I earned €1,400 in 3 months renting my road bike

Matteo is 31, lives in Milan, and works as a developer. Three years ago he bought a Specialized Tarmac SL6, a carbon road bike, roughly €3,200 retail, purchased used for €1,900. In 2024, after an intense season, he found himself using it less and less due to work commitments.

"I kept it in the living room. I looked at it every evening. It made me feel guilty." It's the portrait of many urban cyclists: the passion is there, but the time isn't.

In January 2025 he listed the bike on Lendmates. In three months, he earned €1,400 net. This is his story.

The numbers month by month

Average rental price: €35/day for single-day rentals, €28/day for 3+ day rentals. All borrowers left a positive review. Zero disputes, zero reported damages.

How it started

"I didn't have high expectations. I thought I'd earn maybe €100 a month, enough to cover maintenance. Instead, in the first week I already had three requests."

The process was simple: Matteo photographed the bike in his courtyard (natural light, neutral background), wrote a description with the technical specs, and set a price based on what other Milan lenders were charging.

Who rents a road bike?

Matteo says his borrowers were predominantly three types:

• Cycling tourists — people who come to Milan for the weekend and want to explore the city or surroundings on two wheels without bringing their own bike
• Try-before-you-buy riders — aspiring cyclists who want to see if road cycling is for them before investing €1,500+
• Bike-in-the-shop riders — cyclists who don't want to miss training while their own bike is being repaired

His strategy in 4 points

1. Professional photos (without being a professional)

Matteo followed the tips from the rental photo guide: natural light, clean background, photos from multiple angles. "I took 12 photos in 20 minutes. I think this was the number one factor."

2. Dynamic pricing: weekends more expensive, weekdays more affordable

He set a base price of €35/day for single-day rentals and €28/day for 3+ day rentals. "Weekends are the most in demand, so I keep the full price. For weekday periods I prefer to fill the calendar at a slightly lower rate."

3. Fast response to requests

"I reply within 30 minutes, always. Borrowers book from the first lender who responds. It's a simple thing but it makes an enormous difference in conversion rate."

4. Proactive communication before handover

Before every rental, Matteo sends a message with instructions: how to adjust the saddle, where the QR code is, any route recommendations. "Three borrowers told me it was the detail that convinced them to come back."

The risks: what can go wrong

Matteo hasn't had any issues in these three months, but he's realistic: "Zero risk doesn't exist. I chose Lendmates partly because the platform-managed deposit and security system gave me a concrete guarantee. If the borrower damages the bike, I have protection. I don't depend on the person's good faith."

His recommendation is to always photograph the bike before handover and document any existing scratches in the chat with the borrower. "Total transparency. This avoids 99% of disputes."

What to do now if you have a similar item

If you have a road bike, an e-bike, or any other valuable item you're not using 100%, Matteo's advice is straightforward: "List it. The worst that can happen is you don't get any requests. The best is what happened to me."

Start with the guide on the 5 most requested items on Lendmates to understand what's most valuable in your area, then follow the photo guide to present your item in the best way.

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Matteo has already started adding other items to his profile: a mirrorless camera with two lenses and a set of bike bags for bicycle touring. "I realized that what I have at home is worth more than I thought. My basement has literally become an income source."