Had a couple of guys in my Inn/Hotel who placed a small order at the bar today (under a tenner) and then asked if they could charge their electric bikes (my barman thought they were expecting it as part of 'customer service' ie. free). He said they couldn't due to various electrical problems we have had recently + bikes were outside and it was raining and he had no idea if batteries could be brought inside etc.They then cancelled the order and rode off.
We are very bike friendly and wet/muddy/cold/tired bikers are always welcome but I think expecting a free charge is a bit much.
Opinions please.......and yes I am originally from Aberdeen 😉
personally , if I were running a bike / cyclist friendly hotel / inn, I would take the opportunity to have that sort of service as a usp.
Have various chargers to cover the main brands , an area to charge the bikes etc.
I’d be quite happy to pay a couple of quid for a recharge. You could have a system like they have at the end of the camel trail where they store your bike, give you a ticket etc. Once it gets round you offer the service, might even get more custom .
it costs about 25p to fully charge a 504wh battery (this takes 6 hours) and yes most batteries can be removed from the bike for charging.
it's kinda pointless charging an ebike for less than half an hour (costing 2p) so I would have thought they'd have stayed longer. spending more?
it's up to you if you want to turn away customers whatever your reason.
If your establishment really can't handle a li ion charger being plugged in I'd think about sorting out your electricity problems instead of worrying about Ebikes.
If I turn up in my car, will you provide petrol for free as well?
Have various chargers to cover the main brands , an area to charge the bikes etc.
I’d be quite happy to pay a couple of quid for a recharge.
errr... Ebike battery chargers are pricy (£150 ish) as they aren't just simple chargers and there are about 6 main popular brands (with plenty other smaller brands). You'd need multiple chargers of each popular brand so even a busy inn would never make that money back
It's worth thinking what your policy is for next time, I'd say a quid or free if you spend a fiver. Maybe while they wait they'd spend a bit more.
Supplying chargers is extreme, just supply power points, if someone if wanting to recharge out on a ride, they are likely to bring their own charger anyhow.
I think it was a mistake knocking them back, as mentioned it costs pennies to charge up a bike, so if they are going to be buying food and drink while they do charge, well... you are missing out on that custom for no reason.
tbh it's bad business sense to knock them back, imo. (unless you are stowed and they are holding up more lucrative customers.)
I'd don't blame them for walking away, they want to charge their bike, they'll get it done elsewhere, and you probably just lost out on any repeat business too..
Long as they are spending, I don't think there should be a problem, if you must charge, a quid or 2 per bike seems fair. Fiver if you want to rip the piss.
Stipulate it's only batteries allowed inside.
I appreciate it could be a problem if the bikes had to be brought inside and plugged in. But if it was just the battery you've missed a trick OP. 25p for 6hrs, even if they were there for 2hrs thats only 8p.
Having said that it's still a bit cheeky to assume you can just rock up and charge anything for free. But as was their choice your potential customers voted with their feet 🙁
I'd let them use a power point no problem - don't forget word spreads, and you could loose a bunch of riders wanting a meal/lunch. I wouldn't provide chargers for anything that specialist though, usual phone charger/adapter, then fine.
Having said that it’s still a bit cheeky to assume you can just rock up and charge anything for free.
That was my thoughts and I actually had no idea of the cost. My barman was quite rightly playing safe as he thought charging outside in the rain was too risky. Nice thought re plug-ins/shelter etc. but as has been pointed out, not ever going to be cost effective as we already have a drying room and safe storage. We have probably had 15-20 cyclists in here today so far and all except the 2 'electric bikers' seem happy, so next time I'll take a different view and let my staff know. I think it was more their attitude that was the problem and I can guarantee if they go elsewhere, nearest other hotel is 4 miles in one direction and 10 in the other, they will be lucky to get a charge for less than a fiver, if at all.
Mobile phones etc. are no problem as anyone who has been here will know.
You could easy have a policy something like, free charging over X mount spent, and charge X amount under that spend..
I'd happily bung a quid in the pot if all we'd bought was a drink and a cake. If we'd spent a decent amount (per person) it would be nice if it was free.
It would make sense to just put a weatherproof socket outside with a sign for "E Bike charging point." Obviously for customers use only.
I wouldn't charge, ask for £1 donation to a local charity.
Or install an electric car charger. Most of them include a standard 3-pin socket, so could be used for bikes.
It would make sense to just put a weatherproof socket outside with a sign for “E Bike charging point.” Obviously for customers use only.
I wouldn’t charge, ask for £1 donation to a local charity.
Nice idea and I will put it in place.
First time this has happened in 19 months but I expect now summer is here there will be a few more.
I'm all for helping old codgers get up the hills 😉
Do they?
Used to sometimes drive a works electric van. Never saw a single 3 pin socket.
