Today we’d like to introduce you to John Huntington.
John, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started my company in 2010 and worked it by myself for three years. The past three years I’ve had employees to help me out. The biggest problem I had was that the Hydrobikes I’m using breaks constantly. So I got a little carried away and decided to build my own water bike it’s taken two years and I’m finally in production . And then I got carried away again and decided to make an eight passenger water bike with a bar some people call it a tiki bar we like to call it a water bike trolley you know like the ones you see on the street people peddling from bar to bar.
We are past the trial stage and going into manufacturing. Now I’m looking for new locations to rent the bike and trolleys at . We designed the bike to rent not for sale so we want to control the rental market our bike is tough and doesn’t break. It really is quite an improvement.
I could go on forever but I’ll keep it short thank you for the opportunity.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Well, we have the challenge of building the bikes in my garage and last year we assembled the trolley in my front yard as a Christmas display great for party and then we had to produce the moles for the hulls and plastic deck very .
We located a small manufacturing facility in West Long beach one of Jesse James old polishing shops. Working out pretty good biggest challenge find new locations must find new locations hotels bars on the water people love the trolley bar .
Please tell us about Long Beach Hydrobikes/The Water Bike Co.
There are three manufacturers of waterbikes maybe four. One out of Minnesota Hydrobikes, Sea Cycles out of Florida , and a Chinese bike. The thing I’m proud of Stan after six years experience of running is my bike does not break like Hydrobikes is extremely rentable in which city cycles hard and it actually works because the Chinese bike doesn’t work at all.
All the product we’ve designed is designed to rent to be rugged and easily fixed we went from 257 parts for Hydrobikes or Sea Cycle to 58 parts. Our business is a very low overhead in a very high gross nothing like renting how desirable product to tourist.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I was born in California moved Oklahoma when I was six years old returned when I was 12 . We took the train back I can remember touching the ground in California for the first time great childhood memory .
Pricing:
- A single water bike rents from 20 to40 dollars depending on location
- The trolley bar rents from $25-$50 per person per hour
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Phone: 5622347150
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credit:
Kate jones
