Bike stuff from a vending machine

[PamNY]

I will be really interested to see how this works out.

http://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20130603/williamsburg/vending-machines-with-24-hour-bike-parts-tools-pop-up-brooklyn

And the company's website:

http://www.expressbiker.com/

[Bike Writer]

I would imagine that bike shops might not like this, but this is a great idea for major metropolitan areas. Heck you can buy worms in a vending machine if you want to go fishing early before the bait stores open, why not tubes and stuff?

[marni]

We have several of those out around in the Houston burps, run, owned and stocked in by one of the local bike stores. They have general repair and quick fix stuff, a selection og gus and gels, small packets of chmois butter, jelly beans, a couple of different protien food type bars etc. and they are quite frequently used.

Another bike store has an extended hours branch store where the emphasis is on repairs, food and drink , air and water along with clean bathrooms and it is on a main biking route from the burbs out to the country so it is also frequently used. It does feature some bikes and clothes but it is more foocused on repairs and their bigger store acts as a warehouse for the full range of bikes and clothing.

I have used and enjoyed both. It's an idea whose time has come in many places, expecially where there are a lot of commuting riders who don't have time in a crisis situation to detour to a bike shop or leave a bike for repair.

but then I tend to think decentralization is probably more of a benefit than a handicap if it done with due forethought and consideration of the target custome.

[rebeccaC]

Bike Fixtation has been doing this for a couple of years in a couple of locations in Minneapolis. I think they also have a public electric pump and even a public workstation you can use to do repairs with and if needed with tools in the vending machine. I don’t know if it’s still there but Trek also did one in Madison, Wisconsin a number of years ago. It’s a great addition to the bike infrastructure in cities!

[Eden]

Here in Seattle Aarons has been doing this since 2005 - it's just a regular snack vending machine loaded up with tubes .

[shootingstar]

Here in Seattle Aarons has been doing this since 2005 - it's just a regular snack vending machine loaded up with tubes .

Makes a lot of sense, especially in areas with higher volumes of commuting cyclists or cyclists in park areas that are heavily used. Install a permanent bike pump fixed into the pavement....actually the City of Vancouver has installed a bike pump by a bike path intersection by a family oriented science centre. There's also a permanent cyclist counter with a digital display of count...like certain ones in Copenhagen.

Whole set-up was installed within last 8 months or so.