Folding Bikes - This has got to be one of the oddest looking bikes I've ever seen.

Another Strida fan here. I have had mine for several years now, and it is great for around the neighborhood errands and I would say up to 4 miles. I guess I could go further on it, but I do have several bikes and I choose the others for longer trips. It excels for trips to the bank, groceries, local bakery, etc, one can just fold it up and wheel it like a baby stroller to go inside the establishment. I must admit though that I haven't ridden my Strida ever since I had my Brompton.

To the guy who said that this is a 'circus bike' - dude, you simply do not know what this bike is for. It may not work for you in W. Virginia, but it really does shine in a city environment. I'd like to see you go around here in your Paratrooper. Do you wear jackboots when you ride it?

Me with the Strida:
http://piofort.zenfolio.com/img/v0/p925081538-4.jpg

Excellent photo! Looks like you would right in with the neighbourhood gangs. Get them to ride Stridas! :thumb:

wow, hardcore strida2 rider! lookin good!

here is my work in progress:

http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/2811/aimg5448mediumqb6.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/4792/aimg5434medium2kq5.jpg

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/6941/aimg5466mediumtv2.jpg
more here:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?p=6816643#post6816643


ohhhhh and the MYSTERY belt stretch has been solved:

the distance between the crank and rear cog never change, that much is true. the lower tube can turn 360 degrees and yes, the belt will stay the same "tauntness".

now keep in mind, that im on a knock-off, so my tolerances may be worse than the real-deals, but when the bottom tube is folded down into the full folded position, the bottom tube locks into position by pressing against the front-tube.
The head of the bottomtube is flanged such that its pressure locks it to the front tube. Its this pressure that pushes the bottom tube slightly in respect to the rear cog.

so in looking down over both cogs with the bike standing, the front crank is now on a slight angle compared to the rear cog, and it adds about a 1mm-2mm to the distance between the front crank to cog.

yup, i called up my buddy encycolopedia brown and he gave me the straight goods.

That's looking very nice indeed! Changing the seat means much longer rides can be undertaken without needing an arse implant! LOL! If you find wooden mudguards to suit it let me know. :thumb:
Chop!

Why? It is a bike, and it folds.

I said a 'true' folding bike, not one you have to take the front wheel off first! That's a partial fold but then might be a little hard for you to understand precise English EH and the finer points of Stridas or any of the other 'true' folders like Bromptons etc for that matter! :D :troll:

Glad you guys turned the op's silly comments into a Strida fest lol!

GO GUYS! :roflmao2::beer::giver:

Great stuff Trueno2 stylish and quirky! :D Shows how capable it is at handling a pannier set too.

What I don't understand about the strida is why they don't put an adjustable stem on it. If it wasn't that fixed height/fixed reach thing and instead was some sort of a-head clamped thing that could be positioned lower down the headtube one could get a better reach and not knock the bars with one's knees.
Similarly - they should put a schlumpf speed overdrive on the BB and give you the option to slide that back for a less 'leg-forward' ride. Maybe offer four positions and then offer four belt lengths that fit with those increments. I like the basic design but feel it's taken a shedload of time to not really evolve that much into something more flexible and with a more stable feeling ride.

Supplemental to previous post - I don't really see why it has to have such crazy geometry other than for the two wheels to line up in the fold. I just had a mess about and have drawn a Strida-style bike with the same folding/hinge mechanism but with the geometry of a Dahon Mu; I'm sure there are likely issues with the BB and wheels occupying the same space in the fold but surely this would be a good direction for the bike to go in. Safer, more flexible, only a negligably bigger fold. I know which I'd rather ride.

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/strida.gif

Why don't you team up with people like Mark Sanders or even steve Parry LP? You seem to have a flair for product development in folders and I'm not being sarcastic. I've seen the mods or builds on your bikes and they are both technically and aesthetically excellent.

those drawings look great, but if you were to fold it, the crankset is going to have some difficulty with the front wheel...

just use the normal strida dimensions, but make the bottom-tube telescopic after the bottom bracket. This can lengthen the wheelbase. Add that nifty seat post idea and i think we have a winner.

Hmm... yes... back to the drawing board! :)
Folding pedals along with a sliding bottom bracket and shaft-drive combo might help...

those drawings look great, but if you were to fold it, the crankset is going to have some difficulty with the front wheel...

just use the normal strida dimensions, but make the bottom-tube telescopic after the bottom bracket. This can lengthen the wheelbase. Add that nifty seat post idea and i think we have a winner.

Ah ha - that's exactly what I was going to say. It wouldn't fold because the crank is fouling the wheel.

Hmm... yes... back to the drawing board! :)
...

Actually, I tried the same thing a couple years ago and came up with a similar design and, of course, the same problem. Another problem is that this approach dispenses with one of the Strida's best features, the way the wheels click together when it's folded. This is what makes the folded package so convenient to move around. You could avoid this problem by changing the top "headset" hinge from its present ball-and-socket to another detachable pin-and-pivot like the lower "headset" hinge. Unfortunately this would result in combination of separable and foldable design, and it would take some clever engineering to make that into a package that's convenient when folded. Another way to do it would be to put another hinge in the seat tube.
This isn't perfect, but imagine this (you have to imagine the drivetrain too):http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3168/2553943434_905ae0a251.jpg?v=0

... Folding pedals along with a sliding bottom bracket and shaft-drive combo might help...
No, and no, respectively. You'd be losing more of Strida's best features. Sorry!

Actually, I tried the same thing a couple years ago
How interesting! And so similar!

Unfortunately this would result in combination of separable and foldable design, and it would take some clever engineering to make that into a package that's convenient when folded.

Ok - so how about this; There's an extending pole inside the 'headtube' that's like the seatpost on most bikes. When you fold you do what some may think as counter-intuitive—and extend it to a notch where the length between the top of the stem and the front axle is equal to the stem-to-rear axle length of the top tube.

