This surprised me cause I never heard anybody mention it.
Things that is unfamiliar is hard to guess until one hit upon them.

I have had a chance to test a Strida 3.2 indoors. I did it today.

Strida are very different compared to all other bikes me have tested.

I dearly hope that Carryme bike doesn't behave like the Strida does.

The problem is how to describe it's behavior.

First. I am sure it has to be very individual. Whom the rider are.
But I manage well on ordinary bikes and I ride very well on
the Microbike which are an unusual bike in many ways.

So that makes we wonder if it is all about my inability to keep balance.

It should have to do with the way they built the Strida too.

I'm surprised nobody have mention it before. Could people be too embarrassed
about their failure so they keep silent about it?

I tried for some two minutes to get balance and failed.
If I was a Police or Traffic Officer looking out for people
who look to be drunk driving or riding then me would have
spotted me instantly. I ride like a drunk on it. Horribly!

I tried desperately to keep a straight decent pace but
I failed to do it. I never fell but I was way out of course
and would have died if me was in real traffic and not
inside a building with no cars around me.

I think there are three kinds of bicycle people.

1. The ones Strida write about on their homepage.
They master the Strida within 10 to 15 seconds
and at most it takes two to three minutes for the
worst performers. They knew of none that failed.

None of these riders mention they had difficulty
learning to ride it. They don't admit this to be the case.
I wish they had did that so others could be prepared.

2. People who do learn how to master the Strida and
who tell others that they had problem at first but that
it only took them some 10 to 15 seconds to get the hang
on how to. None of these failed and they gladly tell others
that this bike behave differently compared to other bikes.
One have to learn how to ride it. It is not an ordinary bike.

3. People like me who either never learn to or have to practice
a lot to learn how to keep a straight path on it.
I tried for two minutes and my body told me that it didn't feel
confident it could learn it in 5 or 10 minutes and the
Shop owner didn't want to me ride for that long cause I could
bump into other visitors there. I wiggled around a lot and could
easily get to to crash into people on my not so straight path.

I think me have some kind of neurological deficit a kind of lagging behind.
I am slow at such things like responses and to keep balance on a Strida
one need to have very fast responses to compensate the way it wants
to go on its own.

I hope the Carryme behave like an ordinary bike.
If you have tested a Carryme please tell me how it behave.

Sorry to hear of your difficulties in riding the Strida. I have owned a Strida 3.2 and now own a 5.0. Yes, it is a different feeling. The geometry of the bike is significantly different than most bikes. The bike has small, "twitchy" wheels, a very relaxed rake, and long handlebar stem. This combination causes some conflicting and confusing feel when riding.

From your description of the problem, I wonder if you're too tense when you were riding the bike? If you relax a bit, then you won't over-control the steering.

2 minutes isn't a long time. I can think of several activities that seemed hopeless at first that I mastered after hours or days of practice.

As an example I bought a lowracer recumbent with tiller steering. I tried it for the first time in front of my friend's house and out of 4 of us [all cyclists] nobody could keep the bike straight. We needed the whole road and a cop would have assumed we were drunk. If you had asked me after 2 minutes if I would be comfortable riding that bike at 60kph+ downhill I would have said no way. In fact I was a little worried I'd have to get rid of that bike. But, with a few hours of practice I quickly ended up being able to ride it weaving through crowds at 4kph and bombing down hills at 60kph+.

If you had a Strida and could take it someplace quiet with no time or peer pressure you might have a totally different perspective.

SesameCrunch[/COLOR]"]The bike has small, "twitchy" wheels,

Yes but they are 16" and my 10 to 15 years old Microbike have even smaller
wheels 12" also plastic and kevlar belt and short wheelbase. some 950 millimeter.
I guess most people would say Microbike is responsive or quick or twitchy too.

But I had no problem at all to ride that bike. So there must be something very
specific that are different about Strida that creates this problem.

From your description of the problem, I wonder if you're too tense
when you were riding the bike? If you relax a bit, then you won't over-control
the steering.Sorry but all my experience say that this was not the case. Had I relaxed then
I had ended up on the floor or crashed into somebody in the shop.

the more likely explanation is that I am too slow in my brain. I'm slow when it
comes to dancing and when it I try to play music instruments. Most likely I
have some kind of neurological problem or such that present itself this way.

Vik, thanks for sharing your story how difficult " a lowracer recumbent
with tiller steering" could be. I have tested recumbents too and failed
keep balance on them too.

So it took that long time. Maybe me spoiled but I would never buy
a Strida under these circumstances.

