Has anyone noticed the price of new Strida's on Ebay falling? They were selling for $799.00 not too long ago and now the price has dropped to $643.00! This is good news as the bike was overpriced to begin with but now it's becoming reasonable. I guess they're not selling very well which resulted in the price drop. You can tell the seller is raising the shipping fees to help cover the costs. Regardless, those bikes are going to be listed again and again before they sell.

At $499.00, I would be very tempted to buy one but that's not likely to happen. I tested the Strida not too long ago and it's a good quality bike. It's unfortunate the falling dollar makes the bike expensive.

I'll admit it. I got a white 3.2 version with free carry bag from the Canadian dealer because of all the Strida enthusiasts here, and enough positive reviews. What can I say? You guys were right. I'll also attest that, overall, the ride is fairly smooth and it can be ridden at a pretty quick pace for more than a few miles on its mag wheels without problems. My only complaints for now are that my hands are closer to my body than I normally like, and I'm sitting way back on the saddle to get my preferred leg extension. However, the fold is fabulously fast! The tubing is also a lot thicker than it appears online (at least to me).

Problem now is that I blew my Xtracycle budget on it, and really didn't need another folding bike. Gotta stop reading this subforum.

I didn't see any price drop on the Strida 3.2. Only the Strida 5 which may have been overpriced has seen the price decrease.

I saw the prices you're talking about. Seems they are shipping from Hong Kong.

I just bought a Strida5 from the new US Distributor - Areaware. I went for the discount given to previous owners. I would not have paid the full price otherwise. The new model is very impressive. It seems they've really incorporated user experiences into the new model. Big things and little things. It all adds up to a very nice package. The disc brakes are way overkill, but oh, so cool. The bike stops on a dime. I think Stridas are beautifully executed for the intended purpose - city commuting. Oh, and they're definitely not for introverts. I get stopped all the time from curious people.

I haven't seen any price drops on the 3.2, but this may also be because no one has them in stock either (at least online). Velo Orange sells it for $475, but in orange without the bag. I also wouldn't have paid $800 for a 5, and thought I would be missing out big time because of all the changes, but I'll most likely never know. For me, the 3.2 rides extremely well, and in the next couple of days, I'll be timing myself on my commute route which includes about a 2 mile sustained climb.

As for attention grabbing, yes it does! And it is far, far easier to demonstrate the fold on this bike than any other I own, about 2-3 seconds to collapse the frame without folding the handlebars. However, the cargo carrying capacity leaves something to be desired; I'm still debating whether I should try to create some sort of trailer hitch which I can attach onto and pull from the rear rack. That will be a Christmas break project though.

However, the cargo carrying capacity leaves something to be desired; I'm still debating whether I should try to create some sort of trailer hitch which I can attach onto and pull from the rear rack. That will be a Christmas break project though.

I got it! The Strida-Xtracycle!!! :D

II also wouldn't have paid $800 for a 5, and thought I would be missing out big time because of all the changes, but I'll most likely never know.

SB11:

I live in Half Moon Bay. Maybe one of these days we can pull together a Bay Area folding bike convention. I'll let you try my Strida5. You'll have to get your Xtracycle together by then :). I'd love to see that in person.

I got it! The Strida-Xtracycle!!! :D
I'll have to use a BOB trailer and a longer axle bolt; the left side will be held in place by the magnet. :D


SB11:

I live in Half Moon Bay. Maybe one of these days we can pull together a Bay Area folding bike convention. I'll let you try my Strida5. You'll have to get your Xtracycle together by then . I'd love to see that in person.
Sounds good!
I think I'm gonna just put my old Free Radical on a Ti frame I won on eBay since I've been wanting a lighter Xtracycle anyway. Now that the Yuba Mundo is just around the corner, I'm thinking I'd want one of those instead for carrying heavier stuff. :eek:

As for attention grabbing, yes it does! And it is far, far easier to demonstrate the fold on this bike than any other I own, about 2-3 seconds to collapse the frame without folding the handlebars.



Some days we demonstrate (un)folding ours several times a day in Summer, something we wouldn't consider with the other bikes, as it's too much hassle.


However, the cargo carrying capacity leaves something to be desired; I'm still debating whether I should try to create some sort of trailer hitch which I can attach onto and pull from the rear rack. That will be a Christmas break project though.