Wouldn't you still need the card to use it?
Where's your hotel/Inn Woody?
Do E-MTB'ers carry chargers - I've no idea how big they are. Is there a standard size ? Outdoor plug with secure cycle stands - - everyone's a winner.
Seems like an extra something you add Woody but I understand your barman's initial response until formal was in place.
Oh and I've forgotten where you've set up now?
Oh wait found it.
Inchabae Lodge Inn
Cheers Drac, Inchbae Lodge Inn right in the middle between Inverness and Ullapool.
How are you? Couple of other ex NEAS up here too but not from your neck of the woods.
Do E-MTB’ers carry chargers
Some do. some carry extra batteries.
the charger is a far smaller/lighter option than the battery.
Either will fit in a standard backpack (althjough you can buy a specific E-backpack for seventy hunderd pounds).
nice looking place woody. is the local riding there good?
I'm good cheers you?
Chances are I still know them.
I might have to pop up some time.
Should have killed the fat knackers with fire!!!!
My view may be slightly coloured by today's experience with a family of fat knackers on ebike!!
Neil and Emma Beetham, used to be at Weardale. You're always welcome Drac.
Riding round here is excellent. We are right on the HT550 and An Turas Mor routes and 10 miles from the Strathpuffer course with routes all around.
< https://satellites.pro/#G57.677982,-4.652830,1 1"> Link if it works!
A whole family of fatties on one Ebike?
what stunt pegs did it have?
Do tell more aa.
I doubt they would have got much charge done in the time it takes to drink a couple of beers. If I was risking a long pedal on a flat battery I'd probably phone ahead to check rather than chance it and then get the hump if refused.
Do tell more aa.
Its not that interesting but seeing as you asked. I went for a ride with my boy this morning, who is 8, up to Greenham Common cafe and he nearly got taken out by a family of 4 blasting towards us taking up the whole trail (which is wide enough for traffic in both directions and also full of sunday am families out for a walk and dogs and horses and cows etc) whilst travelling at warp factor 9, hardly pedalling and deep in conversation about Love Island or some such drosh. Boy was frantically ringing his bell but fatso's too busy to look up. We had to stop and I had to shout to avoid us both being squashed.
Admittedly the ebike bit is incidental apart from the fact if they were on normal bikes and talking to each other they'd have been hardly moving....
As above, I'd fit some weatherproof power sockets next to some bike racks, maybe token/key access with the token or key handed over in exchange for dosh in the MRT/Air Ambulance/whatever collection box.
Given where you are they might be sat there for a while if their batteries were properly flat!
Can't you rig up an exercise bike to a dynamo, add a lead, stick it outside with an old umbrella?
I don't work in the hospitality industry.
Should have killed the fat knackers with fire!!!!
saw a idiot on a chipped ebike get battered last weekend, he was weaving in and out of walkers and cyclists at quite frankly nutter speeds and clipped another cyclist they both went down. the other cyclist was up like a shot an lumped the ebiker repeatedly. He should have hurled his bike in the nene too (which was'nt too far away).
Cheers Woody.
And so the E bike hate begins.
whilst travelling at warp factor 9, hardly pedalling and deep in conversation about Love Island or some such drosh
So your sure all of the bikes had been derestricted then?
So your sure all of the bikes had been derestricted then?
Did I say that? 25kmph along a track whilst not looking where your going is plenty fast enough.
arent you supposed to let the battery cool before charging it ?
Drac sed> And so the E bike hate begins.
Nah, that started ages ago.
personally , if I were running a bike / cyclist friendly hotel / inn, I would take the opportunity to tell them to piss off somewhere else and skive someone else’s electricity for free there..
FIFM
🤷♂️
Going to be more I think - requests like that.
My mate/boss and a couple of others were on a Scottish tour the other month, e-bikes the lot. And round Aviemore there are more and more.
Good to know - will look out for it Woody 🙂
The amount of charge we're talking about here is piss-all, it's like worrying because someone wants to charge their phone or plug in their laptop.
There are definitely folk doing multi-day tours carrying chargers and/or extra batteries. It all adds to the weight of course. Suits those going from hotel to hotel/hostel to hostel. NC500 will be full of them this year.
As a hotel, I assume that all your appliances are regularly PAT'd. In that case, I can see why a member of staff might be concerned about a non-tested device being plugged in. Maybe it just needs a wee bit of training/education? I'd suggest having a dedicated area for charging rather than random cables spread around the floor too.
Where you based kcal?
Nah, that started ages ago.
Ermmmm! I mean in this thread. 🤨
Ooh, I’m sure everyone at some point has trodden on a 3 pin plug, imagine landing on one in your back pack. That’ll sting ;).