So now I will concentrate on the Carryme bike. Is it something in it's
geometry that indicate it would behave like a Strida?

http://www.abikecentral.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=472

Hi Weakling

I have loaned my Stridas to dozens of different people, all are initially surprised at the quickness of the steering & the ability to do a U-turn in a normally impossibly small space, but after a few minutes you realise that this bike is very nimble in busy situations.
The same could be said for my Long-john, people are surprised when they try what is essentially riding a tandem from the back!

(a) You need to take it outside
Then
(b) Give it more than a few minutes to get used to it

It was, after all, designed not to be a long distance folder but as an alternative to walking in urban commutes, while keeping the rider grease & oil-free and allowing you to roll the folded bike without having to carry it.
Despite having a greater choice of folders than most people, I almost always choose the Strida 5 for inner city riding, and even for some quite long rides (where hill climbs are minimal!)

But why did so many owner keep silent about how much effort
one have to put into learning it?

There was no such steep learning curve for the Microbike
I bought some 10 years ago.

That one is very nimble too if that is a could word for
how it behave. But no problem keeping balance on it at all.
So there must be something else that get me into trouble.

Could it be the angle of the steering stem? What else?

I hope the Carryme behave like an ordinary bike.
If you have tested a Carryme please tell me how it behave.

Malay news reports on a 60 year old Carryme rider who walks with a cane. Amazingly, he doesn't seem to have any problems riding even though he needs to lean on the folded Carryme when walking! See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY7tQeMyUU


When sixty year old, Uncle Syed and his wife, Aunty Norhanah and their son-in-law first stepped into our shop, Uncle Syed was aided with a walking stick. During our conversation, we learnt that earlier in the year, he had suffered a stroke, had acute kidney failure and was in a coma for many days. Now he is a recovering stroke patient, nicely on the mend!

Uncle Syed looked at the yellow Carry Me and beamed. He wanted to buy one to cycle, he said.

We were surprised because we were not sure if he was going to be able to ride the CM.

He didn't want to test ride the CM. He just wanted to purchase it and then ride it around his HDB estate.

Uncle Syed looked very determined to get a bit of exercise with his very own Carry Me. We didn't doubt his determination. What we didn't expect was his sheer determination to master handling the Carry Me all by himself, and without his walking stick or wheelchair!

Suria Channel Malay News interviewed Uncle Syed and Aunty Norhanah last Thursday and their interview was aired last Thursday on Suria at 8 pm (Malay News).

I visited Uncle Syed's home and saw for myself how he gave his walking stick to his wife as he leaned on his CM for support and then rolled it as a walker down the stairs and then took the lift (with no other walking aid!)

I teared a bit as I saw how determined Uncle Syed was to be independent of his wheelchair and walking aid. Aunty Norhanah explained that the Carry Me has brightened his days, as Uncle Syed now cycles every day. Uncle Syed says, "Now, if I don't get to cycle one day because of the rain, I will feel lethargic".

Uncle Syed and his family live in Simei and he has bravely ventured in Tampines all by himself!!!!

When Suria interviewed Uncle Syed, he was nervous as the filim props were set up and the harsh lights shone on him. But when asked about his Carry Me, he immediately beamed and smiled softly as he described how he doesn't have to use the wheelchair anymore and that he is able to depend on his cute Carry Me to go to nearby places for coffee, makan and shopping.

Uncle Syed explains, " Before I bought my Carry Me, I used to stay at home and watched TV whole day. Now I must cycle everyday to have some fresh air!" Grin

The Malay News interview with Uncle Syed will be posted on Youtube soon.

Uncle Syed looked very determined to get a bit of exercise
with his very own Carry Me. We didn't doubt his determination.
What we didn't expect was his sheer determination to master handling
the Carry Me all by himself, and without his walking stick or wheelchair!

One have to have that attitude then. Determined is the word. To go for it as we say. :)

I thought me had that attitude testing the Strida 3 but it was much harder than I ever feared.

I feel for buying a Carryme nevertheless. But maybe safer bet for me would be to buy a Carryall.
The Trike that George Lin has came up with at Pacific Cycles TW. But I guess that one cost much more.

But why did so many owner keep silent about how much effort
one have to put into learning it?

There was no such steep learning curve for the Microbike
I bought some 10 years ago.

That one is very nimble too if that is a could word for
how it behave. But no problem keeping balance on it at all.
So there must be something else that get me into trouble.

Could it be the angle of the steering stem? What else?

Maybe seat wobble or are you a 7 foot tall Viking type?

Maybe your knees are hitting the handlebars!