Then when you swing it to mate with the other half the wheel doesn't foul the cranks and you're sorted. See below:

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/strida_2.jpg

I changed the angle of the seatube too so it emerges in front of the BB.

No, and no, respectively. You'd be losing more of Strida's best features. Sorry!
Driveshafts caught on in the Automotive world. They can't be *that* bad! :)

reverse telescoping front tube.. retracted when unfolded but then extended when folded - BRILLIANT!

i guess the only thing to do is figure out how the front brake cable can cope with the change in lengths without a slacky mess all over. but i love how the design is kept simple. damn thats amazing.

structurally tho, i think the hole in the top tube to accomedate for the seat tube creates a huge weak spot.. and seeing as thats directly below the heaviest part of the bike (rider) it would need some serious reinforcement along the sides.. aluminum would be too soft i think.

How interesting! And so similar!
Oh, but the drawing I posted today was based on the one you posted. The one I did a couple years ago was similar, but I can't find it right now.
Ok - so how about this.... I like it! see below.

Driveshafts caught on in the Automotive world. They can't be *that* bad! :)
If you can put said shaft inside the crank tube, you'll have my vote.
reverse telescoping front tube.. retracted when unfolded but then extended when folded - BRILLIANT!
I agree, that's a great idea. Adding to it: make it so when you extend the front tube, this releases the crank tube; when you compress the front tube, it locks the crank tube in place. The present arrangement works, but it's one of the design's weak links. Imagine trying to bunny hop a Strida, and you'll get the picture!

i guess the only thing to do is figure out how the front brake cable can cope with the change in lengths without a slacky mess all over. but i love how the design is kept simple. damn thats amazing.
True. This problem will be easier to solve at the prototype stage.

structurally tho, i think the hole in the top tube to accomedate for the seat tube creates a huge weak spot.. and seeing as thats directly below the heaviest part of the bike (rider) it would need some serious reinforcement along the sides.. aluminum would be too soft i think.
Yes, but note that the Strida is already an asymmetrical design. Obviously some parts of the bike have to be symmetrical, such as the wheels, pedals, seat, headset, and handlebars; but if the seatpost ends up mounting to the side of the seat tube, that's not necessarily a problem.

Okay, now, here's yet another idea. Plastic wheels, good, but make them different sizes. When folded, the smaller wheel nests inside the larger one. The bigger wheel should be in the front, by the way. This will give a more comfortable ride, and allow the folded bike to roll in either direction. The existing Strida only rolls forward; rolling backwards turns the crank until it hits the rack, and then the bike stops rolling.

Keep your thinking caps on! What'll we call her? How 'bout "Astrid?"

There are a lot of people here with design brains. Manufacture is now cheap in China, plus we know a folding bike manufacturer well. Is it time for us to actually take this seriously? I'd be in on the marketing end.....

I think Strida might still have a few Patents that would foil such a plan haha.
I just like working out a problem. The bike has sucky handling - but there's no real need for it, so off to the drawing board I go.

I think they just like the equalateral triangle design and are being quirky for it's own sake; They could make the exact same bike with the same patents and better geometry, with only a minimally more fussy folding procedure but they went against it.

RE setting up one's own folding company... What's the liability like when one of your client's bikes folds in use and they get their front teeth remodelled...?:O

Maybe this is why there's only a few radical designs and most people stick to improving the conservative proven geometries. Fear of litigation.

The bike has sucky handling

The Strida does not have "sucky handling". It is a very nimble and agile bike. It has extremely quick and responsive steering. That is its virtue, not a failing.

To say that it has "sucky handling" is the same as saying that a Mazda Miata has "sucky handling" when all you've ever driven is a Ford Crown Victoria. I think those who criticize its "sucky handling" have never ridden it at all, or for any length of time. Do some serious mileage on a Strida, and you'll come to appreciate its unique characteristics.

I own a Lightfoot Ranger long wheelbase dual 26" wheel recumbent. I don't whine and complain that my Strida doesn't handle like it, or vice versa. I also own a compact long wheel base recumbent Maxarya, and a Dahon Jetstream P8. I love the different riding experience I get on each one. I don't BMW (beech, moan & whine) about their different riding characteristics as being "sucky handling".

The Strida does not have "sucky handling". It is a very nimble and agile bike. It has extremely quick and responsive steering. That is its virtue, not a failing.

To say that it has "sucky handling" is the same as saying that a Mazda Miata has "sucky handling" when all you've ever driven is a Ford Crown Victoria. I think those who criticize its "sucky handling" have never ridden it at all, or for any length of time. Do some serious mileage on a Strida, and you'll come to appreciate its unique characteristics.


i think tho for riders that are taller or around 6'5", its about the max a strida can do.. its like putting Jeremy Clarkson into a mazda miata and have him comment on enough headroom! It will only handle brilliantly once u have figured (or compensated) for the size restrictions. I find it suits asian people quite well, but then again, we aint that tall (with the exception of yao ming etc).

its nimble handling is indeed a bonus in the city, i'm accoustomed to it and i guess its the restricted speed allows that..

now can someone tell me if its possible if a DUOMATIC can be fit to the rear wheel and still mount?

http://hubstripping.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/4fichtel-sachs-torpedo-duomatic-adjustment.jpg

The Strida does not have "sucky handling".
I'm sorry - I should have chosen my words more carefully. I meant 'unconventional and hard to pick up if you're used to bikes without such extreme geometry and the strange riding characteristics inherited from such angles". I've read *so many* accounts of riders having severe problems making one of these go safely then it must just be an acquired taste - like fixed riding, bents or whatever.

Well, however you describe the handling of a Strida, I think we can agree that it's handling is sufficiently different from that of a "regular" bike that some descriptive term ("sucky" or "quirky" or "exceptional" or whatever) is appropriate, or even necessary; and frankly most people are going to pick a term with a negative connotation. To varying degrees this is true of every folding bike I've tried, especially those with 16" or smaller wheels.

