it’s cool that you’re doing this. my parents have a house in northern portugal (my maternal grandparents’ home) that i’ve thought about trying to monetize by playing up the cycling aspect (it’s an hour ride from the house to a mountain summit and on the spanish border). But the logistical stuff like remotely trying to maintain and monitor would be a nightmare. So any current plans I have are trying to find a small handful of people who would go at the same time I did for a cycling camp of sorts. It’s a great idea, but def try and find trusted folks to work with to maintain/upkeep when you’re not around
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Di2 charger and shoe dryer added to the list. Love the Strava idea…know some local riders/race directors and will look into that. Have a local property manager who has about a dozen places she takes care of in the area. She’s sharp; I was luck to find her. Keep the suggestions coming!!
Bear with me, I come from the era of column shifters and toe clips. Would I need the whole kit or just a charger cable?
this: https://www.amazon.com/Shimano-Non-CHARGER-forBTR2w-cable/dp/B00BVQY98G/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1SJ0WYPDMHMFR&keywords=di2+charger+shimano&qid=1668098109&sprefix=%2Caps%2C113&sr=8-3
This is awesome! I sense a visit in the future. Thank you! 
I would be sure to stock water bottles and coffee making equipment.
Get some of the Epic Rides books to stock for entertainment, especially ones that feature rides in your area.
If you are thinking about maintaining some pantry items, I would be sure to include oats and pancake mix. Maybe PopTarts or a hydration mix.
totally set on the coffee scene: Keurig w/ provided pods, coffee maker, French press, burr grinder, milk frother, electric kettle. Red Rooster coffee roasters are in Floyd, trying to work a deal with them for single serving samples. Stocked w/ my favorite sports themed books (Slaying the Badger, Etape, Once a Runner; Road Bike Action and Peloton magazines), but will look into Epic Rides (great idea!). Oats and pancake mix…thought makes me hungry.
Drop me a DM when you’re ready to visit!
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My dream basement renovation will include an indoor bike wash station - think industrial kitchen sink, but the height of a shower and wide enough to fit a whole bicycle. Hot water is so much more pleasant to use after a long ride. Install this very close to the entrance and its very clear where the mud should be removed.
There are some dog wash stations that almost fit the bill, but they’re usually just a hair short for a wheels-on wash.
I kind of like the station at ~1:30. Simple, efficient:
You’re not wrong, thats a better place to wash bikes than what I have available to me… I just move my workstand outside the garage and turn on the hose.
But lots of rainy and muddy rides and cold rides have delayed me washing bikes because of cold water… maybe just a warm-water hose-bib would be enough.
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+1 for the air compressor
Mini-fridge in the bike storage/working room
Routes routes routes! Have a dozen route options on your website for easy download - but also have a printed and laminated description of the routes in the living room so people can shoot the shit and discuss options for the next day’s ride
House GCN+ subscription and a way to watch races on the TV
Fast, reliable internet
People who stay here for any decent length of time are going to ride a bunch, but also lay around the house for a lot of time recovering - provide a good place to do this with all the amenities you’d want for this - TV, couches you can sleep on, etc.
Kitchen should be well stocked - buy sturdy knives and other utensils and keep them well maintained. Having an actual functioning kitchen is important given the relatively remote nature of the place. Large fridge, dishwasher, etc.
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I may have missed it but a foam roller and/or massage gun are great after a good ride.
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Foam roller. Brilliant. I have 2 yoga mats, cornhole game, frisbee, nerf football…but no foam roller!
Stocked with my favorite bike/sports related books, kid and adults coloring books, kids’ books, board games. house comes with Netflix, Prime and fiber cable internet/wi fi. Floyd County (VA) puts out a cyclist’s route map, the house is stocked with them
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You Tube video my property manager made:
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Thoughts on an Airshot vs air compressor?
