Runner support

Collecting payment through Stripe and “balance” – what is this, and why?

Why Stripe?

When BikeRunner introduced the “Runner app”, we also introduced payment through Stripe. It is one of the few international payment systems available for platforms such as BikeRunner, Happy Helper, Uber etc. With Stripe we can provide 1-to-many payment for the customer, and control the distribution of commission between BikeRunner and the Runner, plus insurance and fees.

Payment has previously been manual, either with 1. BikeRunner sending manual MobilePay-invoices to customers – and them doing 2 payments, one to the Runner and one to BikeRunner. Or 2. the Runner collecting the money directly from the customer (either on MobilePay or cash), and afterwards transferred BR’s commission to BR on every order (and in different ways). This is not a viable set-up of payment going forward – since it takes a lot of administrative time, manual actions equals mistakes, and it cannot handle larger volumes. We also have ambitions of growing even more – and also to other countries.

We had the following demands to our new payment system:

• The Runner has to get their money as easy and fast as possible, since you often have prepaid supplies.
• The customer has to be able to pay as easy and fast as possible, and not make several payments.
• Since our commissions are low pr order – the payment system cannot deduct high fees, so that the BikeRunner-concept is no longer economically viable.

All of the above is possible with Stripe as a backend payment system, but it also requires that we use the platform in the “optimal way” to avoid fees for Runners and BikeRunner, increase speed of Runner payout, and make it easy for the customer.

Different ways of collecting payment in Runner app

The “real” Runner app will be released this summer. Sometime after that it will be mandatory for a Runner to have the app, and be signed up to Stripe, to be able to receive orders and get paid. This is why we recommend that you download the beta app already now, and get familiar with it. At some point, there will be a deadline – and after that you can no longer register the order as done outside of the app (eg through SMS/mail etc).

When you are done with the bike, you find the order under “My orders” and click “Create invoice”. Then you fill out the invoice with the products you have done, and the prices you have set.

Then under “Payment options” you have the following possibilities of collecting money:

“Send invoice to customer”

When you choose this, an automatic Stripe invoice will be sent to the customer on email immediately, on the full amount. The customer can easily pay this with credit card, ApplePay or GooglePay. The order is set to “AWAITING_PAYMENT” in your Runner app. BikeRunner/Stripe is responsible for collecting the money (eg. sending reminders if needed etc.), and you don’t have to do anything more. When the customer has paid, you know this by the order changing status to “PAID_CARD” automatically. The money will be divided in the following way:

• 1.4% + 1.80 DKK, which is the Stripe fee for collecting the money is deducted from the invoice and paid to Stripe.
• 7 DKK for insurance is deducted from the invoice, and paid to TopDanmark (insures expensive damages to the bike and customer).
• The remaining amount is divided 85% to the Runner, 15% to BikeRunner. Your amount is added to the balance of your Stripe Account.

“Payment already received”

You choose this when you have already been paid directly by the customer at the time where you create the invoice (eg. MobilePay, cash at the scene). The order gets the status “PAID_CASH” in your app. The invoice/receipt is immediately sent to the customer on email. Many customers have been asking for this – they want a receipt even if they have paid you directly on MobilePay. If they click on the invoice in the mail they get – they can see that it is set as paid. The following happens:

• 7kr in insurance and
• 15% of the remaining amount on the invoice …

… is transferred from your Stripe Account to BikeRunner automatically, so you do not have to do anything or make any manual transactions.

“Request MobilePay” (new)

When you use this – an email and SMS will be sent immediately and automatically to the customer, requesting them to transfer the full amount to you on your own MobilePay. In the email and SMS there is a button/link, and if the customer clicks on this – they can just swipe in MobilePay (amount, your number, comment etc is automatically filled out). If you want to receive payment on another MobilePay number than your registered BikeRunner phone number, there is a new field for entering this “MobilePay number” under “My profile” in the Runner app (if blank, request is made on your BikeRunner phone number). The order gets status “AWAITING_MOBILEPAY”.

On these orders you will find a new button called “PAYMENT RECEIVED”. Please remember to click on this, when you have received the money. Since the MobilePay payment is made to you directly, BR doesn’t otherwise know when this is done.