The Strida tows pretty well actually. I towed this chap several miles after his chain broke. He had no tools of course :-)

Did you mean rear rack *mount*, rather than the plastic rack?

I'll be very interested to see your hitch please!

Did you mean rear rack *mount*, rather than the plastic rack?
No, I meant attaching a hitch to the plastic rack itself to tow a child's or light cargo trailer, similar to what you did in your picture above (love the pic by the way; that guy looks so incredulous! :D ).

Most of these trailers are designed to be hitched to the rear axle. I'll have to construct a test trailer with the hitch in the middle and high enough to be level with the rear rack. Then the hitch itself will have to be something that can attach/detach quickly like a carbiner clip, old rubber tire strip, or even pvc pipe with a slit down the middle (à la Strida's seat mount). I'll probably construct it using pvc since it is strong, easy to manipulate, and cementable. :)

For the carbiner clip idea, I'm thinking about inserting a wooden dowel into the pvc hitch end, and fastening it with a bolt or glue. At the dowel's end, I'll screw in an eyelet screw which will hold one end of the carbiner clip.

For the most part, I'm more concerned about finding wheels; they will determine how high the trailer has to be, etc. I'll have to pay more attention to wheel options next time I visit the hardware store.

Great pic John !! ... were you in the boy scouts perchance :D

No, I meant attaching a hitch to the plastic rack itself to tow a child's or light cargo trailer, similar to what you did in your picture above (love the pic by the way; that guy looks so incredulous! :D ).


He was even more incredulous when we arrived at his car. He really didn't think the bike would manage the 7 or so miles :-)
He stared at the Strida, muttering "plastic wheels with a nylon belt drive, & it pulled all that weight, hmm..."


Ok, tow hitch - when I was making my "stroller stand" for the Strida, I tried to incorporate the rack initially, but any pull much above horizontal would unlatch the tube clip that's part of the rack mount. I haven't tried a trailer (yet) on my Strida, but I imagine up & down movement of the trailer may have the same unlatching effect.

Interesting you mention PVC pipe. As I'd like to see how practical a trailer is on a folder (not just the Strida) I started researching hitches, & the simplest & best I've yet seen is:

http://www.traileron.com/

Sadly, they're no longer taking orders, as at that price, even I would have bought one ;-)

Instead I've made one myself, & have tried it briefly on a 406 wheeled folder with a primitive home made trailer, & my wife commented on how remarkably stable it looked whilst towing it, so I'm going to go further with that. I haven't yet made a Strida version, as that will need a different angle for the seat tube hole in the PVC pipe, as of course it's the opposite to a conventional seat tube! It may also be necessary to take off the rack (simple, as it's just 1 bolt) to give the hitch a bit more height. It'll depend on the trailer design too.

I've no idea if anyone other than you or I is interested in this, so maybe you could kindly PM me your results or start another thread, or even in another sub-forum?

Great pic John !! ... were you in the boy scouts perchance :D


Hello Simon!

I wasn't, but my wife was a "Company Leader" Girl Guide, & she went off hunting & found a suitable towing stick within a couple of minutes :-)

Two bungies + stick, & we were off! My wife went ahead as scout, shouting if it was all clear at junctions;-)

We actually reached over 12 mph at times along that ride. It was good fun actually.

Is this also posted in the Strida forums? It is destined to go down in the annals of Strida lore. :D

I was outbid on Ebay for a Strida 5 the other day. The winning bid was for $520.00 USD! What gives? Did the seller lose money on the deal or is the Strida selling at a $300.00 dollar markup?

Oh yeah... The price just dropped on Ebay to $596.42. I guess the Strida is finally coming down to the real world. The price already dropped 25% since it was released at $799.00.

Oh yeah... The price just dropped on Ebay to $596.42. I guess the Strida is finally coming down to the real world. The price already dropped 25% since it was released at $799.00.

Supply, meet Demand...

Supply, meet Demand...

Agreed.

Does anyone know what the dealers are paying for the Strida? I think they're selling the bike at pretty close to break even point on Ebay.

I won a Strida 5 auction on Nov. 24. With shipping to Florida, it was only $550. I love this bike! The disc brakes are definitely overkill, but really nice. I live in Safety Harbor if anyone wants to see one up close before buying one. I've been showing it off to family and friends and everyone is impressed except for one guy who wanted to know why I wanted a circus clown bike.

