Tag: Kit

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Why you Shouldn’t use the Deliveroo Box

The Deliveroo box is the iconic symbol of the company. It can be spotted from miles away as a rider wobbles through the streets wearing it. Every rider has one, so what’s it really like to use one?

Deliveroo Rider

The Deliveroo box is huge. Actually, it’s massive. Cycling with this thing on is really as bad as it looks. When you’ve got a whole family’s Wagamama order stuffed in there, it’s hard enough just to get on the bike, let alone cycle through traffic to the other side of your zone. However, to be fair the box does have some good straps and a chest buckle to try and minimise the shaking around, but there are sometimes where this has little effect.

The other thing to notice is the price, it costs £50! Crazy! This is a price which came out of my paycheck right at the beginning (Deliveroo have now started helping riders out with the cost of the gear). The problem is that the quality is pretty poor. My zip tore off after a month of delivering. I couldn’t believe it! A £50 bag only lasting a month! I strapped a bungee around it to make it remain closed, but I do always wonder when the moment will come when that gives way and someone’s Nando’s is going to go flying all over the road.

The back is reflective which is good. The whole panel is this reflective material which shines bright like a diamond when a car’s headlights point at it. It’s actually a really clever safety feature which makes me feel a lot better when cycling in rush hour. I guess it kind of counteracts the danger of wearing such a huge bag.

The last annoying bit is the aerodynamics. This bag is like wearing a huge sail on your back. Any slight wind and you’ll feel like you’re trying to cycle up a mountain.

Use referral code: NI132274

But….

Deliveroo has come out with a new bag!

deliveroo box
The new Deliveroo bag

This is a roll top bag (much easier to fill) with the same reflective coating to it. Because it’s not a rigid box, it’s going to have a much better fit to your back (less shaking around) and it will be a lot more aerodynamic. Good on you Deliveroo!

Like this article? Read my post on how much the Deliveroo kit costs.

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The Deliveroo Jacket – Everything you need to know

The Deliveroo jacket is the staple piece of uniform for all deliveroo cyclists. This is what keeps the riders dry, warm and shining like a fairy light as they zip through the streets with your Nandos. But are they really that good? Where can you find one if you’re not a deliveroo cyclist?

deliveroo jacket

Why I dumped the Deliveroo Jacket

When I signed up for Deliveroo I had to buy my own jacket for £40. Although you are allowed to use your own (non-Deliveroo) jacket, the specific requirements (material and level of reflectivity) they give you mean the Deliveroo jacket is basically the only one you can use. I wore it on my first few tips and found it pretty good. The jacket is pretty waterproof and the zips are made of some heavy duty waterproof coating. The reflective material is also insane; it’s the same as the stuff on the back of the deliveroo bag and really illuminates when a car’s lights shine on you. The one bad thing about the jacket is the breathability. After an hour of hard cycling, you’re guaranteed to be absolutely drenched…in sweat. It’s grim. It also isn’t the nicest for the customer when they see some dripping rider handing over their supper. For this reason, only I decided to swop it out for a much cheaper cycling jacket (you only have to meet the equipment requirements during the onboarding session, after that they won’t check what you’re using). I then proceeded to sell my old jacket for the same price as I bought it! Sorted!

This leads me to my next point: how to buy the jacket if you’re not a rider. The best way is eBay. Depop is also a good bet. Prices vary from £20-40 depending on size and how grim they are.

Check out my article on what kit you need for Deliveroo

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How to sell Deliveroo kit on eBay

If you’re finished with the job or moving on to something else, eBay is your best bet for selling on your gear. Luckily for us, there’s a weird trend in workwear fashion, so Deliveroo jackets are selling pretty hot right now; you can actually sell them for more than you bought it for from Deliveroo. Great success!

Sell eBay

Check out this link for more info on selling with eBay: http://pages.ebay.co.uk/help/sell/sell-getstarted.html

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What Bike Should You Get for Deliveroo

The type of bike which you should get is very dependent on your cycling skill, the terrain and also your budget. Below I’ll go through every different type of bike and its good and bad aspects for a deliveroo cyclist.

Road Bike: the classic drop down handlebar boi. A serious road bike will shoot you between restaurant and customer in a matter of seconds, increasing your delivery rate and so your earnings. Must be the obvious choice…or not. Road bikes are notoriously expensive, which draws a line through this option for most people, but they’re also very susceptible to being stolen. When working for Deliveroo you’re always having to leave your bike outside restaurants and houses while you deal with an order. The chances of your shiny new road bike still being there when you come back out is pretty slim. Yes, you can lock it, but you’ll quickly find out that there are pretty much no places to lock up bikes outside restaurants. Also, all that time you made by cycling quickly will be taken away while looking for a place to lock up. The road bike is great for speed, but the drop down handlebars make it pretty difficult for handling when weaving between traffic in the city. Also, your back will be absolutely screwed at the end of an evening shift.

My recommendation: Mizani Men’s Swift 500 Road Bike 

Fixie: Yes I know they look sick. They’re like the minimalist perfection of bikes; everything stripped away apart from the essentials. Just a pure charging machine. The lack of components also means there are fewer things to break. But…when you’re nearing the end of an evening shift and you’ve got one fat mother of god hill in front of you, you’ll be wishing you had some gears. Fixes are cheap, reliable and quick, which makes them probably the most popular courier bikes. But, just think about your legs.

My recommendation: Critical Cycles Fixie

Hybrid/city: Comfortable, fast and reliable. You want a bike which just works. A hybrid will take you easily through traffic with the flat handlebars, but also give you some nice speed on the flats. They also look pretty average, which is a good thing. You won’t give it a second thought leaving one of these outside a restaurant. I mean really who in their right mind is going steal a fucking hybrid bike.

My recommendation: Falcon Monza Hybrid

Mountain bike: If it’s your only option or you’re doing deliveroo in Fort William, then yeah sure go for it. But in a city, the weight, tyres and suspension are just going to kill any weeny bit of speed you’ve got.

My recommendation: BEIOU® Hardtail Mountain Bike

BMX: wtf no.

Conclusion: In my opinion, you want to get yourself a second-hand hybrid bike. Make sure it’s like a road bike (slick tires and light frame) but has flat handlebars for the control. Gumtree is a goldmine for bikes and you can find a great one for less than £100 (I got mine for £30). To be honest though just start on the bike you already own and it’ll do just fine. But, if you don’t have a bike then this will be your best bet.

Click HERE to get a £50 bonus when you signup to Deliveroo