Otherwise I'm baffled, the other owners don't admit to it taking a long time to learn to ride a Strida because I don't know anyone else that has found it as difficult, maybe it's a badly prepared Strida.

Come with us in my Sleeper Bus to the German Spezi Cycle Show in April (with Velovision Magazine)
We will have a great selection of folders travelling with us & plenty of time to get used to them.

Strida, like many folders, sacrifices stability for a compact and elegant fold. It is usually not a big deal as Strida was not meant to be used at high speed on a rough surface, and Strida riders are usually less aggresive types, atleast when they are on the Strida.

Some of the issues are discussed here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_fork

I dunno... Suzi didn't think to make mention of it. I wonder about her cycling background.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kVVgsQt1DK4

I demoed a 5.0 for a few miles and although it felt different than any other bike I've ridden, that initial impression was quickly left behind as I pedaled away. I'd suggest you give it another shot.

For touring bicycles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Touring_bicycle) and other designs, the frame's head angle and
wheel size must be taken into account when determining offset, and there is
a narrow range of acceptable offsets to give good handling characteristics.

The general rule is that a slacker head angle requires a fork with more offset,
and small wheels require less offset than large wheels.

Fork offset influences geometric trail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_%28bicycles%29), which affects a bicycle's handling characteristics.

Increasing offset results in decreased trail, while decreasing offset results in increased trail.
is that the most relevant text then from the wiki text you linked to?

Steedman when he bought the right to Strida took experts to help him make
some changes to the geometry so the Strida III is more easy to handle and
are easier to learn to ride compared to the first Strida.

I tested this. I fell everytime I tried the Strida I and could ride the Strida III
but with great difficulty and too dangerous to be allowed to be riding it in
traffic situations. Mark Sanders wrote that it was very difficult to get
reliable reporting on which change was to the better. They had to find
persons totally new to the bike. Those who had already riding it for a short
time had adjusted to it so they could not report on what is better cause
they already accepted the first they learned.

I seem to be different than most people in that it take very long time for me
to get used to these differences and how it feels.

Why I think me are different is my experiences from trying to learn to dance
and trying to learn to play music instruments and to play Computer Games.

It is obvious that I am different. I am much slower in responses in all these
areas and many more. To catch a ball thrown at me shows how much
slower in bodily movement I am compared to most other persons. Maybe
I'm born that way. Or me have not eaten enough fish or green veggies and
such which maybe change how fast we respond to things.

I was like this when 18 years doing military service too. I was the last one
every time we took the personal weapon apart and put it back in order
again. I was last at dressing for combat and so on from sleeping and the
alarm waked us up and we should as fast as possible and to stand in line
with full armament and cloth is good order. I was always the last arriving.

So it is known from more than 40 years back that IO am slow at bodily
movements. And to ride is to do bodily movements indeed. Bikes are build
for normal persons and not for such slow persons like me. But there are
bikes and there are Stridas.

Strida are different and I want to know what exactly makes it hard
to get it in balance.


And which other bike has same kind of construction making them too more
difficult to ride?

Me wanting to buy the Carryme from Pacific Cycles in Taiwan wonder if that
one has that geometry that would make it hard to learn too or is that one
a very easy to learn bike?

If one know what to look for such things would be rather easy to see in the
pictures?

Weakling, I never had any trouble with my Strida either; at first it felt a little unusual, but well within a minute I was perfectly comfortable on it. Since then I have lent it to several people, none of whom ever had any trouble riding it. I wonder if there's something wrong with yours? If not, I am sure you will get used to with a little more effort.

You run the danger of convincing yourself you cannot ride the Strida. IMO, the Strida is different than my other bikes in that I have to control the handle bars more, because the design is not self correcting (front wheel does not pull toward the center line of the frame) as with a MTB for example. I cannot ride the Strida no hands. My guess is that you would have no problem rolling down a hill, and possibly riding once you got up to speed.

I don't know if I would if I used it for many hours of
training. I doubt it.

Here is something else me would want to master
but feel very unsure of if I could be good at.
OOups. I seems to be bad at searching.

There is already a long thread about it. I try to give
link soon. * look at end of post.

that thread only make fun of the MagicWheel
while I wanted a serious discussion of it.

and their homepage is here
http://www.magicwheel.co.uk/

The Magic Wheel.

Look so fun and cool. I would love to
be able to use that one. Such an inventive
thing to do.

I mean wheels have been around since ...
and none has come up with this idea before?

Why did it took so long time. I feel embarrassed
me didn't invent it. Such an elegant solution to
have something small and still a big 26" wheel.