I agree with comments about giving recommendations to local bike shops/mechanics. I’m not sure what’s in Floyd, but East Coasters in Blacksburg used to be top notch, but I’m not sure anymore and they just got bought by a Trek store. Recommendations for hiking in the area would be good for the potentially noncycling spouse and kiddos. There are some great hikes in/around Floyd, as well as some very well known stuff like Dragon’s Tooth and McAffees Knob off the AT which are a little drive from Floyd. The mountain bike enthusiast might want to know about local trails. There’s good stuff at Carvin’s Cove in Salem, VA which isn’t too far away. I never rode any of the trails in Roanoke, but I think there are some good ones there. I went to VT and there are some great mountain biking trails in Blacksburg and I recently visited and learned that they’ve added more great trails in that area too. Enjoy the house when you visit. It’s in a really cool area!
I will look into the Trek store, as I need to ship my spare gravel bike out there so I can ride when I visit. My website has GPX files for gravel and road routes, and links to all the area mountain bike trails. I also put links for restaurants, wineries, outdoor activities (hiking, paddling, ziplines etc) on a separate page as well
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I haven’t used either. Topeak Joe Blow Booster serves that role, and that of a traditional floor pump for me. I haven’t had trouble getting enough air to set up tubeless with it, but I’m sure some guest would prefer the bigger volume and lower effort (no manual pumping) of a compressor.
Either way, leave laminated instructions for the lowest common denominator close at hand because even the mechanically handy might be unfamiliar with your specific pump or compressor. And if you go the compressor route, make sure the management company is comfortable with all the maintenance procedures and is willing to complete the checklist if you’re not going to get there every (quarter? ) required interval.
On the saving you damage and hassle note; make sure your drip coffee maker is an insulated carafe, not a hot plate warmer. They may be three times the cost, but if it saves you one fire, or twice having to clean the glass carafe with boiled down sludge… it will be worth it.
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Got a Hamilton Beach w/ 2 hour auto shut-off, but will take a look at insulated carafe style. Thanks for the input!
Maybe see if a LBS would like to offer a modest savings for people that would want to rent bikes? It might not work, you might have to just list local shops and what brands they carry. I thought about a list of local ‘trusted’ mechanics, but turnover/churn could make it out of date, hard to maintain.
Maybe have an inexpensive bike work stand. Most have some tools, but packing a stand is quite a lot like traveling with skis. Awkward and sucking up valuable space. Even a wall mounted Park thing would be welcomed by many bikers on vaca. Oh, maybe a small compressor with a good Shrader/Presta head. (Someone mentioned a compressor)
One thing I’ve noted in some rooms I’ve been able to have my bikes in is not having overly plush furniture and long hanging window treatments. A ‘dirty’ chain can impart that grime more easily on fabric and vinyl things that a bike might rub on. (And I checked into a room w/bike and wife, and there was a huge stain in the carpet that she didn’t see until we were leaving. I take pictures as we check in if I see anything, and proved to her it wasn’t me, and hoped I wouldn’t have to prove it to the owners/management)
BTW: I wash my bike on our huge walk-in shower. (It’s just easier than trying to get warm water out to do it outside) The wife suspected something was going on. I just blamed it on the dog. Don’t know how long that will last. Maybe have smaller showers?
I think this is a fantastic idea, BTW. I’m a scuba diver too, and years ago looked into a ‘divers vacation house’ that had all the trimmings! Even a compressor. (It was probably 20-some years ago) I would have jumped if it was somewhat more doable. What a vaca that would have been. Wow…
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TBH - I don’t think you need a lot. The most important things are security, space and cleaning station.
- Security: being able to store the bikes indoors in a secure location. Needs to be suitable to allow bikes to dry after they have been washed.
- Space: to work on bikes, stage them, lay out gear, etc.
- Cleaning station: best to have this outside, not in a garage. Guests will prefer being able to spray the bike down and not worry about getting inside walls dirty. A hot water outlet for the hose is nice, but not necessary.
Seems like you’ve already got all these. Then you just need to include a brief description of “cyclists welcome” in your rental description and you’ll get a lot of views.
Cyclists generally bring most of their own tools and spares - especially if it’s a location they drive to. So adding these things is a nice to have, but could lead to extra work to try keep track of and make sure are appropriately stocked / complete (especially if you are not a local landlord and relying on someone else who is a non cyclist).
I’ve rented a number of different places over the years for cycling trips, and the three items above are pretty rare (even in, say, Moab) and make a huge difference.
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I’m laughing my a$$ off at the image of you explaining mud and chain grease all over the shower to your wife and passing it off on the dog 