That said, I don't really have a problem with the term "sucky." Strida is a brilliant design, and improving on it would be quite a feat. I commuted on mine twice this week. I have had --and still have-- plenty of problems with mine; but the problems I've had have been with the manufacturing quality, quality control, customer service, availability of proprietary parts, and so on. I remain a fan, especially of the design.

On the other hand... if we can put together a team of enthusiasts who want to make it even better, count me in!

i wouldn't mind hearing about the problems you have had with your unit, RHM. share!

Same here. His problems may be with the older design using proprietary plastic wheels, bottom bracket shell, etc. Those problems have been eliminated in the newer 5.0 design that use allow spoked wheels and metal BB housing. There are still plenty of proprietary parts, though, including plastic seat mount and plastic belt pulley/"chainwheel".

i wouldn't mind hearing about the problems you have had with your unit, RHM. share!

Okay. Nothing here I haven't said before, but....
I got my Strida in March 2005 and rode it about 5 miles a day, almost every day I worked, until May 2007. By a conservative estimate, it has somewhere over 2000 miles on it. The farthest I ever rode it was about 15 miles.

While it was still under warranty,
1. I broke the socket/hinge at the top of the steerer tube. Strida sent a replacement for free, but changing it was pain in the @$$, and the directions supplied were more or less useless.
2. I also broke three freewheels, which were evidently defective. Strida sent replacements free of charge. Removing the freewheel from the spindle is difficult; you need special tools; so Strida sends a whole "pulley" unit (spindle, freewheel, chainring, etc). You have to remove the crank arms, but you do not have to take the pedals off the crank arms. You'll soon see why I mention this....

After the warranty expired,
1. I broke the socket/hinge at the top of the steerer tube again.
2. Belt slippage became unbearable, and attempts to tighten it resulted only in bolts so stripped that further tightening (or loosening) was impossible.
3. Left handlebar got looser and looser until the bike was becoming a little frightening to ride.
4. Brakes got weak, weaker, and finally nearly useless. Tightening the front cable helped, but tightening the rear cable did not. Replacement parts were not available. I eventually figured out a way to make the brakes work again, which involved jamming a piece of metal into the brake; I think there's a thread on this somewhere.
5. Finally the belt broke. It was at this point that the bike was parked and replaced with a Downtube Mini, which has been my main bicycle ever since.

I emailed Strida that I would like to have them do the complete factory refurbishment service offered on their website. They replied that this service was not actually available. They offered me a discount on a new one, which I declined. I did not like that. Bicycles can be repaired. If any bicycle of mine gets so worn out that it has to be replaced, I will not replace it with the same model. Call me old fashioned.

I ordered a big lot of parts from Strida, to correct the problems described above (but not the brake problem, they didn't have any solution for me, and my fix was still working). It was not cheap. The parts took an eternity to arrive and, when they did, there was an astonishing discrepancy between what I thought I ordered and what actually arrived. Where I wanted one handlebar (basically a five inch piece of aluminum tubing), I received two, complete with brake levers and grips. Where I wanted a pair of mudguard extensions, I received one. Where I ordered one plastic socket for the steerer, I received two. And to top it all off, they sent the wrong BB bolts, so I remain unable to adjust the belt tension. It was at this point that Strida stopped responding to my emails. Frankly I can't blame them; I guess they were sick of me, and I was sick of them, and that was that.

I eventually returned the Strida to approximately ridable condition, though belt tension remained (and remains) an issue. Something, however, was still wrong; the bike felt floppy and wobbly and I couldn't figure out what was wrong. It turned out that the pedals were about to fall off, which I learned by dumb luck, though not exactly good luck:

Namely, the R folding pedal on the Downtube Mini broke and, needing a quick replacement, I took the pedal off the right side of the Strida and tried to install it on the Mini. Strangely, it wouldn't thread on; and on closer inspection, it proved to be a L pedal! So I took the left side pedal off the Strida; it proved to be an R pedal, so I put that on the Mini. I ordered replacement pedals from Harris, and when those arrived, I put the pedals back on the Strida, this time on the correct sides. The threads are, of course, badly damaged; I used a lot of locktite and I hope it will hold until I can find replacement cranks. I would like to find 140 mm or shorter cranks without attached spider... but I'm not looking very hard.

Since then, my old Strida has been functioning to an acceptable level, and I ride it when a flat tire or other problem disables the Mini, which happens now and then. But I hate the belt slippage and cannot fix it. I have followed the threads concerning the bogus Strida 5's seen on Ebay now and then, and am sometimes tempted to buy one. I am not in the least tempted, however, to buy a real one.

I'm sorry - I should have chosen my words more carefully. I meant 'unconventional and hard to pick up if you're used to bikes without such extreme geometry and the strange riding characteristics inherited from such angles". I've read *so many* accounts of riders having severe problems making one of these go safely then it must just be an acquired taste - like fixed riding, bents or whatever.

Strida5's are now in London Stores eg Bikefix and velorusion - why dont you try one ?.... (too late for me .. damn !).

If you have already - nah worries. But I have heard so many comments from people who have never tried one or who know of a friend's uncle's son's wife who had one once, 20 yrs ago :D. Differrent, yes, bad .. hell no - great fun

Good luck with the race tomorrow BTW - sorry i am away or would have come and supported "Go pixel Go".

wow RHM, wow, that is some serious communication issues.

However, with ur collection of spare mis-shipped parts, spare old strida and higher-than-average knowledge of bicycles, I encourage you to get a fake. The quality of the fake looks to be heads and shoulders better than the 'beta model in field testing' that you had purchased. It has a welded bottom bracket, and wear and tear items such as the belt and possibly head-pivot can be replaced with ur spares. the new bottom bracket incorporates a snail cam that can take up the slack for the belt.. and a rear snubber to keep the rear cog toothed at all times. I can ride mine standing out of saddle at very high cadence and nothing has broke yet.

or you could simply kit-bash both of them into the ultimate strida.

sounds like you authored the anglefire page that lists a crap load of broken and spare parts. im really surprised their customer service stopped responding as their attitude in asia (probably closer to larger parent company, Ming Cycles) is supposedly very good.