Malay news reports on a 60 year old Carryme rider who walks with a cane. Amazingly, he doesn't seem to have any problems riding even though he needs to lean on the folded Carryme when walking! See the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dY7tQeMyUU

This is a good story.

I still like the Strida better than the CarryMe because it's just solid, faster and more comfortable. The Strida is easier to carry for long distances as it rolls better however, the CarryMe has one feature that's better and it's more stable and the front wheel is not as nervous. I wonder if the 60 year old man could have rode a Strida? The CarryMe is more flexible for smaller riders as it allows you to lower the saddle far below the handlebar.

I wonder how many men like this 60 year are in the same situation? Bikes like the CarryMe can really be liberating from life in a wheelchair. It's unfortunate there are no televison programs promoting folding bikes for the disabled.

I still like the Strida better than the CarryMe because it's just solid, faster and more comfortable. The Strida is easier to carry for long distances as it rolls better however, the CarryMe has one feature that's better and it's more stable and the front wheel is not as nervous. I wonder if the 60 year old man could have rode a Strida? The CarryMe is more flexible for smaller riders as it allows you to lower the saddle far below the handlebar.

Interesting, Steve. Sounds like you've gotten around to riding a Carryme, have you? If so I'd be delighted to read a full comparison between the Strida, the Carryme, and the A-bike.

Interesting, Steve. Sounds like you've gotten around to riding a Carryme, have you? If so I'd be delighted to read a full comparison between the Strida, the Carryme, and the A-bike.

A-Bike --- Wheels too small for night time riding. Very poor free wheeling. Cramp cockpit position and I'm not tall (5'7) but it barely fit me and that was raising the seatpost at the maximum height. I constantly had to pedal like crazy because the bike just does not freewheel very well.

CarryMe --- Much better bike. I can recommend this one over the A-Bike easily. Much better free wheeling and faster than the A-Bike. Problem with the bike was it had too much flex. It just felt flimsy and weak for the type of money you're spending. I still might buy one if the Strida doesn't go down in price in the next few months. Bigger than the A-Bike and smaller than the Strida.

I felt the CarryMe strength was in it's front and rear carrier. In addition, the steering was more stable than the Strida and not as squirly. The 60 year old man (On U-Tube) could ride this bike but I wonder if he could have done the same with the Strida. The amount of effort I had to put into the crank was less than the A-Bike but more than the Strida. This is the perfect bike if you have a 4 mile commute that involves a crowded bus where the bike must go in an overhead rack or between your legs. I don't know how this bike would work with a tall person.

Strida -- I've only tested the 5.0 but it's one of the most comfortable folders I've ridden. It's faster than and easier to pedal than the CarryMe. It has a squirly handlebar but it's not that bad at all. I'm wondering if it can fit between your legs on a bus because that would be a huge issue. Maybe someone on this forum who did this can share their experience. You can roll the Strida (on it's two wheels) but it's not the type you want to roll for blocks and blocks because it starts to get heavy after a while. The bike's frame is solid with no flex at all. It's quality all around and that's obvious once you look at it in comparison with the CarryMe.

Basically, I'm looking for a bus/train commuter. I want a bike that I can take on a bus/lightrail, place between my legs and allow me to sit anywhere without have to go to the back. The CarryMe can do this easily but the Strida is a question mark. If you don't have to board a tight bus or tain than any folder can do.

If you have the money, the Strida is the best performer.

Thanks for your reviews of these three bikes.

I guess a Carryme is too small and fail to carry my weight.
6'4" or 1940mm 194cm and 95kg which is ten over the limit
for Carryme.

Maybe George Lin the designer of CM thought about that when
he made the Carryall Trike. Having two wheel under the driver
and one in front should allow a bit more weight but I have to
wait until they publish spec on the small trike.

I still would worry about my knee hitting the handle bar and
disturb the steering.

I've tested two versions of Strida. Strida I and III. The III is
much better. Steedman's demand that they put energy into
finding thebest compromise payed out but the bike is still
to "squirly" for me. Urban dic suggests
suspicious;not being straight up;beating around the bush;
being up to no good;sneaky;sly;manipulat ive;untruthful

To others it is not that bad but for people with slow attention or
impaird? attention like me it would make me too un-reliable in traffic

A-Bike --- Wheels too small for night time riding. Very poor free wheeling. Cramp cockpit position and I'm not tall (5'7) but it barely fit me and that was raising the seatpost at the maximum height. I constantly had to pedal like crazy because the bike just does not freewheel very well.

CarryMe --- Much better bike. I can recommend this one over the A-Bike easily. Much better free wheeling and faster than the A-Bike. Problem with the bike was it had too much flex. It just felt flimsy and weak for the type of money you're spending. I still might buy one if the Strida doesn't go down in price in the next few months. Bigger than the A-Bike and smaller than the Strida.

