I am an avid bicycle tourer, and I think it’s important in general, i.e. for other members as well, to be able to easily browse the map for hosts, for hosts to indicate availability of a tent space, and specifically for bicycle tourers, for hosts to indicate availability of secure bike storage. While I only skimmed the thread, the latter is the only suggestion not implemented that I imagine will bring actual benefits to a significant subset of the users, because many (almost all?) bicycle tourers are interested in knowing this piece of information and thereby will have to worry and inquire less. Jesse’s suggestion looks perfect to me.
In my experience there are many non-touring travellers who carry their own stuff and are likely to leave early in the morning. And I am a lazy bicycle tourer that very often might not leave early in the morning. I agree that the proportion of qualifying bicycle tourers is much higher than the traveller average, but still, it seems too arbitrary an observation/correlation to warrant any kind of bicycle-related site official association. If guests belonging to such categories (carry their own stuff, leave early, etc.) make signiciantly more attractive guests to some hosts (this would be understandable), I can see an argument for putting options for hosts to indicate (the strength of) a preference for such guest characteristics, but several of these would carry their own drawbacks, so I am not sure…
But I am happy you are bringing this up now that Warmshowers is monetized; I will do some brainstorming. ![]()
Edit: Sorry, I was in a hurry and did not read it all. I like some of Hjalls’ and cdmbs’ suggestions as well, but I am not sure they will provide enough value to justify implementation. Maybe the washer and dryer one…? As for bicycle repair tools: Most tourers carry quite a few. If a different, more esoteric tool is required, one would have to ask the host anyway? One would probably have to ask fewer people, yes, but still… I suspect, again, that the category might not be sufficiently meaningful.