Perseverance and planning have paid off for Steve Svajian and Todd Loewenstein of Baiku Bikes, at least for now.

After more than a year of presentations and legwork, the duo finally got the go-ahead for their pilot bike program from the City Council on Tuesday night. They plan to roll out their automated bike rental kiosks, which aim to provide bikes for transportation use rather than recreation, on March 15.

Even so, objections to Baiku's plan to provide bikes via stations on The Strand were raised Tuesday by Steve Collins of Hermosa Cyclery.

"With optimal placement for their kiosks, there's no way any of us could compete, especially Fun Bunns which is up the hill, whereas these kiosks would be right on The Strand," Collins said at the meeting.

Fun Bunns' Bob Levy, who did not attend the meeting, told Patch on Wednesday that "This will only hurt my business." His downtown Manhattan Avenue shop, which he has owned for 14 years, rents bikes. "I don't think there has been enough discussion about the details to make this work," he said.

Collins was also concerned about Baiku's proposed pricing, which would directly compete with local businesses. "I can't compete with them," he said. "At a dollar an hour I would go out of business. It would be unfair." Baiku's proposed fees are $9.95 for a monthly subscription and $59.95 for a year and perhaps a one-time registration fee.

Council members agreed with Collins' pricing concerns and told Svajian and Loewenstein that they would have to raise their prices to level the playing field with existing businesses. The council declined to set a price but said it would need to be about $24 for two hours based on a note Collins passed Councilman Mitch Ward. Hermosa Cyclery charges $7 per hour or $21 per day and says that is the going rate.

"Our goal is to make this affordable to everyone," Svajian told Patch on Wednesday. "But we understand the price sensitivities and we will make the necessary adjustments."

Baiku's aim is to get people out of their cars and riding bikes to get from point a to point b. The company will target the transit bike rider and not the recreational user, Svajian and Loewenstein said.

"We've made every effort to work with the local businesses," Svajian said. "Our intent is not to compete with them; we don't see ourselves as a rental service."

Baiku will position rental stations on easily accessible public property near the pier. These Strand locations provide immediate access to the bike path that runs on the beach from Playa del Rey to Redondo Beach.

"We are really excited about this," Svajian said. "We want to provide the city of Manhattan Beach a new form of travel that will be very beneficial to the people."

Svajian and Loewenstein have been before the council several times in the past year, each time stepping away with direction from the panel for refinement of their proposed pilot program.