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Bike Barge - I wonder where they'll moor this :)

Morat

By Morat
in General Boating

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ChimneyChain Rising Star

ChimneyChain

Posted
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I wonder if this is the same person who started the thread on fishing, cycling and walking, titled "biking and canals go together"

As I've said a push bike is one of the easiest things to Service and maintain why anyone would pay someone to do it is beyond me.

 

Darren

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Dharl Rising Star

Dharl

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Don't they give out loans at banks no more.

 

Darren

yes but the bank has to agree that the business plan will actually work..... I THINK the joy of crowd funding is that you don't need to pay back any of the capital raised!

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CDS Collaborator

CDS

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We were in Birmingham in the Summer and there was a bike boat operating at Brindley Place . There were several people working there and they always seemed to be busy .With all the cyclists in London you never know, it might work.

Make sure you donate to his crowd funding appeal then.We all know your big on encouraging entrepreneurs.

Depending on how much you give he could maybe advertise Carolyns delicious devon scones

Edited by CDS
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Dave_P Veteran

Dave_PDonate to Canal World

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The Birmingham bike boat has been running successfully for about 4 years now. They used to be at Cambrian Wharf but now have a dedicated mooring at the end of the Oozels Street loop. I've used them for parts and repairs and few times and they were excellent, and cheap!

 

I don't want to be too down on budding entrepreneurs but this seems a bit like another example of a crowdfunder wanting something for nothing. Check out what you get for pledging...for example £10 gets you a keyring, a sticker and a high five!!! The minimum pledge which actually relates to something useful for cyclists is £20 and you then get 10% off on maintenance on one particular bike. Obviously it's not clear what happens if the target isn't met and the project fails? (Presumably you get your money back?) What if the target is met and it then turns out that more money is needed?

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Emerald Fox Rising Star

Emerald Fox

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I don't understand the point of a bike-servicing boat. No-one knows where it's going to be, like a permanent street address. It's not in a stable environment (rocks side-to-side).

I'm sure there's enough business though, especially if it's someone who really knows what they are doing. People who repair/maintain/service bicycles seem to be good chaps. Here's one:

 

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Dave Payne Influencer

Dave Payne

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The Birmingham bike boat has been running successfully for about 4 years now. They used to be at Cambrian Wharf but now have a dedicated mooring at the end of the Oozels Street loop. I've used them for parts and repairs and few times and they were excellent, and cheap!

 

I don't want to be too down on budding entrepreneurs but this seems a bit like another example of a crowdfunder wanting something for nothing. Check out what you get for pledging...for example £10 gets you a keyring, a sticker and a high five!!! The minimum pledge which actually relates to something useful for cyclists is £20 and you then get 10% off on maintenance on one particular bike. Obviously it's not clear what happens if the target isn't met and the project fails? (Presumably you get your money back?) What if the target is met and it then turns out that more money is needed?

 

If the target is met then your pledge is taken from your bank, if the target is not met no money is taken.

 

I just backed a coffee maker on kickstarter, its nice to do sometimes if you believe in the project/person.

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WJM Veteran

WJM

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Being mobile is not an advantage for a business like this - in fact it is a massively negative point. It will never develop repeat business or and word-of-mouth referrals because either nobody will know where it is or it will be at an inconvenient location at the time of a potential customer's demand. If it has a fixed mooring then it will work, but mobile it is dead in the water!

  • Greenie 1
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CDS Collaborator

CDS

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If the target is met then your pledge is taken from your bank, if the target is not met no money is taken.

 

I just backed a coffee maker on kickstarter, its nice to do sometimes if you believe in the project/person.

Good on you Dave!

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RockSodem Contributor

RockSodem

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This guy originally wanted to do bicycle sales and maintenance on the old John Pinkerton trip boat which he'd moved to Hungerford.. Amongst other things, I gather the CRT weren't exactly helpful, saying they'd need to charge him extra for cycle wear'n'tear on the towpath. Not heard much since and not been in the area for quite a while so i'd be interest to hear if he got it going or not.

 

http://www.basingstoke-canal.org.uk/headline/old-john-pinkerton-finally-sold-moves/

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Dave_P Veteran

Dave_PDonate to Canal World

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If the target is met then your pledge is taken from your bank, if the target is not met no money is taken.

 

I just backed a coffee maker on kickstarter, its nice to do sometimes if you believe in the project/person.

Hello namesake! I've backed crowd funded projects before where they've been concerned with the greater good or some act of altruism. This isn't that though, it's just a profit making business (unless I've missed something). Why would I invest in such a thing in order to get a key-ring and a sticker? I could just buy a key ring and a sticker for about 30p!

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the barnacle Proficient

the barnacle

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If anyone wishes to crowd fund my boating adventures I'll also give a high five, a key ring and service their bike. However, I'll also definitely supply a mug of tea and, instead of a biscuit if there are any, I'll bake a cake! smile.png

how about Coffee - sounds like a good deal - are you on the S & W biggrin.png

a link to the site - http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bicyclebarge/

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NickF Rising Star

NickF

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Being mobile is not an advantage for a business like this - in fact it is a massively negative point. It will never develop repeat business or and word-of-mouth referrals because either nobody will know where it is or it will be at an inconvenient location at the time of a potential customer's demand. If it has a fixed mooring then it will work, but mobile it is dead in the water!

I agree with WJM ... it is viable if it doesn't move.

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