ABR
New Member
Posts: 6
First Name: Rob
Last Name: C
Location: Virginia
Shop / Company: Ashburn Bicycle Repair
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Post by ABR on Dec 8, 2016 8:57:39 GMT -6
Any thoughts on Velotooler?
They're describing themselves as the Uber of bike mechanics. They've also compared themselves to Velofix and Beeline Bikes, but with no start-up costs. Their only fee, 20% of the total sale. They're offering to rebate the cost of liability insurance (up to $500) and there's talk of them gaining access to wholesale distributors on behalf of Velotooler mechanics.
Is Velotooler going to threaten the newly-emerged (on the widespread franchise level) mobile bike shop methodology much in the same way mobile bike shops are peceived by some brick and mortar outfits to be a threat against them?
Will the long and hard push for better bike-mechanic wages be undermined by Velotooler (they set the prices) in a race-to-the-bottom as hundreds (thousands?) of independent for-hire Velotooler mechanics compete against one another for $15 flat tire repairs?
If Velotooler succeeds, what does this mean as we, the bicycle business community, join the gig economy?
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ifixbyx
PBMA Mechanic Member
Posts: 7
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Purdy
Shop / Company: Ifixbyx
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Post by ifixbyx on Dec 9, 2016 7:37:27 GMT -6
The only way this succeeds is if the general public knows about this "Service." No one currently knows about them and they wont until they spend millions of dollars to advertise. That means a huge influx of capitol from somewhere. Unless they can convince someone to invest, they are doomed. Whether or not this is a good idea is irrelevant if customers across the country don't know about them.
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feldmanbike
New Member
Bicycle mechanic since 1975
Posts: 4
First Name: David
Last Name: Feldman
Location: 98661
Shop / Company: Feldman's Bicycle Repair Inc.
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Post by feldmanbike on Dec 19, 2016 13:54:03 GMT -6
IF they treat bike mechanics like Uber treats drivers, I hope they are a massive failure and in a year or two are nothing but the punch line of a joke.
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BikeTechTed
New Member
24 years turning the spanners
Posts: 9
Shop / Company: Chain Reaction Bicycles - Evans GA
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Post by BikeTechTed on Dec 30, 2016 6:27:03 GMT -6
I lost interest when they began to request personal, and financial bank information. It's too early in the game with them to be divulging such intimate data. Still, it's a completely new business model and worth watching as it develops; but I'm sure some will doom it with speculative ideas at this stage.
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Post by ltdan12a on Dec 30, 2016 10:48:21 GMT -6
same- I started to fill out an application, but it honestly went way to deep, too fast into information I was willing to give out before I got something from them...
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Mario Lizarazu
New Member
Posts: 1
First Name: Mario
Last Name: Lizarazu
Location: Tucson
Shop / Company: Tucson Bicycle Service
Bio: Bicycle Mechanic for life, Mountain biker and commuter. I'v been working as a mechanic for over 17 years and am now owner/operator/mechanic at Tucson Bicycle Service, a service only shop.
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Velotooler
Aug 12, 2017 23:29:18 GMT -6
via mobile
Post by Mario Lizarazu on Aug 12, 2017 23:29:18 GMT -6
I signed up completely got one scheduled job for a tune up but they cancelled an hour later, when I asked what I would be liable for if something happened or if a customer made a claim I wasn't given a straight answer and haven't heard back since. In their fine print it states the mechanic takes full responsibility whether you're using your own insurance or velotoolers insurance. They also tell you to find your own customers and refer them to velotooler. So far I'm not impressed.
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