Now, all I need to do is to unload one or more of my 3 Dahon Mariners and the mystery brand folder I got at Wal-Mart a few years ago.

I won a Strida 5 auction on Nov. 24. With shipping to Florida, it was only $550. I love this bike! The disc brakes are definitely overkill, but really nice. I live in Safety Harbor if anyone wants to see one up close before buying one. I've been showing it off to family and friends and everyone is impressed except for one guy who wanted to know why I wanted a circus clown bike.

Now, all I need to do is to unload one or more of my 3 Dahon Mariners and the mystery brand folder I got at Wal-Mart a few years ago.

Good for you.

The price is now down to $568.00! The seller from China has stopped listing because they weren't selling and fees can start creeping after a while. I suspect to see the Strida 5 break into the high $400.00 dollar range after January so hold onto your seat. At that point, the price should hold firm. There's no reason anymore to buy a Strida 3.2.

Good for you.

The price is now down to $568.00! The seller from China has stopped listing because they weren't selling and fees can start creeping after a while. I suspect to see the Strida 5 break into the high $400.00 dollar range after January so hold onto your seat. At that point, the price should hold firm. There's no reason anymore to buy a Strida 3.2.

Nice for now, but if the manufacturing costs are too high then after the $400 blowout we won't see anymore Stridas.

At this point I don't think I would even buy one at $400. I think the Carryme is the ideal singlespeed bike and at the moment it seems as well distributed in the US as the Strida. IMO, the larger Strida would be better suited to a two/three speed.

Also, I'm disappointed at how the Strida doesn't stand upright while folded. The Carryme really raised the bar for me in this regard and I'm not sure if I would be willing to buy another folder without this feature. Swivelhead prototypes show this feature and it seems that the Tikit might be easily modified for it (though it's not part of the current Tikit design....thank Alex for allowing me to ask him this question several times without telling me to bugger off).

"I'm disappointed at how the Strida doesn't stand upright while folded."

Lock the brakes(that is what the loops on the handlebar are for) and lean it against something.

Carry me has wheels that are even smaller than strida

I love that Marc Sanders came up with the Swivel solution but I don't like the way the Strida ride.

Maybe they have improved steering but the version I tested, forgot to ask if it was Strida 2 or 3 cause I didn't know of different versions but to try to ride it was core. I fell every three meters. I never managed to keep balance on it at slow speed. Compared to my Microbike which I could steer at almost standstill and it is still safe to use. A wonder of craftmanshift compared to the Strida I tested.

If there was something wrong with that exemplar the owner would have told me cause he really wanted to sell me on to buy a new one from the dealers. This was his beloved own bike and he was satisfied with it. He concluded me had poor balance. I ahve no problem with other bikes. I have more than 5 in different shapes.
http://www.gizmag.com/strida-folding-bicycle/8469/

gizmag.com write about strida as if newly launced on the market. Looks really odd. They could report on Carryme instead. Or any other new bike. BF Tikit or Mercedes or many others.

Maybe they have improved steering but the version I tested, forgot to ask if it was Strida 2 or 3 cause I didn't know of different versions but to try to ride it was core. I fell every three meters. I never managed to keep balance on it at slow speed.

gizmag.com write about strida as if newly launced on the market. Looks really odd. They could report on Carryme instead. Or any other new bike. BF Tikit or Mercedes or many others.

Vekling,

that doesn't seem to be a general reported reaction to riding a Strida, so maybe there was a problem with that bike.

If you have time, take a look at the Singapore Strida forum, for many positive reports from new & old Strida rider owners, covering the 3.x & 5 models.

My recumbent has a front wheel the same size, 305, as the Strida, & it's more "twitchy" at low speeds than the Strida. We can "crawl" along shared paths with our Strida 3's, with no low speed problems. When people try our Stridas (frequently in Summer) they usually initially wobble, but that disappears after several seconds. If the rider is a youngster but tall enough to ride it, (s)he's adept immediately.

