If you happen to be in Madison, Wisconsin during the next few weeks, check out the “Trek Stop” cycling convenience center. This test unit will be set up for a month outside of Machinery Row Bicycles. While it is in place, you can stop by anytime to put air in your tires or buy basic small items like a tube, patch kit, water bottle, energy bar, chain lube, etc, out of the vending machine.
Kudos to the Trek ID team on this project. I think it is a really cool idea, especially for commuters who might roll by before the shop is open. Hopefully the test period will go well and we will see these Trek Stops in other cities in the near future.
7.01.2008
Trek Stop
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38 comments:
Love the concept. In Japan it's the norm. Almost everything is for sale in vending machines.
I can't wait for Canada to have one!
Brilliant! Jay Graves and I were just chatting about the concept of vending machines and small bike odds-n-ends. I know at least three other bicycle store owners who have old vending machines in their garages who have thought about this idea. Tip o' the helmet to the folks who made it happen.
That is a brilliant idea. On my commute at least, I often ride by my preferred and 2nd most preferred LBSs just prior to and just after closing.
I hope this goes well for Trek and that it encourages small shops to follow.
looks neato. reminds me of the Smart-Car vending machine pic that's been floating around. you can't actually buy the car - maybe you could buy a bike?
It is a pretty cool idea. I would love to see one here in Greenville, SC.
I neglected to mention in the post that the Trek Stop is also a place for information with maps, brochures, advertising/announcements and a video kiosk that explains how to do minor repairs. Jonathon Maus of Bike Portland found a Flickr photo photo that shows the info side of the unit with the video monitor and a map.
How do I purchase a machine?
ed@palmarescycles.com
...two thumbs up !!!...
...the open shop & it's human interaction is great but there are times when a cycle vending machine would be a problem solver...
Not an entirely original concept. Here in Seattle there's a shop that took an old candy vending machine and have it set up to dispense tubes and such. I'd love to see more like it, especially along bike paths.
So many people seem to love this concept. Let's go ahead and remove human interaction from everything and keep to ourselves. I love that my LBS knows me and they also know my bikes.
...sorry, 'swell guy', but in my book you just redefined the term 'disingenuous statement' w/ your remark...no one suggested this was anything but a healthy addendum to our local bicycle shops which are not open 24/7...
...& if the idea does catch on 'here', it will undoubtedly be in conjunction w/ said local bike shops...
and a lot of LBSs close early. the only place open 'late' is Performance Bikes, the national chain.
i was on the bus yesterday evening and i passed this bike shop. i thought, 'i wonder if that shop is closed already'. two seconds later, a kid walks up to the shop door - boom - closed. it was around 7pm.
I've been without a tube or patch kit after hours more than a time or two, so something like this would be pretty handy in my area. I like it.
You might want to give my wife, Gypsie credit for implementing the first one in the USA in front of our shop back in 2005.
http://www.rideyourbike.com/images/vendingmachine.jpg
-Aaron Goss
Aaron's Bicycle Repair
This seems pretty awesome! Like others have said this will not replace your LBS...it just helps you get the important parts you need when they're not open. I'm guessing that the parts in the machine probably cost more than those in the store too.
.jpg
keeps getting chopped off.
The link is to a picture
Thanks to all for the comments so far.
Ed, I don't think you can buy one since this is just a test unit. I'll leave that for the people at Trek to answer though.
Swell guy, I agree with bgw and Peter. This seems like a supplement to local bike shops, not a replacement. On my morning commute at 6 am, none of the local shops are open.
Aaron, you have to use a few HTML tags to make the link work. I don't know why Blogger doesn't make it easier to put a link into a comment. Anyway, here is the link to the vending machine in front of your shop. Pretty cool; do the items that you stock in the machine sell pretty well?
...yes, aaron, give us some good feedback on how the vending machine fits into your business, service wise...i can't imagine that it would be much more than than a small financial boost but how do your customers relate to you offering an off-hours opportunity they might utilize ???...
It even has a nice look to it. I like the bike holder on it. A person could use the stand even if passing by. The best part is that it is a quick fix for those troubled spots that occur when you don't have your local shop around.
I was in Seattle and needed a new tube, and there was not a shop open (late at night) when I needed it. I had to carry the bike a great distance.
http://bikemyfamily.blogspot.com/
I like vending machines but if the item gets stuck as it drops down, thats not going to be good. Well, I have no idea how this works but I have to give it up to TREK. Neat.
Here it is on Trek's 1 World 2 Wheels website:
http://1world2wheels.org/blog/convenience-stop-makes-life-easier-for-bike-commuters/
I happen to know that store and the owner quite well. Happily for him, and the entire biking community, it is often quite jammed on a nice summer weekend. Instead of going into the store, I would use this machine at those times, if I needed a small item.
This store is right on a path that is heavily used 24/7/365 (yes, even in a Wisconsin winter.) The store has good hours, but I can't blame them for not being open as long in January as June. I'm thrilled with this little kiosk.
What a great idea! As a 20 year veteran of the bike industry, I couldn't begin to tell you how many times I've heard the woeful tale of someone who came by to get a tube before opening or after hours. I think this is something more shops should look into.
I think I saw some kids shaking it trying to get the Campy carbon record groupe to drop :)
It's been awesome to see the positive reaction to the Trek Stop. All of us at Trek are proud of Mike Hammond and his team for pulling this thing together--and with sucha great response it's quite possible we'll see more of these.
This is a great concept! I could suggest a few location in Calgary, Canada where they could put them, they might happen to be where I ride ;)
Thanks for all the great comments everyone.
Rebecca A, I am glad that you called out Mike Hammond. I didn’t know if I should mention any designer's names in the post or not, but he, Michael Leighton, and any other Trek designers who worked on this project and pushed it through definitely deserve some props.
A reasonable approach, but they are essentially just copying what has been in place for many years in Europe.
Machines there are generally sponsored/operated by bicycle tire companies, as tube and tires seem to be the most common items sold.
So nothing 'brilliant' on Trek's part -- just a good copying job, with perhaps a couple of minor improvements.
Ron Richings
Totally a service that could be implemented BY local bike shops and coalitions. For example here:
http://www.midtowngreenway.org/bikecenter/
Seems like a pretty cool idea. I think the greatest benefit is just the presence of cyclists on the scene - legitimizing bike commuters. We're making a lot of progress since gas prices are going up and up. The practicality of a bike vending machine is questionable to me, but I hope it works!
I love the concept. I wonder if the idea will catch on and continue to spread?
This is a case of the small shops giving large manufacturers the idea.
But overall, a good thing for the cycling community -- 24hr access for small parts and will help make cycling seen as a normal, everyday activity, not just "for exercise"
http://www.competitornorcal.com/gear/salvation-from-a-vending-machine.html
What a great concept! We need one in Columbus, OH!
What do you mean?
I could think of a number of bike paths and trail heads where this would be great to have. Park installations would work well too. Here in NYC dow In Prospect and Central park we have races every weekend. Also with Bloomberg installing greenways and bike paths in any nook or cranny he can find something like this would work well in this city.
Good Job! :)
Good Job! :)
I love how far vending machines have come!
Wow..this is very cool. There seems to be a vending machines for everything these days! I even see the battery charging vending machines at airports now! Cool idea!
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