town. It's fairly straightforward. I requested a bike and communicated with the owner to see if the bike was available during my requested time frame. Once he confirmed that the bike was available, I paid upfront for the rental. The cost included a service fee from Spinlister (I guess this is how they make their money).
Communication with the guy that rented me his bike was very informal and he was flexible as far as return time and pick up and drop off location. He also lent me a few items as part of the rental at no additional cost (panniers, lock, lights, etc). Overall, it was a great experience and I would definitely use it again.
I also have one of my bikes available for rent. A few people tried to rent it when there was that bike/ped conference last September but I was out of town and was not able to rent it out. Again, communication with renters was informal and done through the site. Just because you list your ride doesn't mean you are committed to rent it.
I'd recommend using the site.
2015-05-14 10:37:26