I briefly test rode a Carry Me a few weeks ago on a flat, indoor track, & liked it, although I was bent down too much, so the steering tube would need to be higher for me. The only problem I see for us owning one might be restricted places to use it, as we frequently ride the Stridas (& my recumbent with 305, 406 wheels) along canal towpaths & forest parks, where the surface is poor, which the 305 wheels cope with just fine, but I'm unsure how well the tiny Carry Me wheels would cope. There's also the comfort issue with such tiny wheels over poor ground for several miles..... I doubt a dealer would allow a test over rough ground. I have read a positive report form a Carry Me owner riding over a less than perfect surface, but it's hard to know just how imperfect ;-)

Also punctures are fairly frequent here, so I must find out how easy it is to change a rear tube & refit it on a Carry Me.

I guess I owe all you Strida enthusiasts an apology.

I should have made a phone call to check up what version it was I tested.

The Owner of it guessed it is a Strida one the original. But it had had that much friction from when he bought it. He had tried to make it less friction but failed.

so if Strida 3 have much less friction in steering maybe me would accept to ride on one.

I will keep my eyes open for an opportunity to ride a Strida 3 and I will tell here the difference.

Carryme nearest dealer would be Velorution in England and I live in Stockholm Sweden.

I am tempted to buy one just for the fun of owning one. First I thought what a crazy looking bike and now the more I look at it the more beauty I see in it.

I guess Strida owners love their bikes too. :)

I guess I owe all you Strida enthusiasts an apology.


Carryme nearest dealer would be Velorution in England and I live in Stockholm Sweden.
......
I am tempted to buy one just for the fun of owning one. First I thought what a crazy looking bike and now the more I look at it the more beauty I see in it.

I guess Strida owners love their bikes too. :)

Hej Veckling!

No apology necessary. I've realised that it's very hard to know what any bicycle will be like without actually riding it! So an earlier bike may well inherently be less stable than a later model. Apparently the 5 is "nicer" than the 3, & we're looking forward to trying them next year.

For about 6 years, up to about 5 years ago I was regularly travelling to Stockholm for work, but I didn't know about folders then. Your Microbike sounds like it would have been incredibly useful, but I never saw one. A few times I hired a bike (not very good) & sometimes a hotel let me borrow one. I discovered cycling in Stockholm is very pleasant, particularly in Summer. We have a friend near Solna, & need to visit him sometime, so if you don't get to try one, we'll bring ours & you can try a 3.2 :-)

The distributor whose Carry Me I tried was the "Airnimal" bike folk from Cambridge. I didn't think of Velorution, thanks.

Apparently the 5 is "nicer" than the 3, & we're looking forward to trying them next year.


I had a Strida3 and now have a Strida5. The ride geometry/quality hasn't changed between models. In general, I think the Strida ride does take some getting used to. It's due to the combination of a steep rake and long stem. I jokingly refer to it as twitchy sluggish :). However, one gets used to it in a few minutes, just like any other bike.

There are a lot of other improvements, small and large, on the Strida5. Other than the list price, I'm quite impressed with the execution of the Strida5 vs its design objectives.

I suspect to see the Strida 5 break into the high $400.00 dollar range after January so hold onto your seat. At that point, the price should hold firm. There's no reason anymore to buy a Strida 3.2.
If the 5's break into and remain in the high $400's, that would be something indeed. However, there seems to be one reason why the 3.2's are still sold, and I think it's because of Sanders' himself; I think he might insist on it. In the Folding Society's review (http://www.foldsoc.co.uk/Mike/strida3.html) of the Strida, Mark Sanders replies to the review, and one thing he says is that while he has all Strida versions, his "personal bike" is still the 3.2 "for its abuse resistance," esp. noting the 3.2's mag vs. the 5's metal spoke wheels: he doesn't worry about the mags at all while traveling, saying the spoked version may requires more "protection when using on airlines." More directly, however, metal spoked wheels will most likely require more maintenance than plastic mag wheels in general.

Furthermore, my impression is that while he acknowledges that the 5's metal wheels and high pressure tires give the 5 "slightly more performance," I do not come away feeling, in general, that he thinks the 5 is an improvement over the 3.2 as much as it a refinement. When I'm thinking "improvement" versus "refinement," I'm thinking he means the 5 is refined by being dressier (he calls it the "bling" factor), but this refinement has done nothing to the overall ride or performance over the 3.2: for the 5, cranks are changed, wheels are changed, discs are added; yet none of these refinements have improved the ride in any significant way. [Edit: I see SesameCrunch already noted this above as well.]