I didn't want to take my chances on a 'unique' bike with a bunch of propietary parts only to have them break or fail and not have a replacement at my LBS.. so i figured the fake will be fine. The belt is the only thing im having trouble sourcing in toronto, canada, as I wouldn't mind a spare hanging in my parts bin, if mine decides to give up.

WoW rhm - I would have been well p*ssed off if I had taht bike / service !

All I had was the freewheel mullarky on my 3, and they sent me a whole new axle. Although I know the belt will jump, without the later bearing that holds it on the rear pulley. But thats if I really stand on it and I prefer to run the belt tension low - it feels freer.

Not sure I'd want a fake tho', its more than the money ..but there is another l o n g thread on that - but it gets a bit boring !

... sounds like you authored the anglefire page that lists a crap load of broken and spare parts. ...
I don't remember doing that! Got a link?

WoW rhm - I would have been well p*ssed off if I had taht bike / service ! p*ssed, disgusted, fed up, weary ... right. Not all the same thing, but close enough. $*** happens, you know?

All I had was the freewheel mullarky on my 3, and they sent me a whole new axle. Although I know the belt will jump, without the later bearing that holds it on the rear pulley. But thats if I really stand on it and I prefer to run the belt tension low - it feels freer. Yup, same here. Except, of course, that my belt tension is no longer adjustable. Well, it's probably not that bad, I should work on it, but ... you know ... p*ssed, disgusted, fed up....

Not sure I'd want a fake tho', its more than the money ..but there is another l o n g thread on that - but it gets a bit boring !
I saw it, and read it with interest, but my reaction to it was tempered by my experience. I also read Mark Sanders' request that we not buy the fakes, and I respect his advice, though I do wonder what he'd do if he were in my shoes. Probably the same thing as I'm doing, which is nothing.

At present, there are no fake Strida 5's on ebay, so that's not an option. And until Strida USA gets their act together and offers a reliable way to warranty service and replacement parts, I don't consider that an option either.

I don't remember doing that! Got a link?





i'll copy/paste the whole thing here. i have more faith in bikeforums archiving this stuff than anglefire staying around..

This guy also broke a crap load of plastic..


BTW, THE REVIEW IS ALMOST 10 YRS OLD!

================================================



http://www.angelfire.com/id/nonfractal/strida.html

The Strida 2 Folding Bicycle.

*NEW : "9 months in". A Review after 9 months continuous usage (May 1999)

















Main Review: (November 1998)

Alan Wilkinson, The author, is in no way associated with Strida or Roland plastics.

I bought the Strida-2 myself and have used it every week day for 5 months before writing this web review.

Wanted Strida (box of bits) email me. Nonfractal@hotmail.com



You are Visitor number ..................................................







History:

Strida’s design is not new. This is a design that has been manufactured (on and off) for about 10 years. The question is. Why is this novel British built machine so rare on London’s streets? Read on.



The Basics:

Strida-2 does not look, feel, fold or ride like any other foldable in the current marketplace. It has a simple "one catch" design. The Strida-2 design is known as an "A frame". It has no chain, no gears and is a mono-fork (front and rear). All in all, a pretty odd machine. I’ve seen many machines described as "The ultimate folding bike". None deserve it but Strida certainly has a niche here and a lot of advantages over "fold and carry" type designs.



Design.

I get as many "second looks and smiles" on the Strida-2 as I do riding my recumbent. Probably more. It certainly is an odd looking machine because it challenges all other bicycle layouts in one major way. It has no crossbar. This gives the Strida-2 a very weird appearance as the top of the "A frame" appears between the crotch of the rider. I have to say, I’d HATE to have to feel the results of running head on into anything (even as low speed) with that bar right there.

The 12 spoke plastic wheels are also quite novel on an adult bike, more normally seen on kids’ BMX bikes. The minimalist frame has a monofork front and rear. This means that only one side of the wheel is attached to the frame facilitating easy tyre change (a-la your local Mod’s Lambretta or Vespa motor scooter). This is a great idea but in practice has a few problems. The Frame is a very simple affair, utilising the same diameter tube for the top two tubes and a slightly larger one for the bottom tube.

To avoid all of the issues surrounding the regular bicycle chain such as maintenance, weight and grease, Strida-2 utilises a carbon fibre tooth belt drive. The idea of this takes a little getting used to but once you’ve ridden it for a while, all doubts disappear. This really does work and I suppose, if belts are good enough for Harley Davidson, they’re good enough for the Strida-2!

Another off-the-wall design feature is the location of the free-wheel. Normally this is located in the centre of the hub of the real wheel but on the Strida-2, the free-wheel is located inside the bottom bracket. The effect of this is that the belt and belt-wheel are turning when the bike is moving, whether you are pedaling or not. The pedals are not directly attached to the front belt-wheel as a regular bike’s pedals are attached to the front chain-wheel.



Foldability.

I have never seen a bike so quickly and easily folded as Strida-2. It is pretty amazing from that point of view. Most other foldable designed appear to have started from the premise of a complete machine, then the designers put the links in to facilitate the folding into as compact a space as possible. Strida-2 appears to have been designed "from folded" with the opened and rideable machine being the afterthought.

I can fold Strida-2 in less that 3 seconds and unfolded it in the same. Strida-2’s manufacturer claims "Foldable in 7 seconds" which is very easily achievable.

Strida-2 does not fold into a suitcase size as do most other foldables but into a stick. Both wheels clip together once folded. This does have the advantage that you can wheel Strida-2 even when it’s folded. No matter how light a foldable is, wheeling it has to be better that carrying it.



Weight.

Roland Plastics claim that the Strida-2 is 22lb. It is but can anyone explain to me why it feels lighter unfolded than folded? The Strida-2 can be wheeled when folded. This is a definite advantage over the "suitcase" type folders where you have to carry the bike.



Rideability.