Imagine having the foresight to place pointy objects in packpacks facing away from yourself, perhaps even insulating them from yourself with other items?
the super expensive emtb specific bags have compartments and back protectors built in just for people lacking such basic common sense (but obviously having more money than). 😉
Look here to see how its being done in parts of Europe.
https://www.bosch-ebike.com/en/experience-ebike/stories/powerstations/
I hear tell that you can swap out batteries along long popular routes but not sure how that works.
Not swapping my new battery for someones old one.
There are proper charging stations for cars and bikes with proper waterproof connectors available which would save electrocuting a customer and/or pulling the power out.
I don't own an e-bike but am thinking of joining the darkside if I can do long distance routes. Currently thinking proper campsites with socket outlets for caravans for overnight but a long lunch to break up a long day does have a certain appeal. It means carrying a round to square pin adaptor lead.
If the costs are what has been suggested the I would go for it, op... Probably less about what you actually did or didn't do but more about what your customers say on social Meeja about what you did or didn't do... Managing your reputation type of thing...
In Austria there are charging stations in the villages and in a lot of mountain huts. They have leads for all of the different systems as far as I know
‘Or install an electric car charger. Most of them include a standard 3-pin socket, so could be used for bikes.’
My business has installed 200+ electric car chargers in the last year in commercial environments and not one has a 3 pin socket.....
Still, worth delaying til you know whether your insurance covers them. Someone walks in with a £600 battery, and then comes back a week later complaining your charging point killed it - Or if the batteries are unattended somewhere at a charge "station" and they get stolen?
I'd do the UKIP "blame Health and Safety in some ambiguous, ill informed guise" til I sorted out proper charing facilities - and then advertise the service!
did or didn’t do but more about what your customers say on social Meeja about what you did or didn’t do
Well aware of that, which is why I'll do as I said on previous post......not worth the hassle and as I said I wasn't aware of 'issue' until customers had left. Seemed a bit of a 'flounce off' so not really that bothered as everyone else today has been more than happy.
I was charged a fiver recently to charge my battery at a bike shop. I used my own charger. I asked, was given permission, plugged it in myself. It was when I returned to collect it that the £5 charge was mentioned. I thought it was a bit steep, but was in no position to argue at that point, but it did put me off noseying around the shop with my wallet in my pocket...
A lesson learned for me.
but was in no position to argue at that point
I wouldn’t have paid. They have to tell you up front not after the fact.
When touring 2 years ago with boblo and mcmoonter a restaurant refused to charge my phone
They didn't get a tip, I can tell you!
That'll lairn them!
Sounds like you are due another trip Al. Wasn’t The Altguish Inn by any chance was it?
Did you lock your bike to the railings outside?
Signpost wasn't it?
Anyway, no I wouldn't expect it to be free. I'd expect either a cost up front or if buying food and drinks a suggestion of mountain rescue donation. There was a suggestion years ago that the lakes were going to try to set up a scheme.of ebikes and charging points in pubs/shops to reduce traffic. I'm guessing the "legislation" put a stop to it.
I'd have thought it makes sense to support it but with a £5 minimum spend attached as otherwise there's always some people that will walk in ask for free water and a charge and take up space. In reality being an attractive stopping point for presumably a very small number of people that want to charge an eBike mid-ride surely has to be a no-brainer? You're already letting wet/smelly/muddy cyclists in which has got to have a more negative impact than someone wanting 5p of electricity.
Or install an electric car charger. Most of them include a standard 3-pin socket, so could be used for bikes.
Most of them are tethered or untethered with a type2 socket, in fact I've never seen an electric car charger that also comes with a 3 pin socket, altho I don't doubt that the option might exist. Unless the OP owns an electric car they won't get an OLEV grant (altho other grants exist for businesses that want to offer EV charging), so it could end up quite expensive to buy and have installed. My Rolec untethered ev charger (without 3 pin option) cost £600 installed. Rolec also offer a separate outdoor 3 pin unit for electric mower, hedge trimmers etc that you could plug an ev into, if that's what you meant?, but that's just an IP rated outdoor 3 pin plug box.
Anyhow, as said, the electric will cost pence for the realistic length of time they'll stay around. Personally I wouldn't spend any money on the service tho, I'd just offer the 3 pin sockets. Assuming they're buying coffee and cafe. Maybe with a disclaimer in case your 'various electrical problems we've had lately' kills their battery
I've moved on from two hotels which couldn't provide a normal three-pin plug to charge Zoé. It wasn't a question of spite or having a huff, I just needed a full battery the next day and it was more convenient to find a B&B/hotel that would provide a charge than sitting on a public charger for an hour and half the next morning.
I always offer to pay telling them how many Kwh I'll be drawing but no-one has ever charged. Some people have made quite an effort, freeing off a parking place near a socket or giving us access to an unoccupied room to use a convenient socket.