I felt the CarryMe strength was in it's front and rear carrier. In addition, the steering was more stable than the Strida and not as squirly. The 60 year old man (On U-Tube) could ride this bike but I wonder if he could have done the same with the Strida. The amount of effort I had to put into the crank was less than the A-Bike but more than the Strida. This is the perfect bike if you have a 4 mile commute that involves a crowded bus where the bike must go in an overhead rack or between your legs. I don't know how this bike would work with a tall person.

Strida -- I've only tested the 5.0 but it's one of the most comfortable folders I've ridden. It's faster than and easier to pedal than the CarryMe. It has a squirly handlebar but it's not that bad at all. I'm wondering if it can fit between your legs on a bus because that would be a huge issue. Maybe someone on this forum who did this can share their experience. You can roll the Strida (on it's two wheels) but it's not the type you want to roll for blocks and blocks because it starts to get heavy after a while. The bike's frame is solid with no flex at all. It's quality all around and that's obvious once you look at it in comparison with the CarryMe.

Basically, I'm looking for a bus/train commuter. I want a bike that I can take on a bus/lightrail, place between my legs and allow me to sit anywhere without have to go to the back. The CarryMe can do this easily but the Strida is a question mark. If you don't have to board a tight bus or tain than any folder can do.

If you have the money, the Strida is the best performer.

Thanks Steve. It always amazes me that if you ask 10 different people to compare a few bikes then you get 10 different opinions.

I'm surprised to hear you say you think the Carryme is flexy. Although I haven't ridden a Strida, I think the Carryme is easily much stiffer than my Downtube VIIIH (although not quite as stiff as the Mu SL I test rode). To be completely honest, for the money, I was very impressed by the quality of the Carryme and, dollar for dollar, I've yet to find another folder to match it. In any case, I'm actually very glad to see you make this criticism because I've been shopping around for a light, stiff nonfolder, but have found discouraging comments about almost every lightweight prospect being too flexy. The fact that you think my favorite bike is flexy could mean that some of the other bikes I'm considering could be good for me too. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh?

It's also interesting to hear you say the Strida is faster than the Carryme. Alvin previously posted a different opinion:
All in, cycled the 40km on the Carry Me quite comfortably. Cruises 20kmh easily and maxed out at 31kmh on a flat road. My Topeak Trunk bag fitted snugly on the rear rack. I will say its slightly faster and more nimble than the stylish Strida. The CM's ability to carry luggage also makes it quite a capable light tourer.
Of course, he was talking about the Strida 3, but I haven't heard of any drastic performance gaps between the Strida 3 and the Strida 5.

Thanks Steve. It always amazes me that if you ask 10 different people to compare a few bikes then you get 10 different opinions.

It amazes me that you don't get 30 different opinions from asking 10 people...

It amazes me that you don't get 30 different opinions from asking 10 people...

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

It's also interesting to hear you say the Strida is faster than the Carryme.
CarryMe DS is actually faster than Strida because it has a speed-drive on it.
For the single speed version of CarryMe, it's still a bit slower than Strida.

A-Bike --- Wheels too small for night time riding. Very poor free wheeling. Cramp cockpit position and I'm not tall (5'7) but it barely fit me and that was raising the seatpost at the maximum height. I constantly had to pedal like crazy because the bike just does not freewheel very well.
Tyre pressure does affect the freewheel performance of A-bike very much.
Make sure you've inflated both of the tyres of an A-bike to 90psi before you ride it.

..........
To others it is not that bad........

For the first time in over a week, today the wind speed here dropped to less than 30 kph, so my wife went out on her Strida 3.2 for a 34 miles ride. Her previous longest was 29 miles on a folder group ride here in the UK.

I've tried to get her to ride a couple of different bikes but she much prefers her Strida. It's a good fit for her at 5' 7", & when she has to take a right turn in traffic (UK) she can crawl the bike along almost stationary, waiting for the right moment to ride on. I suppose it's down to the individual how well (s)he can cope with the steering.

The fact that you think my favorite bike is flexy could mean that some of the other bikes I'm considering could be good for me too. If you don't mind me asking, how much do you weigh?

It's also interesting to hear you say the Strida is faster than the Carryme. Alvin previously posted a different opinion:

Of course, he was talking about the Strida 3, but I haven't heard of any drastic performance gaps between the Strida 3 and the Strida 5.