As the brochure says, this is a commuter short hop bike. Don’t even think about riding big distances on this bike especially if you’re in the big/tall category. It just isn’t rider friendly enough.

Strida-2 really comes onto it’s own in the "less than 3 miles" category.

Not having gears can be seen as a disadvantage but you have to view this in perspective of Strida-2’s minimalist design. There really does not appear to be anything on the bike that is superfluous to its needs.

This Bike is quiet. Not the ticking of a free wheel or the humming of a chain disturbs the silence.

The ergonomics of the bike is by no means perfect and the rider does suffer a little in the persuance of the ideal minimalist quick-fold commuter machine. The riding position is a little odd and for someone of my height (5’11’’), an ideal leg length adjustment is not achievable but I can live with what I got.

The A-Frame design with the saddle attached to the rear tube does have a large impact on the weight distribution of the Strida-2. Strida-2 is very heavily loaded at the back end compared to just about any other bike I have ever seen. The shorter you are, the larger this imbalance becomes. In practice, this has not caused as much of a problem as I expected. Be careful of pulling "Wheelies" on the Strida-2. The front wheel is pretty light and will come up without too much provocation. Be especially careful when riding over speed humps in the road or you may end up being "spat off the back". Also note that because of the A-frame, the front wheel only has to come up about 15 degrees or so before you reach that "fatal overbalance" point. This problem is nowhere near as pronounced as the original black Strida I tested a long while back.. I can only guess that the Strida2 frame and wheel-base is slightly bigger than the original Strida.

Th frame is not one solid, welded, triangulated piece. This does cause it to flex a little when you pedal. The bottom bracket molding has a tendency to swivel slightly around the bottom tube. If this swiveling becomes excessive, it’s likely that you need to tighten up the main Allen bolts that hold the molding to the bottom tube.

You cannot stand up on the pedals to ride Strida-2. The bike’s balance and geometry simply does not permit it. If you’ve got really steep hills where you live, you might well expect to have to get off and wheel the Strida-2 up them. Strida-2 is set up with quite a low gear ratio so hill climbing is possible but high speeds are a problem when you simply can’t pedal that fast.

You cannot ride this bike no-handed, but this is a reflection on the stiffness of the front steering coupling (which has no headstock bearings) as opposed to the Strida-2’s steering geometry which appears to be pin-perfect and pretty stable. The handling of Strida-2 is steady, even on steep and relatively fast down hill bends. It does feel a little weird at first though. And again, beware of that stiff steering coupling. A dab of silicone grease it a good idea on the pin.

Strida-2 has an annoying habit of getting your trousers wet. This is due to the small stubby mudguards. The same guard is used front and rear and just isn’t long enough at the back to put the water from being picked up from the road and spitting up. A shame really. Probably just another inch length would fix this problem. Earlier versions of Strida-2 (as seen on Roland Plastic’s pamphlets) used a different molding for the front and rear guards leaving the mudguard mounted reflector to deflect the rain. On the version I have, the reflector is mounted on the rack. I can only assume that this is one of those "specifications are liable to change without notice" type things.

A "work around" is to always carry something in the rack but make sure it’s plastic covered because it will get soaked on a wet day!

The brakes work well and the weather has no effect on their performance at all. Having plastic wheels has precluded the option of regular rim brakes on the Strida-2. The designer has opted for hub brakes and these really are a revelation. They are pretty tidy too, especially with the brake cables being router internally to the frame. My only gripe with the hub brakes is that they require quite a lot of travel from "free" to "lock" and this is nearly the whole sweep of the brake lever. However, once you’ve adjusted them and got used to them, they work really well and are smoothly progressive. The rear brake appears to somehow more "spongy" than the front in feel. Inspection shows that Roland Plastics have re-drilled the hub-brake’s lever, making the attachment closer to the hub so that less travel is required.

Build Quality.

Strida-2 is 95% there as far as the finished product is concerned. The brochure says that the frame is "bonded" (a term normally meaning "glued") but it sure as hell looks "welded" to me. The finishing of the joints is good. The paint job is good. It’s the small things that detract from what appears to be an inherently "quality" machine.

a) I found that the seat pin locator holes were not drilled in line leaving the saddle hanging off to the left. I simply re-drilled the holes and relocated the pins. This fixed the problem.

b) I found that the saddle had a tendency to swing from left to right as the whole seat mounting molding twisted even when the seat-molding clips were tight. This molding is 2 pieces. The twisting was made much worse when I raised the seat to adjust the riding position.

I fixed this by re-drilling the seat pin locator holes higher up the frame so that they were closer to the top of the molding and used a small aluminum bolt to lock the 2 halves of the seat mount molding together.

c) The rear monofork or axle has a tendency to twist under weight. The effect of this is that the rear tyre tends to wear more on one side than the other. The rear tyre, being heavily loaded, does wear pretty quickly anyway and this makes the situation worse. Don’t expect any more that 500 miles per rear tyre!

I have found no work around for this issue. Riders less than my 13stones (200 pounds) may not experience this problem.

d) One of the Allen bolts used to fix the lower steering link in position started to come loose. If these bolts were to give way, the frame would instantly collapse on the rider. I’ve nicknamed these bolts my "jeesus bolts" because should these come undone, "Jeesus" is just about the last thing I would be able to think before smacking the tarmac! I tightened it and check these regularly.

e) The belt-wheel cracked when the lower frame tube came loose and hit the floor when I was wheeling the bike along (folded). The edge rim split and there is now a 4 inch gap where the rim of the belt-wheel has broken away. The belt-wheel rim does cut a larger diameter than the outside of the belt and I can think of no reason for this. Maybe it should be a smaller rim, that way should this accident happen again, the belt would hit the floor, not the belt-wheel rim.

This might be an issue depending on how you choose to fold and unfold the bike. The belt-wheel rim does sit on the ground when the bike is folded and sat flat on the ground.

f) The belt started to slip.