Having said all that, what IS conspicuously missing is Sanders' feelings and comments about the welded bottom bracket on the 5. On the one hand, If the bottom bracket is a major improvement, it would be remiss of him not to say so despite his feelings about the 3.2. On the other hand, and this is where I stand, not mentioning the 5's bottom bracket may also be because Sanders does not think this refinement is significant. If you read his comments about the kevlar belt drive combined with the "snubber" on new models, you'll see that he favors running the belt at minimum tension to achieve maximum efficiency. If this is the case, then even the plastic bottom bracket of the 3.2 is sufficient enough.

For the most part, I think the 5's bottom bracket and wheels really come into play if you're going to use the Strida for extended rides/touring. My own experience is that the hand position is too cramped for me to ride comfortably long-term, but that is the ONLY limiting factor with this bike (my longest test ride being 16 miles round trip which included moderate inclines). Thus in my case specifically, I don't think a moderately stiffer bottom bracket or higher performance wheels would have benefited me to begin with, so I'm glad I didn't pay an extra $300 premium to find out.

Even if I did pay retail, I also got the bag. I really like the bag. :)


[Edit: Also forgot to mention that the Strida fenders are a joke; I'm surprised, being design in the UK, that they are as bad as they are. Luckily this can be remedied by cutting up a plastic milk jug. Otherwise Strida parts and accessories seem non-existent in the U.S.]

moderately stiffer bottom bracket or higher performance wheels

What about the rear freewheel? Isn't that also a difference between the mark 3.2 and the mark 5?

"I'm disappointed at how the Strida doesn't stand upright while folded."

Lock the brakes(that is what the loops on the handlebar are for) and lean it against something.

Yeah, but that's still a far cry from being able to casually let go of the bike at any time.

There's no where to lean on in liquor stores packed with bottle displays, on crowded train platforms, on escalators, when waiting on queue, or when finding a free wall or similar structure is just plain inconvenient.

Nice for now, but if the manufacturing costs are too high then after the $400 blowout we won't see anymore Stridas.

At this point I don't think I would even buy one at $400. I think the Carryme is the ideal singlespeed bike and at the moment it seems as well distributed in the US as the Strida. IMO, the larger Strida would be better suited to a two/three speed.


This is a good point.

There is no market for a $800, $700 or $600 dollar Strida. Only time will tell if the public is willing to pay $500 dollars for this bike because we all know this primium is due to the raising Euro. Manfacturing costs are actually lower since they moved production to China but the price of the bike doubled due to the falling dollar. It would not surprise me if we don't see anymore Strida's and that would be a shame. The bike has virtually no marketing exposure.

On Ebay, the Strida 5 is selling for 279.99 BPS. Could you imagine if that same bike was selling for $279.99 USD?? The Strida 5 would sell briskly and many on this forum including myself would own one.

If you remember, the bike did have some exposure in local bike shops in the US but the 3.1 would not move even at $399.00! When the sole Strida did sell, another was not ordered. The real question is whether the public is will to pay an additional $150.00 dollar for this bike.

I will say this. The day the Strida price goes under $500.00 dollars, my order goes out that day. The Strida 5 in my opinion is with that much money.

What about the rear freewheel? Isn't that also a difference between the mark 3.2 and the mark 5?
The rear freewheel, according to Sanders, makes no difference in performance. In fact, by changing to a rear freewheel, Ming cycles was forced to use disc brakes instead of drum brakes. I like drum brakes; they last forever, are easy to maintain, and stop well.

The rear freewheel, according to Sanders, makes no difference in performance. In fact, by changing to a rear freewheel, Ming cycles was forced to use disc brakes instead of drum brakes. I like drum brakes; they last forever, are easy to maintain, and stop well.

Yeah...I also suspect that front freewheels might be lighter.



BTW, anyone here ever try to to ride two Strida's connected in tandem w/ the magnets?
http://stridasingapore.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=845.0;id=1829;image
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8Ceyeeooew

Looks like the magnets aren't strong enough...maybe if you turn the adjustment screw?

... There's no where to lean on in liquor stores packed with bottle displays, on crowded train platforms, on escalators, when waiting on queue, or when finding a free wall or similar structure is just plain inconvenient.