I weight 165 and overweight by 15 lbs. I will lose that weight but I don't think it was an issue as the CarryMe could flex at 150 lbs. This may not be a bad thing because that flex gives a degree a comfort since it lacks any suspension. It may actually be a design feature. Overall, it's not a bad bike and I still might get it. The sample I had might have had the clamps lose or maybe the bike wasn't unfolded correctly. I doubt it but it's a possibility. The CarryMe is slower but I'm sure you could ride it faster than a Strida but it would require much more effort.

Now when I think about it, the tires on the CarryMe may have been underinflated but that was probably not the case as the LBS put more air in both wheels. It doesn't surprise me the Strida is faster and far more efficient. I tested the bike in two different LBS and the performance was the same. I really am impressed with the Strida overall, it felt effortless.

The two speed CarryMe is probably faster than the Strida but I suspect that second gear would require a lot of effort on your part.

I weight 165 and overweight by 15 lbs. I will lose that weight but I don't think it was an issue as the CarryMe could flex at 150 lbs. This may not be a bad thing because that flex gives a degree a comfort since it lacks any suspension. It may actually be a design feature. Overall, it's not a bad bike and I still might get it. The sample I had might have had the clamps lose or maybe the bike wasn't unfolded correctly. I doubt it but it's a possibility. The CarryMe is slower but I'm sure you could ride it faster than a Strida but it would require much more effort.

Now when I think about it, the tires on the CarryMe may have been underinflated but that was probably not the case as the LBS put more air in both wheels. It doesn't surprise me the Strida is faster and far more efficient. I tested the bike in two different LBS and the performance was the same. I really am impressed with the Strida overall, it felt effortless.

The two speed CarryMe is probably faster than the Strida but I suspect that second gear would require a lot of effort on your part.

Well, for reference, I'm 125 pounds.

As far as loose clamps, the only thing I could think of that might make the bike feel flexy is when the screw securing little "tab latch" behind the seat mast is loose. If the screw is not very tight then the tab latch has a few millimeters of play which makes the seat wiggle back and forth. Of course, if you tighten the screw too much then it's hard to push the tab opened or closed, so I added a few washers and dipped all the pieces in hot wax to reduce the play without requiring overtightening. The only other clamps are what I'll call the "headtube clamp", the QR for the telescoping seat tube, and the QR for the telescoping handlebar quill. The headtube clamp doesn't even need to be closed if you aren't dropping over curbs (or other situations where the front wheel would dip way below the rest of the frame) and, like most folders, the telescoping seat and handlebar quill QRs being too loose would just make them slip (not flex).

All I can say is that it requires way more effort to ride my Downtube at the same speed as my Carryme. In fact, despite having only a single fairly low gear, due to it's efficiency I've come to prefer the Carryme on smooth suburban roads (where wheel size doesn't matter); Even for 5+ mile rides that don't include folding. Poor city streets are, of course, different and for those I take the 20" Downtube (provided I don't plan on actually folding...the Downtube is okay for "just in case" folding, but way too inconvenient to be part of a regular routine). Although the extra gears on the Downtube are nice, the lack of efficiency compared to the Carryme is alone almost enough to make them necessary.

You're about the same height as me and you are an experience foldie/cyclist, so I doubt it could be a fit issue, but are you sure you had the seat high enough? Did you compromise an efficient pedaling position for extra knee clearance? I know the knee clearance is fairly tight.

Perhaps the Strida is just super efficient, but you're the first I've heard to say it. I'll have to try one for myself.

makeinu,

looking forward to read your review of Strida III or 3.2 if they prefer that name.

I dearly hope the Carryme is not as hard to learn to ride as the Strida was.
The old guy in the video didn't seem to have no problem at all.

Had that been on a Strida for the first time I guess he had fallen.

makeinu,

looking forward to read your review of Strida III or 3.2 if they prefer that name.

Heh, well I'll have to ride one first. If I were in the market for another stroller folder then I'd surely seek out a dealer, but in the mean time I'm not sure when I'll get around to it, if ever.

For the first time in over a week, today the wind speed here dropped to less than 30 kph, so my wife went out on her Strida 3.2 for a 34 miles ride. Her previous longest was 29 miles on a folder group ride here in the UK.

I've tried to get her to ride a couple of different bikes but she much prefers her Strida. It's a good fit for her at 5' 7", & when she has to take a right turn in traffic (UK) she can crawl the bike along almost stationary, waiting for the right moment to ride on. I suppose it's down to the individual how well (s)he can cope with the steering.

Its the same in my family - my wife also loves using the Strida, she prefers it to full sized bikes in the household. She is also happy with it for longer rides - we did 25+ Miles at Christmas. Is this female logic telling us something ?

As for Strida Frame stiffness .. I agree with Steve .. and its pretty logical, a closed 'A' is stiffer than an open 'F' ... the stiff bars are the 1st thing I notice after not riding Strida for a bit.

"Basically, I'm looking for a bus/train commuter. I want a bike that I can take on a bus/lightrail, place between my legs and allow me to sit anywhere without have to go to the back. The CarryMe can do this easily but the Strida is a question mark. If you don't have to board a tight bus or tain than any folder can do.

If you have the money, the Strida is the best performer. " quote Dahon.Steve


Hi friends,

I have ridden both the Strida 3.3 (owned it for a year) & the 5 as well as the Carry Me Single Speed (own 2 of these now) and a Dual Speed version. Its really interesting and exciting to hear all the views expressed about these two very competent foldies for commuting.

Some comments about Stridas.

It is true that they roll very well on the move (better than CM) and its very upright position gives it a very comfortable and commanding ride. Still one of the most visually stylish folder $ can buy. The wobbly start in riding a Strida can be unnerving for the new rider, nothing too serious but its an inherent characteristic. The Strida 5 rides much better than the 3 due to its superior drive train and powerful disk brakes. If you have to share bikes with your wife/friends though, it is quite a hassle to adjust the seat position.

Not all but some Strida 3 suffer (mine did) from a very irritating and noisy drive train due to flexing of the plastic bottom bracket. This makes it very irritating to ride. No easy solution to this design problem but let me just stress that not everyone experiences this problem.

The gearing also seems a mite too low and its easy to run out of gears with the Strida. As a commuter, this is not an issue but you will find it a liability in longer rides.

My comments are not meant to undermine the fabulous Strida. But just like all bikes, they have their strengths and weakness and does it fit your bill?

And CMs...

I find the Carry Me the most used commuter foldie among my stable. Its compact size makes it a real breeze to handle in tight spaces in crowded buses or trains. It sits smaller between your legs and its 8.3kg weight makes carrying it so much easier than Strida. Plus it rolls just as well as the Strida.

Performance wise, the single speed CarryMe transfers your power more directly to the rear wheel as its a mini-chain compared to Strida's rubber belt (too much power it slips) system. Hence its able to ride "faster" than the Strida. My experience is 17-18 km/h cruise for Strida and 20kmh for CM if you want to be technical.

Of course the Dual Speed Schlumph drive enables the CM to really fly if you are comparing it to the Strida 5. 30kmh cruising is a possibilty! Perhaps because I weigh just under 60kg, my CM does not flex noticeably.

Newbies to the CM will also find it a bit twitchy due to its 8" tires but its not "wobbly" like the Strida. But if you are over 85kg, then the CM is a no go. Bad roads too are the CM's enemies.

At the end of the day, the debate for the best commuter (Strida vs CM) continues. Strida for its unbeatable stylishness and the Carry Me for its warm friendliness and cuteness.

Our bike club in Singapore has fans on both sides of the camp :)

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?doctype=journal&doc_id=2786&v=29

ps: Forget to add that the CM is streets easier to get on/off compared to Strida - thus a better choice for the elderly/ladies/kids etc.

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/CMarticleMindandBody.jpg

In today's papers...

Good comparison ONF - may I ask what is your weight and height ?

(this is probably a key aspect in choosing between them, unfortunately I'm too tall and heavy for Carrie-Me and other microbikes)

OldiesONfoldies (http://www.bikeforums.net/member.php?u=67771)
Newbies to the CM will also find it a bit twitchy due to its 8" tires but its not "wobbly" like the Strida. But if you are over 85kg, then the CM is a no go. That is what I hope. That the CM is at least easier to keep balance on.

The over 85kg is troublesome for me. I should be able to go down to that weight
so I bought a cheap Excercising bike to have in my room to make use of when the
weather is bad. It measure pulse and calories and such so if I burn enough cal my
weight will go down from 95 to 85. Btu it will take a long time.

I wonder what weight limit George Lin will set on the Carryall? That one would suite me.

Only problem would be my length. Maybe the steering stem could be heighten so my knee
don't interfere with my steering.

I'm just below 60kg and 5'6. But I've got a 6 footer friend who rides the CM as well. The CM is quite a sturdy design and I don't think it will fall to pieces with a rider weighing 88kg... but you know we live in such a litigacious society hence weight limits etc :(

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/CarryMe-SilasandMengHow-1.jpg

6' tall Meng is both a CM as well as a Strida rider... Silas is 9 yo. He is featured in the Carry Me Pacific website.