Loosen the main Allen bolts that hold the bottom bracket molding to the frame and tighten the small adjuster nut at the back of the molding a couple of turns. Re-tighten the main bolts. Problem solved.

Be careful no to over tighten this nut. Over tightening the belt makes the bike harder to pedal and wheel along. You also risk breaking the pin by over tightening it.

Setup.

The bike is delivered ready assembled.

There is very little to do except set up the seating position and ensure that the tyres are correctly inflated.

Finding the right seating position can be a little tricky. The seat mount mold slides up and down the rear A-frame and that causes alteration in the whole seating position of the bike, not just the leg-to-pedal length. Shorter leg length leaves the rider further back on the bike whereas longer moves the rider forward.

The handlebars are not adjustable so the shorter person might find the handlebars uncomfortable high and the taller person vice versa.

Even though I re-drilled the seat pin locator holes and located them higher on the frame, I did find that there is a limit to this as an adjustment. If you go too far, your knees end up banging on the handlebars!



There is a note that is included with the Strida-2 saying that if you want to make your Strida-2 "British Standard", you have to swap the brake levers over. The Strida-2 is assembled to European/USA spec (Left lever, Front brake) and it’s up to the customer to change this if required. I will do this but don’t think I should have to. The manufacturer knows where this bike’s being shipped to, right???

I can only guess that Roland plastics have Strida-2s assembled in job lots so they all have to be identical to cut down costs. Maybe when higher production rates are achieved, a ready-built-for-Britain version will be assembled (Left lever, Rear brake). You’re probably think I’m making a bid deal out of a little issue, but I’m a devout Anglophile and little details like that matter to me. This is a BRITISH built bike right?

Due to the Strida-2’s unique frame layout, adding regular add-ons presents a challenge. Thankfully, Strida-2 comes with a specially designed rack as standard. Getting a regular one to fit would be a total nightmare. However, lights, bicycle pumps etc. all present their own challenge especially if you don’t want them to look out of place with the design. I’ll leave you to figure that one out.



Style.

Strida-2 is a really stylish machine. You won’t fail to get noticed. Is it also a clean machine (no grease) to it’s suit-friendly except for that problem with the rear mudguard.

Much of the Strida-2’s style comes from its simple design. 3 tubes, foldable into a stick.

It would be nice to see styling options for Strida-2s. Different colours would be nice. The older Strida was "Black only". Strida-2 is Grey/Silver only with the only optoions being differrent coloured mudguards. What would a Strida-2 look like with a Chrome Frame and clear plastic parts or maybe even an in-your-face flourescent yellow/pink mix?

I can only hope that Strida-2 does not go the way of its predecessors and that production increases to allow Roland plastics to offer different options. If there are any customised Strida’s out there, email me a picture!



Maintenance.

In a nutshell. If you buy a Strida-2, expect to maintain it yourself. No regular bike shop stocks them, stocks the parts or will even have a clue how to tighten the belt should it start to slip.

Roland Plastics do have a full maintenance manual available (£5.99). It’s a pretty flimsy affair but has most of what you need to know to perform maintenance on the Strida-2.



Manufacture.

Strida-2 is manufactured and shipped directly by Roland Plastics.

You won’t see them in your local bike shop. Roland Plastics had mine to me within 3 days of ordering.

Price 350 UK pounds at time of writing, tax included. (600 US-Bucks but god only knows how many "Euros" that is)



Summary:

The best bits: Quickly and easily foldable, No greasy chain, wheelable when folded, lightweight.



The worst bits: No gears, uncomfortable for distance, Rear tyre wear rate, stiff steering.



And finally…. Yes I would buy it again. It suits my needs but could never be my only bike. About 5 miles a day (total) plus a train journey from Stevenage to London King’s cross. No ticket collector has ever asked me for more money to carry it on the train. No other passenger has even complained about it being there. My boss doesn’t mind me keeping it under my desk at work although I’m sure he thinks I’m a bit eccentric.

I may even buy another so that I can customise this one. (Chrome and Black I think).



So, in answer to the question posed at the start of this article, Why don’t we see more of them on the Streets?

It just has to be the old British disease. We can design good stuff, manufacture good stuff. But can we Market good stuff?

Strida-2 is not yet en-masse on the streets because not many people know about it and you can’t get it at your local bike shop. Word of mouth is Strida-2’s only friend. If you do buy one, expect people to be regularly stopping you and asking about it.



9 months in! Updates…(May 1999)

(Ex?) Tory Politician on a Strida.



Since writing the review (above) in October 1998, I’ve had quite a lot of feedback, comments and experiences with the Strida II. Some from Owners, Some from
"Wannabe" owners and some from the designers and manufacturers.

Rather than incorporate these into the original review, I think it’s better left exactly as I wrote it so that the page accurately reflects how I felt about the bike after 3 months of riding.



However, with the benefit of more riding time and experimentation, I have the following additions to make.

Getting wet:

I commented that the bike could use longer mudguards.

After experimenting with glued on plastic extensions it became obvious that this is not the right way to go. A longer mudguard would catch on the floor when folded, especially when wheeling the Strida down steps. Both of my plastic extensions broke of while wheeling the folded bike down steps so I’m back to the "put something on the rack" fix.

Anyone have any better suggestions? Email me!



Being Tall:

I mentioned that 5’11" is probably as tall as you should be to ride this bike…

Would you believe that the designer, Mark Sanders, is 6’3" and regularly rides a Strida!!!

Here is what he had to say about being in the "over 6 foot" category and riding a Strida:

"On seat adjustment I wish I was 5'11" when riding a Strida - I bet I could get a near perfect riding position - as it is I'm 6'3" and have the seat as high as possible - such that in normal riding my knees JUST clear the inside part of the handle bars - which is fine for all except really tight low speed manoevering - when I go for inside knee outside handle bar, or in a high speed tight bend when free wheeling, just make sure pedals are both half way down. High bottom bracket means very high lean angles ie <45° to ground are possible - another reason whey its so good in folding races with slaloms (Fast fold, short wheel base etc means Stridas pulls out at a massive lead the fold/unfold and also in the slalom in folding races.)"