While it is true that the Strida does not stand up by itself, to present this as a problem is a basic misrepresentation of the facts. You can put the bike down so it rests on its luggage rack. The wheels remain on the floor, and the stem (which serves as a handle when the bike is folded) comes to rest somewhere around 18" off the floor. It is stable. I've taken my Strida on crowded escalators and train stations and into any number of stores (including liquor stores) and putting the bike down in this fashion has never been a problem. I don't think I've ever tried leaning it against a wall or something; it's not stable that way.

I have never actually seen a Carryme, so I can't compare the Strida to that; from experience I can assure you, however, that a folded Strida is far more manageable than a folded Brompton, Mobiky, Swift, Downtube Mini, Kent Ultralight, or Raleigh Twenty. It's significantly more manageable than any other folding bike I have ever seen; the others don't come anywhere near it in this regard.

While it is true that the Strida does not stand up by itself, to present this as a problem is a basic misrepresentation of the facts. You can put the bike down so it rests on its luggage rack. The wheels remain on the floor, and the stem (which serves as a handle when the bike is folded) comes to rest somewhere around 18" off the floor. It is stable. I've taken my Strida on crowded escalators and train stations and into any number of stores (including liquor stores) and putting the bike down in this fashion has never been a problem.

The facts are that laying the bike down like that takes about three square feet of floor space. That's like sitting flat on your butt with your legs stretched out. I've never been able to find room to sit like that in any crowded place.

How is that not a problem? Do you stretch your legs out on the floor of your local liquor store? What do you think would happen if all the patrons in the store tried to do that? How do you think it would make them feel to courteously restrain themselves from infringing on your space, only to see you rudely infringing on their's?

I don't think I've ever tried leaning it against a wall or something; it's not stable that way. I have never actually seen a Carryme, so I can't compare the Strida to that; from experience I can assure you, however, that a folded Strida is far more manageable than a folded Brompton, Mobiky, Swift, Downtube Mini, Kent Ultralight, or Raleigh Twenty. It's significantly more manageable than any other folding bike I have ever seen; the others don't come anywhere near it in this regard.

I have no doubt that the Strida is way more manageable than the vast majority of folding bikes. However, that really isn't saying much. It is mind boggling how most folder manufacturers neglect the engineering of the folded mode.

Dahon has over 20 bikes in their current lineup, designed for a great variety of riding styles with yearly improvements to the ridable mode. However, with the exception of wheel size, the folded mode of almost all their bikes is the same and stays the same year after year. As if that wasn't bad enough, the folded mode of their bikes offers almost no differentiation from their competitors. Dahon, Downtube, Raleigh, etc all fold almost exactly the same.

Brompton demonstrates a similar apathy to the importance of the folded mode. For the ridable mode, they offer different gearing options, different handlebar choices, and have, over time, implement improvements and enhancements to said options. The folded mode, however, has remained the same since the company's inception. No engineering improvements, no models choices specialized by folding type (ex, A-type for airline travel, F-type for storing in flats, etc). The folded mode of the bike is neglected.

Strida is, of course, designed more equitably, but that doesn't mean it's not without it's problems and, in my opinion, the fact that you can't completely stop bearing the weight of the bike without more than doubling the area of it's footprint is one of them.

The facts are that laying the bike down like that takes about three square feet of floor space. Yes, that's about right.That's like sitting flat on your butt with your legs stretched out. I've never been able to find room to sit like that in any crowded place.
How is that not a problem?No, sitting like that takes up more space than the folded Strida, and is uncomfortable anyway; should I need to sit, I cross my legs. I have rested the Strida like that, and it wasn't a problem. Do you stretch your legs out on the floor of your local liquor store?No, I never sit there at all. Actually, it's kinda funny, but NJ seems to have an archaic law that liquor stores have to provide comfortable seating, so (if I needed a drink that bad) I'd sit there. What do you think would happen if all the patrons in the store tried to do that? How do you think it would make them feel to courteously restrain themselves from infringing on your space, only to see you rudely infringing on their's?You have a point, of course, but the "what if everybody did that?" argument could be made about any number of things I do all the time, such as taking my folded bike on the train. There is plenty of room for it on the train now, but there wouldn't be enough space if everyone did. Granted, I'm being selfish; and granted, I have no more right to that space than the next guy. Apply the same logic to parking at the train station: what if everyone drove a car to the train station and expected parking to be provided? Horrors, NJTransit would have to build more parking space! Nonetheless people expect just that, and NJTransit has built more parking space, at enormous public expense. If everyone brought folding bikes everywhere, no doubt new problems would arise. Society would have to adapt. Folding bike manufacturers would have to take up the challenge. Until that happens, however, everyone (except us) seems content with the way things are.
I have no doubt that the Strida is way more manageable than the vast majority of folding bikes. However, that really isn't saying much. .... Dahon, Downtube, Raleigh, etc all fold almost exactly the same. ...
Yes, I am in complete agreement, and it amazes me that these companies don't put more effort into improving the fold of their bikes.

makeinu (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=71207), I agree, they do a good job at making different models
for different needs to ride it. While how they behave as folded is
not equally taken care of.