When you have clicked the button “Payment received”, the order changes status to “PAID_CASH” and an invoice receipt will be sent to the customer. The following happens:

• 7kr in insurance and
• 15% of the remaining amount on the invoice …

… is transferred from your Stripe Account to BikeRunner automatically, so you do not have to do anything or make any manual transactions. But please take notice of the fact that since BikeRunner doesn’t know when the customer pays you directly on MobilePay, you will – as a rule of thumb – remind them when using this option (you can always contact us for help if you need/want to).

“Giftcard, subscription, partner”

You might have noticed that there are now labels in the order email saying “Giftcard: no” and “subscription: no”, and if you have ever taken a Bilka/BikeRep – order it is marked “BILKA/BIKEREP” with text. We have started making pilot projects with several partners – and the way that payment is collected is different partner to partner (sometimes the invoice is sent to customer, other times to the partner etc.). Customers are also able to buy giftcards from BikeRunner now, and subscriptions will be launched during 2021 (more information to come). This payment option will be developed so that in the future you yourself don’t have to keep track of what order it is, and if there are some special considerations in terms of payment.

But at the moment you can choose this option and BikeRunner will handle these orders manually (eg. sending invoice to the correct person), and add your Runner commission to your Stripe account (minus 7kr insurance, and minus Stripe fee of 1.4%+1.80DKK only if applicable).

The order will get status “PAYMENT_BY_BIKERUNNER”, and also have the button “PAYMENT RECEIVED” – where either you or BikeRunner can register the transaction of your Runner commission to your Stripe account as done. We will always notify you directly on sms/email that it’s done, since it is a manual process in this case.

“The optimal way” of payment

It’s not a possibility for BikeRunner to send manual invoices anymore, and we can no longer accept BikeRunner commission directly from a Runner to Kajsas private MobilePay (we have too many orders to handle this manually on a daily basis,-)).

On the other hand – as you can see above, there is a considerable Stripe fee every time we send an invoice to the customer through Stripe. We will now deduct this fee from the total amount invoiced to the customer (like we do with insurance). To compensate for this we are now raising the prices on some of BikeRunner’s products.

Many of you have also complained about the fact that payout through Stripe to your bank account takes much longer than before. And BikeRunner is also paying some high fees for these (slow) payouts.

This is why the main way of collecting payments going forward will be “Request MobilePay”. You get the money instantly in most cases, and there are no fees for anyone.

Since we are no longer asking you to immediately transfer BR’s commission in these cases (but it’s just deducted from your Stripe account), this means you will end up owing BikeRunner money in commission.

Instead of collecting BikeRunners commission directly from you, we instead ask you to “fill up” your Stripe account with money by once in a while sending an invoice through Stripe. Your Runner commission from that order will then enter your Stripe account, and “even out the balance” of what you owe.

The idea is that there is always an outstanding between BikeRunner and you as a Runner – either you owe us money, or we owe you. And instead of actual transactions and pay-outs going back and forth everyday, you control the balance by how you collect money on the next order you finish.

“Balance” in the Runner app

Under the $-symbol you can always see the balance, showing if you owe BikeRunner or we owe you – and how much. The app has an “acceptable range” built in – meaning that when you owe us 250 DKK or more, the app will ask you to send a Stripe invoice on your next order to even out the balance on your Stripe account. If you do not do this in the next 3 orders you create invoices on, the option “Request MobilePay” will no longer be available for you.

If we owe you money, the equivalent will happen – and the app will ask you to “Request MobilePay” on your next orders to even out the balance.

If you at some point want to pay what you owe BikeRunner in another way, or you want BikeRunner to pay out what we owe you in another way – then you need to contact BikeRunner. If you do not want to use MobilePay requests at all (but only send invoices through Stripe to customers and get payments to your bank account X often from Stripe – a monthly extra fee for this will be deducted from your Stripe account).

To help you keep track of all payments going forward we have built two things for you in the app:

• Under “My orders” there will be a filtering option on order status. That means you can for example easily get an overview of all the orders that are for example in status “AWAITING_MOBILEPAY” – so that you can take action on them (check your MobilePay if they have paid you, click “Payment received”).
• Under $ you will get an overview of the amount you have invoiced through the app – and in what way, so that you can see for example how much have been paid to you directly on MobilePay or cash (PAID_CASH), and what have been invoiced on MobilePay but not yet paid (“AWAITING_MOBILEPAY”), and the same on your Stripe account.

