Blog
Notes from the counter.
Practical guides for people who rent bikes, run guided tours and sell cycling holidays. Written by the team behind RideLoop, from what we’ve learned running our own shop.
How to stop double bookings in a bike rental shop
A double booking is rarely one person’s mistake. It’s usually two tools that each think they know what’s in stock. Here’s where they come from, and the five changes that stop them.
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In this article
All articles
02
Industry
The cycling tourism boom nobody’s talking about (and what it means for your shop)
The market is on track to roughly double by 2035. Here’s what’s driving it, and why easy online booking is how operators capture it.
03
Tours
What “weather guarantee” actually means, and why it’s not just marketing
Weather is the most common reason outdoor trips are cancelled. A free reschedule, not a refund, resolves the tension.
04
Rentals
Security deposits for bike hire: hold the card, don’t charge it
Taking a deposit protects your fleet. Taking it the wrong way costs you refund fees, awkward conversations and repeat customers. Here’s the case for holding the card instead of charging it.
05
Rentals
Bike hire waivers: what to include and when guests should sign
A waiver signed on a clipboard at 9am on a Saturday is slow for you and rushed for the guest. A waiver signed on their own phone the night before is neither. Here’s what to put in it and how to collect it.
06
Tours
Minimum numbers on guided tours: set the deadline before you need it
Every tour operator has run a departure for two people that only paid for itself at eight. The fix isn’t cancelling more. It’s deciding in advance when a departure goes ahead, and telling guests early enough for it to matter.
07
Tours
A rain policy for cycling tours that keeps the booking
When rain is forecast, guests start wondering whether to cancel. If the first message they get is from you, offering a free new date, most of them take it. Here’s how to set that up.
08
Holidays
Writing a cycling holiday itinerary guests trust
Guests booking a multi-day cycling holiday are deciding whether they can do it, and whether they can trust you with a week of their year. A good itinerary answers both before they have to ask.
09
Running the business
Choosing booking software for a bike rental business: 10 questions to ask
Most booking software looks the same in a demo. The differences show up on your busiest day, or the day you try to leave. These are the questions worth asking first.
10
Running the business
Commission or subscription: what booking platforms really cost
A platform charging nothing a month sounds cheaper than one charging £169. Whether it is depends entirely on how much you sell. Here’s how to work it out for your own business.
Put it into practice on the Free plan.
RideLoop takes real payments from day one. Import your fleet from a spreadsheet and see every bike, tour and holiday on one calendar.