An exception is Strida which you could roll along with you so you have not to lift it.
That is a good feature. But to have to lay it down on floor or to have it between our legs or locked under the arm is not so good.

Carryme has thought about it. But I guess it is easy to knock down if somebody come close without realizing it just stands there. I would try to bind it to something just in case.

By folder fell in the food shop recently and that was embarrassing. Despite it was standing on its stand. It is too easy to knock them down.


Sorry if I fail to get normal graphic on this one.

Edit I tried to change the graphic but failed sorry

The problem with the A-Bike was that I never felt safe riding it. I constantly had to be aware of ALL the surface cracks, ruts, potholes and manhole covers because any can be toss you over the bars! In addition, there was no way I could ride that bike at night because the road conditions are even harder to see at night. I feel the same way about CarryMe whose wheels are only slightly bigger than the Strida. I realized that ultra-portable folders are only fine if you have smooth roads and willing to take risks at night. The Strida in my opinion has the smallest wheel size I would feel safe riding at night.

By the way, the Strida is now $565.50 on Ebay so my prediction of the bike dropping under $500.00 by then end of January is on target. I better get started selling my A-Bike and beater bike! ;-)

The problem with the A-Bike was that I never felt safe riding it. I constantly had to be aware of ALL the surface cracks, ruts, potholes and manhole covers because any can be toss you over the bars! In addition, there was no way I could ride that bike at night because the road conditions are even harder to see at night. I feel the same way about CarryMe whose wheels are only slightly bigger than the Strida. I realized that ultra-portable folders are only fine if you have smooth roads and willing to take risks at night. The Strida in my opinion has the smallest wheel size I would feel safe riding at night.

By the way, the Strida is now $565.50 on Ebay so my prediction of the bike dropping under $500.00 by then end of January is on target. I better get started selling my A-Bike and beater bike! ;-)

I don't agree with the small wheel bias. I can admit that the Carryme isn't the most robust bike for tough roads, but I don't think the small wheels are the problem as much as the overall design compromise.

I have no doubt that a bike could be designed with 8" wheels that would be perfectly fine for bad city streets. It might need an extremely long wheelbase, lots of trail, maybe a bit heavy to help keep it on the ground, etc, but I don't see any reason why it would need larger wheels than 8". Holes bigger than 8" wide and 8" deep are very rare...even on badly potholed city streets. If you're really dealing with holes like that then you should also be careful walking/running at night. However, storm drains with long thin cracks are much more common and those affect even big wheeled bikes.

In my current 4 mile route to work there is only half a block that I'm not comfortable doing with my Carryme. It's a badly potholed half block at the end of a steep descent off a bridge near a parkway exit. I'd take it slow if I could, but the bridge has no sidewalk and cars coming off the parkway get agitated if I don't keep pace with them. So I basically have no choice but to hit those potholes fast and hard. The biggest thing that worries me about using the Carryme for it is not the small wheels, but the low bottom bracket and the short wheelbase. The low bottom bracket is especially limiting. In fact, I've found that the small wheels will go over any curb I've thrown at them, but when the bottom bracket/frame doesn't clear that's when I'm in trouble.

You're probably right that the Strida is a safer ride than the Carryme, but I'd chalk it up to the higher bottom bracket and the longer wheelbase. After all, many people say that the Carryme has a much better ride than the A-bike and their wheel sizes are almost the same. Wheel size is not that important, frame design is...... speaking of which Mark Sander's X-bike prototype looks fantastic:
http://www.mas-design.com/images/X-bike%20proto_crop_tiny.jpg
http://www.mas-design.com/x-bike.html
It's a shame it wasn't chosen by Sinclair to be the "A-bike".

Strida 6?