We hope you will find the new payment features in the Runner app intuitive, and enjoy getting paid quickly and swiftly – with no fees and as easily as possible for you and the customer:-)

Order and payment process

How does the BikeRunner puncture guarantee work?

BikeRunner offers the customer a 5 day guarantee of not puncturing again. This is common for most bike shops. This means that if your customer punctures again within 5 days, you have to go back and fix it again.

In 99% of the cases, if the customer punctures again within 5 days – it IS because something was missed during the repair. These are the most common reasons why the bike punctures again:

• There is something in the tire that is causing the puncture, that you have missed. A small stone or a piece of glass. Sometimes it can be very hard to find. You have to carefully examine the tire inside and out, both with your eyes and feeling with your fingers. A good idea is to bring a sponge and some water with soap so that you can gently scrub the tire inside and out.
• There is something on the rim that is causing the puncture, that you have missed. The rim tape might be damaged, or something is sticking out. It’s always a good idea to bring some rim tape so that you can fix it.
• There is another small hole in the tube that you missed. It’s a good idea to bring water and a bowl or just a plastic bag, so that you can test the tube under water if you are in doubt.
• The valve of the tube is leaking. Make sure the valve is tight, and test it under water if possible.
• The tube got damaged when you put it into the tire. Always use tire irons of plastic, never use a screw driver or other sharp objects. Always put a bit of air into the tube before fitting it to the tire, it’s really hard to fit a tube with no air into a tire. Also make sure that you are using the correct technique when inserting the tube, and fitting the tire on to the rim (“seating the bead”). There are many good videos on youtube – for example this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99KQMt44i6I
• The tube you put in is faulty. It does happen that a tube just bought is faulty. Sometimes it has been on the shelf in the store for too long, and the valve or the rubber is faulty. Return the tube to the store, and get your money back.
• The tire is old and worn and causing the tube to puncture again. Remember that the customer doesn’t know what the bike needs. They usually order a patch, because it’s cheapest. But you should always assess the tube and tire. If the tire is old and worn – always recommend the customer to buy a new tire. If you don’t – you might have to just go back to the bike and change the tire anyways 1 day later. The customer usually accepts buying a new tire, if you say it’s what the bike needs. On a patch order – if you assess it needs a new tube, you can just do that (customer has already pre-approved), if it needs a new tire – just send them an SMS. In most cases you can patch or change the tube so that it will hold for now, and come back the next day with the tire, if you don’t have a tire with you, or the time to get one today.

If you are sure that the puncture is NEW – if for example there is a big stone in the tire, that you are sure wasn’t there before…. you are welcome to have a chat with the customer about it. They are not obliged to pay anything if this has happened within 5 days of the first fix, even if it is a new puncture. But they might agree to pay anyways, if they agree it is a new puncture (maybe they even noticed driving over the glass, or heard it happen). We can ONLY send an extra invoice to the customer if YOU have talked to customer about it when you were there, and they have agreed. A good idea might be to suggest for example that they pay for the extra visit (95kr). You have to have the chat with the customer by the bike, so that you can show them the stone/rock etc. If you (or BikeRunner) try to have this conversation after your visit, the customer will say no, and also be irritated – so we cannot do that. Remember – it is very uncommon that you actually did everything right and it IS a new puncture. In 99% of the cases, something was forgot or should have been done differently (you should have changed the tube for example).

If you for example did a patch the first time you were there, and the second time you put a new tube in (which is usually a good idea if the patch for some reason didn’t hold) – then obviously the customer will pay the difference 259kr-179kr = 80kr.

The guarantee is different from the actual Danish law about sales of repairs and goods. The guarantee means that if you puncture within 5 days, we will fix it no matter why. Sometimes it happens that they contact us after like 6-7 days, and then we decide from case to case together what we offer. But this only applies to punctures. If there is something ELSE wrong with the bike after you have been there – the customer has a right to complain about this basically within 2 years. Obviously the longer time that passes by – the harder it will be for the customer to say that what’s wrong had anything to do with you. They are also obliged by law to contact us as soon as they notice it. They cannot for example have a weird sound, and then contact us about that 2 weeks later while biking on the bike in the meantime. And in those cases, BikeRunner will always support you about what to do.

How do I accept/decline/say maybe to an order?