Worn Tyres.

I talked to some Brompton riders. The Brompton does not get much mileage out of the rear tyre either. Looking at most of the common foldies, the centre of Gravity is always set quite a long way back so the Strida is by no means alone with the rear tyre wear rate issue.



Beltwheel Breakages:

I busted another beltwheel rim and ordered and fitted yet another. As a work around, I’ve found that a cable "helmet lock" from Halfords looped around the tubes of the folded bike and through the bottom tube hole, acts as a safety catch if the tube should break loose. Apparently the pulley (belt wheel) flange is a mandatory feature for meeting safety standards. This does make sense because (unlike a regular bike) if you’re moving, the belt is moving, even if you are not pedaling.



Spongy brakes.

"Spongy" response in the hub brakes. This has improved over time as the shoes have bedded in but they are still nowhere near as sharp as a good set of rim brakes in dry weather.



Frame Tube Problems.

In October 1998, I noticed a creeping fracture in the bottom tube of the Strida. The Fracture started on the inner radius of the front link section, right at the front and slowly got worse over the next month. I faxed Roland Plastics with a description and diagram of the problem and sent the tube back for inspection. By return of post, I received a new replacement tube at no cost. I wonder whether the tight inner radius of the front link section contributed to this problem?

It is possible that loose front steering pin bolts caused excess stress on the tube. Certainly, a heavier rider puts extra stress on this section of the bike.

I do not know whether other Strida owners have noticed any issues regarding the front steering link. If you have, email me. I have had no feedback from Roland plastics regarding the inspection on the fractured tube.

Parts replaced:

Eventually I’ll have to really work out how much I’ve spent keeping the Strida 2 on the road over the last year. So far, equipment replaced: 3 rear tyres, 2 beltwheels, 1 belt, 1 rear aluminum belt pulley, one bottom bracket molding, one axle screw, one bottom and one belt tensioner. This does make me wonder whether the US based "Strida.COM" website is wise to be offering "one year’s free maintenance" on all new Stridas. If you’re in the US and can get this maintenance deal, do it!

If you use the bike a lot you will break parts and wear parts will out. You can bet on it.



As you can tell from the list, this is quite an extensive replacement regime that I’ve had to undertake to keep Strida running. Added to this has been a move to a new home which makes the commute longer with more hills.



Bottom Brackets.

As you probably spotted above, I replaced the bottom bracket mold. On both the Stridas I have (yes I did buy another) the mold eventually begins to slip around the bottom tube. Previously, I’d suggested that when this happens, simply tighten the bracket mold bolts. I did this and eventually tightened them so much that they broke the mold while I was riding, causing the mold to split apart. Nasty!

From a design viewpoint, having tubes with a circular cross section makes this type of slippage inevitable. The pins that hold the mold in place are of very small diameter and act like knives on the mold, slicing it up from the inside as the mold slips.

If there is anyone out there with suggestions for a fix for this PLEASE email me.



Drive belts etc.

Despite claims to the contrary, the carbon fibre belts do wear out and so do the rear aluminum belt wheels. This first shows up as a problem with continual belt slippage that only seriously over-tightening the tensioner can mitigate. This eventually causes breakage of tensioner bolts. Inspect the rear belt wheel. The toothed grooves should be symmetric. When the teeth wear, you’ll have to replace it. It is not possible to "invert" it so that you have a fresh set of leading edge grooves. The inside and outside edges of the pulley are not the same. Shame that…



Something that I did recently (April 99) was to replace all of the components in the drive train. The front pulley wheel (I broke it again), the belt and the rear pulley. What a difference this made!!! As the drive train components become worn, more and more tension has to be put on the belt to stop it from slipping. More tension means more drag. Eventually you begin to wonder if the Strida was always this hard to push and you start breaking the tension bolts by overtightening it in an attempt to stop the belt slipping.

The new drive train components made the bike feel like new and made my journeys much less effort and take a lot less time. What a differrence!



I expect to have to replace the belt and rear pulley every 6 months from now on.



New components: A small bolt, a big deal!

New revised rear axle bolt is available which allows you to really adjust the friction between the seat tube to the bottom tube. Older Strida 2’s had a simple hex-headed screw and spring washer. New Strida’s have a threaded rod with headless internal hex slot and 2 lock nuts. This allows you to truly adjust the tension and hopefully will solve the ongoing issues with broken pulley wheels. It’s certainly an improvement.

Final Wish List

*3 speed option

*A non-circular cross sectional bottom tube and bottom bracket mold to match (to prevent mold creak and swivel). Possibly the same for the seat tube for the same reasons.

*Some mechanism to avoid water spitting up from the rear tyre.

*A reversible rear belt pulley so that it's wear life can be doubled.

*An optional Alloy front pulley.

*Optional and Intergral LED lights. In the Rack and Headset mold?

*An Integral (possibly internal to a frame tube?) tyre pump.

*An alternative to the stiff, stress-fracture prone "pin and hole" front link mechanism although I have no better ideas at this point.

*Optional colour combinations.



9 months in : Summary

The StridaII still holds a fond place in my collection of bikes and I still use the first StridaII I bought for my daily commute even though it’s no longer ideal for the longer ride from my new home, which incorporates some hills. StridaII does seem to take a more than average maintenance effort and some of this maintenance is not simple to do if you don’t have the technical manual. The lesson here is "buy the maintenance manual" or sign up for the US "free maintenance deal" Have fun!!!!!



Links and Contacts:

United Kingdom

www.mediaport.org/~strida (http://www.mediaport.org/%7Estrida) Strida Home Page
Email Roland Plastics Strida@rolandplastics.co.uk
Telephone Roland Plastics 01728 747777
Fax Roland Plastics 01728 748222

Ben and Barrie Emerson
Roland Plastics Ltd., High Street, Wickham Market, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP13 0QZ

USA

Distributors web page: www.strida.com (http://www.strida.com)

Email: Steedman Bass sbass@bikelink.net

I saw it, and read it with interest, but my reaction to it was tempered by my experience. I also read Mark Sanders' request that we not buy the fakes, and I respect his advice, though I do wonder what he'd do if he were in my shoes. Probably the same thing as I'm doing, which is nothing..