I wish you all the best in your quest to shed the pounds - what an incentive you have. Keep exercising Weakling, and watch the calorie intake! You can do it. And when you get there, perhaps its time to change your nick :) May I propose "W2S" - weak to strong?

Looking at that photo, it seems to me the CM riders have a conventional posture while those two at the back riding the Stridas look like they are way "behind" the pedals, almost about to fall over backwards. Maybe that's one reason the Strida seems harder to ride, especially if you are short?

Looking at that photo, it seems to me the CM riders have a conventional posture while those two at the back riding the Stridas look like they are way "behind" the pedals, almost about to fall over backwards. Maybe that's one reason the Strida seems harder to ride, especially if you are short?

Maybe the Strida should be redesigned as a crank forward semi-recumbent. :)

Don't think its a question of being short as the seat is adjusted to the correct height of the rider. Its just the way the Strida is designed. Not as bad as the photo suggests really. I dont find it to be "semi-recumbent" though my wife does... but yeah, your legs do stretch forward a little. The CM is a more conventional riding position as Jur pointed out.

I actually like the Strida riding position. Feels "relaxed". :)

George Line seems to sit in a very relaxed position on the CM too?
FromWeak2Strong, StrongWeakling, Nah, they don't allow me to change name.
Bikeforum is strict on such. But thanks for encouraging me.

Measured from ground up what is the most high the handlebar could go?
the bike I use now have handlebar 41" or 1040 mm over ground and it is
some 22" or 560 mm from middle of saddle to middle of handlebar.

how much tighter or smaller is CarryMe?

The saddle I want some 35" to 36" or 900mm to 920 mm over ground.
Does CM provide that?

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/CMarticleMindandBody.jpg
In today's papers...
Here is a larger version:
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o74/amurolee/CMarticleMindandBody.jpg

Looks to me he has a rather relaxed posture with stand up back
instead of leaning forward putting all weight on hand wrist like racer bikes.

That's right strida riding posture is very comfortable. Bought the carry me ds for Silas and he's handling it like a pro. The lady right at the back, well she still having problem with the strida twitchiness. I have a curv D3 and birdy Alivio. Each bike has its strong point. However in strida case, be prepare for unwelcome noise from its plastic bottom bracket housing and the saddle support as the bike reaches its half anniversary. My wife's strida is 5 months old and seldom use. Well its like what oldies on foldies said, not all has this problem, my wife's bike is the odd one. Btw thats me the one behind the yellow strida.

Thanks,

I found in one text on wikipedia that there are even laws on how well
a bike should handle itself. :)


Legal requirements

The state of North Dakota (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Dakota) (USA) actually has minimum and maximum

requirements on rake and trail for "manufacture, sale, and safe operation

of a motorcycle upon public highways."[10] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_%28bicycles%29#_note-6)
"4. All motorcycles, except three-wheel motorcycles, must meet the following

specifications in relationship to front wheel geometry:
MAXIMUM: Rake: 45 degrees - Trail: 14 inches [35.56 centimeters] positiveMINIMUM:
Rake: 20 degrees - Trail: 2 inches [5.08 centimeters] positive Manufacturer's
specifications must include the specific rake and trail for each motorcycle

or class of motorcycles and the terms "rake" and "trail" must be defined by the director

by rules adopted pursuant to chapter 28-32."

Ok that is motor cycle and not bicycle. But you get my drift. Too difficult to steer and

you could become a cause for accidents .The same idea about having good sight or

20-20 eyesight for to be able to get out on the roads.





So me on a Strida in North Dakota is not to think of.




I wish me could understand these terms better.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trail_%28bicycles%29



mechanical trail (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_and_motorcycle_geometry#mechanical_trail) and rake offset and the other relevant words.

These txts are too difficult for me to grasp. I wish they had a

Technical Museum of Vehicles and there they could have a bike

that had all these parameters changeable with numbers.


Then one could test ride a bike with a given mechanical trail and

get a feel for what is needed for me to have for to be stable on it.




Unless I wait another 6 month and by a trike cause they have no trouble. :)

Ok could have too close to the handlebars so my knees bump into them

even on them.

Look at the angle of a Strida III
http://www.stridaforum.com/images/strida%20photograph%201.jpg

compared to the old Microbike that is easy to ride on.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/499497665_222ad9d48f_o.jpg

Microbike and Carryme and many other bikes have very similar angle for the
steering while Strida due to it being a triangle is more slanted.

I wonder about the Ezybike that one is a triangle too.
http://www.ezybike.com/20050320NewDesign/englishweb/P10.jpg

How do Imake the first picture normal size. too big now.