You will receive an SMS and email telling you there is a new order for you. Read the order email as soon as possible – the order is available “for grabs” 2 hours, and whoever answers it fastest gets it.

• If you are not able to do it within the deadline, but could do it later (the next couple of days) – reply to the email and let BikeRunner know when you could do it. You will be notified if you get it. This is also procedure if you want to do the order but under certain conditions e.g. “I can do it, but then I want XX kr in transport”
• If you can’t do it at all – click “Decline”
• If you want to accept – and can do it within deadline – click “Enter time and accept order”.
• On a webpage – you must now enter what time you expect to come. You can also add other messages to the customer (if you for example want extra information about the bike).
• When you then click “Accept” – you will be immediately notified if you have gotten the order or not (fastest Runner gets it).
• If you got the order – the customer will be notified about your name, number and message (including what time you say you will come).
• You will be notified if the customer replies to your message – either by SMS from customer or BikeRunner.
• You go to the bike at the time you entered and fix it accordingly (let the customer know on SMS if there are any changes to time).
• Take a picture of the bike when it’s done (you don’t have to send it, just keep it if needed).
• Let BikeRunner know the bike is fixed through email or SMS 44108487.
• BikeRunner will now send a MobilePay invoice to the customer – you receive the money (Customer price – 7DKK (insurance) *0,85) on MobilePay within maximum 5 days (usually the day after fix).

If you cannot do the order after all, remember that it is not enough to then just click “decline” on the order email. You have to contact BikeRunner and let us know.

How fast do I need to go if the order says “as fast as possible” (hurtigst muligt)?

Many customers write “as fast as possible” when they are asked about when they want it to be ready. Often the situation is that they have punctured on their way to work, and they want the bike to be done before they go home.

If you are able to do it before that, that’s great. But we communicate to the customer that if they order before 10 o’clock, we can usually have it done the same day (meaning not before 16 for example).

So “don’t be afraid” to take the order and say that you are not able to do the bike today – but tomorrow – if they have ordered after 10 o’clock.

How/when do I get paid?

The standard procedure is that when you have said to BikeRunner that the bike is done – BikeRunner will send a MobilePay invoice to the customer.

In this invoice – they make one payment to BikeRunner (15%), and one to you (85%) + 7kr of the price to insurance.

They have 5 days to pay the invoice, but most customers do it the next day. The ones that take a few days longer usually just forget. BikeRunner will remind them if they do. If you have not been paid within 5 days, please send an sms to BikeRunner.

We have never experienced a customer not paying an invoice, unless something has gone wrong with the repair (then we will go out to them again and fix it, and then they pay).

In the next generation (probably 2020) of the BikeRunner platform, this process will be automized so that we will reserve the money on the customers card, and you will be paid immediately when the bike is fixed.

What to do when a customer asks for something extra?

Some customers might choose “Andet – beskriv i kommentarfeltet” (“Other – describe in the comments field) on the order. They will then describe in the comments field what they want done (use Google translate, or ask BikeRunner support if you do not understand the task they have written).

Other customers might ask you for something extra directly, either before you come – or when you are by the bike.

Some customers might even contact you directly after an order has been completed and paid through BikeRunner, to do some additional work on their bike.

• Know that you are NOT OBLIGED to do anything that is not “on our menu”. So if you do not want to do it, you do not have to.
• Assess whether you are ABLE to do what they ask for. Do you have the competences needed? If you are unsure, do not accept the order or the extra task they ask for.
• If you are willing and able to do it, you are very welcome to do it! It’s great if you can sell more – it means we all make more money 🙂
• If you are willing and able, remember to always STATE your price, BEFORE you actually perform the task. Remember that BikeRunners commission on extra tasks are also 15%, so calculate that into your price. Get accept on the price from the customer, before you perform the task. If you are unsure on what price to ask, you are always welcome to spar about it with BikeRunner.

Once you have performed the extra tasks, let BikeRunner know what you have done – and the price that you have agreed with the customer. Just like a normal order.

NEVER perform the task outside of BikeRunner – meaning that you do not tell BikeRunner about it, and just take the money in your pocket. There might be customers that ask you to do that, because they think it might end up being cheaper for them. But if you do this – this is grounds for immediate dismissal of you as a Runner, as stated in the conditions you have agreed to during your sign-up.