I also read Mark's request and I can understand his opinion in that if someone got a fake, couldn't know it from the real thing and impaled themselves on the front tube, then they would be knocking on Mr. Sanders' front door. Same goes as the frame collapsing and falling into traffic. Same as with the materials being used in these being of possibly questionable sources... I would guess that Mark is covering his rear in that the current and genuine products, although having no affiliation with Mark, are just made from a company that can be held (somewhat) accountable, Ming Cycles. And im sure thats where his head is about, safety above all. The Strida reviews, and Mr. Sanders' hard work is simply diluted if u take a ride on these half-assed fakes.

With the pics on this forum and my regular rides around toronto, I think I'm doing more for Strida.us, Strida.com or strida.com.hk.whatever has ever done in CANADA - as whomever asks me about it, I just tell them to go to strida.com. Mr. Sanders, you are free to PM me and put a thank-you spare replacement belt in the mail :thumb:

I love how this thread started to ridicule the Strida, but now ended up as homage to it! Keep it up guys!

Jur, I do get stopped by neighborhood 'gangs' at times, but only to ask about the bike. To be fair, a lot of people stop me and ask, especially when I halt at a stop light.

Trueno, that is one sweet Strida. Is that a Brooks B66?

I think it's time to dig up the sales pitch from this great ebay ad a couple of years ago:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=5479052&postcount=8

Has the troll disappeared deep into the forest lol?

The Strida is not for me but I can see its uniqueness and appeal. As the girl on the Gadget Show proved, it was a more than capable 'commute and go' folder, especially for urban environments. I love the photo of the one in the lovely residential setting with the Brooks saddle.

Keep up the Strida fest and silence the trolls! :D

All said and done, the Strida is one stylish steed.

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

Has the troll disappeared deep into the forest lol?

Well ... tell you the truth, I don't think that was the intent. Then again, Elkhound never corrected himself -- at least I did not notice such a thing.

[QUOTE=

At present, there are no fake Strida 5's on ebay, so that's not an option. And until Strida USA gets their act together and offers a reliable way to warranty service and replacement parts, I don't consider that an option either.[/QUOTE]

I had noticed that the "5 Strida" on ebait had plastic wheels and sent an inquiry as to whether it was covered by the Strida warranty and why the photo showed wire spoke wheels(looked like original Strida photo) and the wheels were listed as plastic, which are not correct for a 5.

Auction was gone the next day.

Also curious that the people who have had no experience with the knockoff rant about what junk it must be and those who have them actually say they're fairly well made. In fact, the fellow with the modded knockoff has had several compliments on his nice Strida. And judging from some of the experiences related here, owning the original seems to have it's fair share of problems.

Since the patents on the Strida have expired and Mr. Sanders has no connection to his product other than collecting checks, there should be no reason to not consider a knockoff if it's marketing plainly divorces it from the original and the quality is decent. Ming would have less to worry about if they dropped the price to reflect Taiwan production costs. Furthermore Strida is now a Dutch company and Strida Ltd. in Britain has ceased operations and support. Seems to have turned into a knockoff of itself.

And so it goes...

hey guys, thx for the compliments! The saddle is a brooks champion flyer. I run 100psi in the rear and cannot believe how well the leather smoothens out the road, suits the straighter posture well.
was going to leave the pannier off , but since it doesn't affect the fold, I got lazy. Now I'm looking for 160mm cranks.

The street wide angle shot and white one look great too.
Thx for the heads up on strida going Dutch! And yes, continuing the strida knowledge thread!

Oi Elkhound where have you gone? Lovely link to another thread especailly for you:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=427575
Seems the 'clowns' who ride these bikes hail from all over the world :D

Supplemental to previous post - I don't really see why it has to have such crazy geometry other than for the two wheels to line up in the fold. I just had a mess about and have drawn a Strida-style bike with the same folding/hinge mechanism but with the geometry of a Dahon Mu; I'm sure there are likely issues with the BB and wheels occupying the same space in the fold but surely this would be a good direction for the bike to go in. Safer, more flexible, only a negligably bigger fold. I know which I'd rather ride.

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/strida.gif

That's essentially the Tikit's folded geometry.


Ok - so how about this; There's an extending pole inside the 'headtube' that's like the seatpost on most bikes. When you fold you do what some may think as counter-intuitive—and extend it to a notch where the length between the top of the stem and the front axle is equal to the stem-to-rear axle length of the top tube.

Then when you swing it to mate with the other half the wheel doesn't foul the cranks and you're sorted. See below:

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/strida_2.jpg

That's the essential innovation of the Carryme's folding mechanism.


People are already making the bikes you want. Sure, they may diverge on other design decisions like the chain/belt, wheel size, gearing, etc, but as far as the folding mechanism goes, these ideas are being done. Looking at the actual bikes mentioned I think it's clear that modifying the Strida according to your suggestions would have both advantages and disadvantages relative to the present design.

looks like ebay has knock-offs on the auction block for $250...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Same-as-Strida-5-0-Style-Folding-Bike_W0QQitemZ320261901137QQihZ011QQcategoryZ159088QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

the rear rack isn't half bad..

with a 15L pannier attached, the laptop and messenger bag around 6.5lbs, a pair of shoes + shirt and pants all fit, sorta!

made the coast from office to the gym and then home a breeze, first real commute so i was a bit surprised.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/5751/pannierzz5.jpg
Shot at 2008-06-11

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/7758/pannier2ps2.jpg

http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/6451/peanutjx2.jpg
Shot at 2008-06-11

Awesome pics, trueno! Your dog even matches the Brooks saddle and grips :thumb: