The 'Airbnb for bikes' gets ready for national rollout

Every time we travel to a new city, we find ourselves desperately wishing we had bikes to cruise around and explore. Enter Spinlister, a web startup positioned as the Airbnb of bikes. The fledgling NYC-based company is creating a peer-to-peer bike rental network that allows bicycle owners to rent out their bikes to neighbors or travelers. 

Now live in New York City and San Francisco, the network will roll out nationally this fall, coinciding with the launch of Spinlister mobile app.

After our initial reaction to learning about the project -- "Cool!" -- we found ourselves wondering about security. How do you prevent renters from stealing your bike? According to the website, theft and foul play are mitigated by "system of reviews, Facebook Connect, and renter credit cards." Still, we wonder how many people would be reluctant to offer up their treasured steeds for use by someone they don't know.

In any case, it's a bold idea and we're all for it.

(via Treehugger)