It is also of high risk for you and the customer, since any task performed outside of the platform is not covered by insurance. If something goes wrong during your repair, or if you break something on the bike – the customer can hold you personally responsible and liable for the expense – and BikeRunner will not be able to help you.

Tubes and tires

Can I change the tube or tire on a patch order?

You should always do an evaluation of what you think the bike needs, to make sure that the puncture fix will hold. What the customer has ordered, isn’t always the right move.

If the order is on a patch – you can change the tube if you deem it necessary without asking the customer (they have already pre-approved this in the order, because it happens often it cannot be patched). But it is good service that you let the customer know why you made this decision.

If you think the bike needs a new tire – ask the customer first. They usually accept.

Where can I buy cheap tubes and tires?

For tubes you want to go to Føtex, Harald Nyborg, Thansen or Bilka.

If it’s a special size tube, it’s a good idea to check the store website before you go – to see if they have it in stock. You can also call them and ask for price and opening hours before you go – it’s much better than coming there and finding out they don’t have it.

Check this map for good places near the address (plan your trip ahead so you know where to go on your way to the bike!).

Don’t go to a random Bike shop to buy tubes and tires – they are expensive there.

Cheap webshops that deliver the next day are thansen.dk , Cykelgear.dk – so especially when a customer has ordered a tire in a special size – this can very well be the best option. They know they will need to wait a day or two, if they have a special order.

BikeRunner has a collaboration with Cykelgear so at this page: https://www.cykelgear.dk/b2b you can click on “Tilmeldingsskema” and type in your contacts and write “BikeRunner” in the comments field.

When you have been working for a while as a Runner, you might want to buy some stock of the most used size tubes. The cheaper you buy tubes and tires, the more you make on the order. You are your own boss!

What to do when the order is of a tire, or a special tire?

When the order is for a new tube or a new tube + tire – then of course we have to bring that tube and / or tire when we arrive. In those cases it is of course very important that the customer sent the correct size and that you also have a picture where you can see which valve the tire has – so that you can buy the right things.

We recommend that you buy tubes and tires in stores like Føtex, Bilka, Coop, Harald Nyborg, T-hansen – which sell tubes and tires in many different sizes for cheap money.

In principle, the customer can NOT choose which tire you buy, so you are welcome to try to buy in as cheaply as possible to earn the most on your order. This is described on the website and in most cases this is not something the customer cares about or asks about.

IF the customer writes that they want “puncture-free tires” for example – then we should try to get it. But you then have to inform the customer (preferably in the message box when you accept the order) that they have to pay the difference in price in terms of what a standard tire costs and what a puncture-free tire costs. The rule of thumb is that if it costs more than 120 DKK to buy tires + tube- then you are welcome to ask for the extra it costs above 120 DKK from the customer.

This also applies if the customer has a very special sized tire that is more expensive than 120 DKK. However, you must ALWAYS make the customer aware / ask about it BEFORE you buy the more expensive tire so that it is clarified and the customer has the opportunity to say no thanks (which they do not usually do).

The customer is informed on the website that if they want special tires, or have a very special size – then this can mean a higher price, and it can also mean that it takes a little longer before we can come because we first have to acquire that tire. Sometimes it may be worthwhile to buy tires / tubes online (cykelgear.dk and thansen.dk are good places to order online and deliver the day after).

Instructions for specific services

Orders marked “BILKA”

Today Bilka sells 120 000 bikes a year. But they don’t have service for their bikes.

This has been a huge problem for Bilka. Very few in the bike service industry wants to cooperate with them – because they are in competition in terms of bike sales. At BikeRunner we want to service all cyclists in Denmark, also the ones that have bought a bike in Bilka. Which is why we have now entered a collaboration with Bilka (Salling Group) and their app “BikeRep”. BikeRep is an app where a Bilka bike customer can create their order, and then BikeRep distributes this order to a service partner (BikeRunner, and also others), that can help that customer.

Most of the orders we will get, to begin with, will be reclamations – meaning something is wrong with the bike they have just bought in Bilka. Most of the time, the error is based on the customer themselves assembling the bike in the wrong way. If something is broken, most of the common spare parts for the bike will be available at the Bilka store. But it could also be that the bike is punctured – either on arrival, or shortly after first use.

So the orders might be a bit different – but it won’t be anything you shouldn’t be able to handle with your general good bike skills. Later on in 2021 – our goal is to be able to offer assembly of the bike to the Bilka customer directly at bilka.dk – at the moment where they buy the bike. We just have to show we are a great service partner first:-)

What will be the difference for me?

– You get the order in the same way as all other orders – but it will be marked “BILKA”, so you know it’s a Bilka bike reclamation order that the customer has made in the app “BikeRep”. When you arrive they might think you are a bike mechanic from either Bilka or BikeRep :-). Just tell them that you are with BikeRunner, that is a service partner provider for Bilka and BikeRep, if they are confused:-)

– You are of course paid your normal fee for any services where we have fixed prices today (patch, tube, assembly etc) – and for services that don’t have a fixed price that you do, you name the price you want – just as it works today – BUT to BikeRunner, not to the customer.

– The difference is that BikeRunner pays you directly for these orders, and then we pass the invoice on to BikeRep/Bilka. So don’t discuss the price at all with the customer. There is no invoice sent to the customer in most cases (Bilka pays), and if there is (for example if they want you to do something extra that isn’t part of Bilkas guarantee), then the invoice will be sent to the customer from BikeRep. We don’t really decide what BikeRep/Bilka charges the customer for or not, as long as they pay us our price – so therefore it’s best that you don’t discuss the price with the customer at all, to avoid confusion. Just tell them “IF there is any charge for you (which it usually will not be), then you will get an invoice from BikeRep/Bilka. And I don’t know what that will be, I just fix the bike,-)”.

– This of course also means that you cannot accept payment directly from the customer on these orders. Your payment will come directly afterwards from BikeRunner.

Read before you fix an electrical bike!

As on any bike – it is made so that you are able to change a tube or tire. So there is always a fairly easy way of doing it – meaning, if you find yourself doing something very complex with the electrics or otherwise – you are most likely doing it wrong! If you feel very uncertain about what you are doing, it is better to decline the order, or even to leave the bike when you are there – even if you started it (so another Runner can come and take over).

If the wheel you are changing has the hub for the engine – there is a cable that goes from the wheel hub to the engine – that you should disconnect if you need to change that tire. Please watch this video to see an example on how you disconnect and reconnect the cable.

If you need to turn the bike upside down – it is very important that you protect the display!! The display is NOT to touch the ground at any point – then you need to remove it from the handle bars.

Also make sure that the wheel is correctly put back in its place and adjusted correctly. A good idea is to always take a picture on what it looks like before you remove the wheel, so everything is put back together in the same way. Make sure the washers are in the correct position. You can for example watch the last minute in this video. Or from 2.26 in this video

How do I perform a vask/eftersyn (wash/service inspection)?

For a wash/service inspection (vask/eftersyn), you need

• Access to water. The customer is informed about the fact that water needs to be available at the site. But ask them in your communication before you go, to make sure. If there is no water available at the scene, either bring yourself if possible, or ask if it’s ok that you transport the bike to closest gas-station and return it afterwards.
• A soft sponge (not with a hard exterior. Bring yourself)
• A brush (a dish-brush and/or an old toothbrush – bring yourself)
• Dishwash soap or other cleaning detergent (bring yourself, it doesn’t have to be an expensive bike cleaner. You should not use a bike degreaser since this can do more damage than gain.)
• An old cloth or towel (bring yourself)
• A bucket or a big water bottle (bring yourself)
• Oil/lubricant for bicycles (bring yourself)
• A bicycle multi-tool (bring yourself, screwdrivers etc, the ones you use normally)
• A bicycle pump (bring yourself, the ones you use normally)

How to wash the bike

Start with de-hosing the bike with clean water. If you do not have a hose, you can use a water bottle and just pour. Use warm water if available. If you use a hose, use a soft jet ray – otherwise you can damage the bike, and wash away lubricants in certain parts that you shouldn’t. This takes away the rough dirt that can stick anywhere. Never use a high pressure power-flush.

Fill up a bucket with cleaning agent and water (warm if possible). If you do not have a bucket, mix cleaning agent and water in your water bottle, and pour over sponge and bike to be able to wash it.

Wash (with the sponge) the frame, wheels and basically everything BUT the bike’s “drivetrain” = The ‘drivetrain‘ of the bike consists of all the bits that you use to push (or pull) the bike – the key components are the pedals, cranks, chainrings, chain, cogs (cassette) and derailleur.

Use a brush to wash the drivetrain. This is because these parts have an oil-coating, and you don’t want that oil to be smooshed out other places on the bike.

Then de-hose the bike again, with a soft jet ray, or pour clean water with your water bottle. Make sure all cleaning agent is gone.

Dry the bike with your cloth.

Make sure there is no dirt left on the chain and drivetrain. Test this by lightly holding a white cloth to the chain while cranking the pedals backwards. Without taking the chain off, it can be hard to clean the chain completely – but make it as clean as you possibly can.

How to service/inspect the bike

Apply lube to the chain. There is wet-lube (that is good for rainy days, winter and fall – but it is also messier and sticky and therefore can attract dirt), and there is dry lube (that is good for summer, doesn’t attract dirt but doesn’t stay on as long). Never use spray-lube, and especially never on a bike with disc brakes as it breaks them. Do NOT apply too much – about one drop per crank, and do it on the top-side while holding the lube still whilst moving the chain with the pedal.

You do not have to lube any other parts, because the chain will transport the lube where it is needed. But if you want, you can put a small drop on the moving parts on the back wheel – like the back gear. If you do, make a couple of gear shifts afterwards, and also remove excess lube here with your cloth. After you have applied lube, hold your cloth gently around the chain whilst spinning the pedals backwards to remove excess lube.

Check/try the brakes. For the bike to be legal it needs working brakes on both wheels (either two handbrakes, or one foot- and one hand-brake). If you can pull the handbrake-lever all the way in to the steering wheel – the cable might need a bit of tightening. If the brake pads needs changing (is worn down), you are welcome to give an offer of doing this for the customer – if you are sure you know how to do it. Otherwise just put it into your report (no spare parts are included in the service price).

Check that the gears are running smoothly by shifting all the way up and down on the cogs, by pedalling the wheel. If they are not, this can indicate many different problems – e.g. a bent derailleur hanger, dirty gear cables, damaged cassette, faulty rear- or front derailleur adjustments or the indexing (alignment/tuning between hand shifter and derailleur system). Indexing (tuning/adjusting) can be quite easy to do – but you need to know how for these particular gears. Type in gear name/model + “adjustment” or “indexing” on youtube – you will find a video. For other issues, only give an offer to customer of doing this – if you are sure you know how. Otherwise put into the report.

Check to see if the chain needs replacement. Shift to smallest cog in the rear, and the largest chainring in front. Try to lift the chain off the chainring. If you see a lot of daylight/if you are able to lift it off – this probably means the customer needs, or soon needs, a new chain. There is also a tool to measure the distance between the cogs, that you are welcome to use if you have it. Also check to see if the chain is tight enough – by moving it up and down. If you can pull it up or down by more than 2-3 cm, try tightening it by pulling the back wheel back. Also check for rust on the chain. You are welcome to give the customer an offer of a change of chain, if the customer needs it – and you know how to do it. Otherwise just put it into your report.

Check if the wheel is running true by holding a screwdriver still to the frame, and let the wheel spin. If it is running untrue, you will hear the frame touching the screw driver in certain places. If it moves more than 2-3 mm to either side if it does – the customer will need to adjust the spokes/wheel. Check the spokes by shaking them in pairs to feel if they are broken and/or loose. Only give an offer of adjusting spokes/wheel, if you are sure you know how to do it. This is something not even all bike-mechanics know how to do correctly. Otherwise just put it into your report.

Pump the tires to the correct air pressure

For the bike to be legal – it needs a bell and working lights (needs to be visible on 300 meters, and visible from the side), and correct reflectors. It needs a white reflector visible from the front, a red reflector visible from the back, and a yellow reflector on each pedal. Each wheel needs a yellow or white reflector, or built in reflectors in the tire or rim. Check all this, and if anything is missing – you are welcome to give an offer on adding these accessories, if you like. Otherwise just put it in the report.

DO A REPORT on the state of their bike to the customer – on SMS or email – on all flaws/errors or missing parts. If you want to give an offer on actually fixing all or some of it, you are free to do so – only if you are sure you know how to do it. At the moment, you can name your price – but accessories (bell, lights, reflector, chain etc) will soon have fixed prices on BikeRunner website. Don’t forget – there are no spare, or other repairs that are included in the price 399kr.

Instructions about accessories

When customers have a puncture and want to get that fixed, we always want to sell them more things at the same time, if we can. The more money we can charge for one order, the more money we all make, during basically the same amount of time. Selling accessories that the customer needs at the same time is an easy way of doing that. Since you usually must get a tube in a shop on your way, you can also pick up for example a bicycle-bell and make more money.

The accessories that BikeRunner “sell” is “white-label”, meaning – you can buy whichever (normal looking) bell you want. The cheaper you can buy it, the more money you make on the order. Just like with the tires and tubes. This is also what is communicated to the customer on the website (so they know that the bell isn’t necessarily a certain type for example).

The most normal accessories have fixed prices on the website that should always be higher for the customer than what you can normally buy in a shop – but if you are not able to buy a product that provides you with a profit, you can ask the customer (before you buy) for more money for this accessory (and ultimately say no thanks to buying it if they don’t approve). Just like with tires, the customers might sometimes want a very fancy bike-basket for example – and then of course you will ask for a higher price than what is stated on the website.

Below are the accessories that we offer on the website, with the price stated there plus examples of which ones you can buy, in what store, and for what price. You are of course welcome to buy a similar in any store you want, or maybe get one even cheaper online. BikeRunner has a collaboration with Cykelgear.dk in terms of buying bike accessories for cheaper prices. Please see the section in our FAQ specifically about gaining access to that.

All prices shown on BikeRunner.dk adds at least 50% to the highest price of below found relevant products in the 4 stores. Always try to pick an accessory that match the bike it will sit on (for example if it’s a kids bike, you can get a fun kids bell).

Bell (Danish: Ringeklokke) – 59kr

Info to customer: “You will get a standard normal looking bell. We strive to buy a bell in a discreet color like black or silver, but the bell can also be in other full colors. If the bell is for a kid’s bike – we will strive to maybe get you something a bit more fun with patterns or fun colors that match the bike and the cyclist biking it. Of course, we will mount the bell for you.”.

Info to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below, but of course not these exact bells. Buy a bell according to above instructions in a price range from 20-40kr. You might find it cheaper online.

Lights (Danish: Cykellygter) – 149kr

Info to customer: You will get durable battery driven lights both back and front, we will not buy the absolute cheapest rubber covered diod lights, but good standard medium-priced lights.

Info to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below, but of course not these exact lights. Buy lights according to above description for 40-100kr for a set. In Danish stores you will most likely not get a set for below 40kr, but you might be able to find it online.

Bicycle basket (Danish: Cykelkurv) – 299kr

Info to customer: You will get a basket that is mounted on the steering. It can be either fixed, or removable through a click function. It will be either black or steel.

Info to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below. You cannot buy the ones that you can just “hang” on the steering, but it needs to be mounted with screws. It can be fixed, or one with a click function so that it can be removed. Also it should be in metal, and not any other material.

Bicycle pump (Danish: Cykelpumpe) Price 119kr

Information to customer: You will get a handpump, either a mini, normal or standing.

Information to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below. In most cases you will have a picture of the tire, where you can see the valve the customer have- so please make sure that pump you buy will have an entrance for the valve the customer has.

Bicycle lock (Danish: Mobil cykellås) – 259kr

Information to customer: You will get a mobile insurance approved chain lock, either with a key or a combination lock. It can be all kinds of colors, but most will be black.

Information to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below. Pick a black lock if possible, otherwise any color will do. It has to be with a chain inside, and cannot be the other ones with just some kind of aluminum/steel threads inside, and it has to be approved by insurance.

Bicycle stand (Danish: Støtteben) – 229kr

Information to customer: You will get a support stand for your bike, most likely a single – but it can also be a double. It will be black or in steel.

Information to Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below. Ask for a picture of the bike, so that you can assess with bicycle stand will suit the type of bike.

Bike pedals (Danish: Cykelpedaler) – 169kr

Information to customer: You will get standard pedals, most likely in black and plastic – but can also be in metal. Obviously, we will match the pedals to your bike.

Information for Runner: It needs to be the same type of quality as pictured below. Make sure you get a picture of the bike so that you can match them. There are actually some metal ones, for sports bikes etc, that can be bought for these prices as well. Be aware that Coop does not have pedals, and Bilka has only from SCO.

Senest opdateret: 14 October 2021