In one of my earlier discussions, a respected fellow foldie posted to say that the Strida is just as comfortable as the Brompton. But in my ownership experience, I find my preference is for the Brompton both in terms of position and ride comfort over irregularaties. My take is that the steel frame and rear suspension deliver a superior ride comfort over Strida's aluminium tri-piece design and shorter wheelbase.
Before all the arrows and trebuchets start flying from the Strida camp, this is not intended to go the way of "Brompton better than Strida or vice versa" debate. But the focus here is strictly on comfort - position and during a ride. They are both good bikes with different purposes and I hope it is received properly in this spirit of learning and exchange.
Would like to hear from those who have ridden or better still, own both bikes. Thank you. :thumb:
I am a big fan of both bikes. But they are designed for such different purposes. For me (at 6' tall), there's no way the Strida can be a comfortable, long ride bike. To get the saddle high enough for my legs to have some reasonable extension, I'm sitting so close to the handlebars, and my butt is hanging out the back of the saddle.
In terms of comfort, Brompton is the winner, hands down. For me, anyway...
Simple Simon
07-05-08, 07:46 AM
OnF .. yet another gem of a photo .. Well done.
As for topic ... It depends what I'm using the bike for .. For long distance fast rides or where wind resistance is an issue I'd use the Brompton - or even better when I was younger, something with saddle even higher than bars. Brompton gives a great compromise between the extremes of racing posture and stridas upright 'Amsterdam' posture. So, for around town and multimodel .. Strida. To my mind (OK Bum) the brompton rear suspension is pretty hard, (and the front is even harder !), On Strida .. the whole seat/mounting/frame on the strida seems to flex just right for me ... so again for most of my urban journeys hands down to Strida :D (and I'm well over 6').
Sesame - I know it sounds weird but have you tried raising your seat on Strida3 and 5 even higher ? ... you actually get more not less leg room, as legs are straighter and straighter legs when pedaling.
But, hang on - haven't we 'been there done that' on the 500miles on a Strida (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=436938) thread :D
Scooper
07-05-08, 08:04 AM
I have a Strida 2 and a Brompton M6L, and am also six feet tall. I bought the Strida first, and could never get comfortable on it. Rides of over a few miles were downright painful.
The Brompton has been very comfortable since the day I brought it home, even on thirty mile rides.
As Sesame says, in terms of comfort, for me, Brompton is the winner, hands down.
Chop!
07-05-08, 09:19 PM
As I've said before, I never liked my Brompton, found it too short, crap brakes, horrible seat, seldom rode it, gave it to Nia, my daughter.
The only limitation to the Strida's comfort was that it shared Brompton's propensity for awfully uncomfortable seats. changed the seat for a wider sprung flame saddle and it is now yummy on the bum!
Strida 5 gets my vote!
trueno92
07-05-08, 10:02 PM
as the strida re-engineer in-training, ive fallen prey to the trendy fixed gear bikes, thus, as much as the upright posture is OK for the casual pedalling, ive found myself wishing that raiser-bars were used and tilted 45 degrees forward, over the conventional flats.
@ 5'7" & 165 lbs, I can pedal strida standing and butt out of the saddle with no problems, as well as "getting light" over bumps.
But is it more comfortable than racer geometry? I guess if your spending the bulk of your time coasting, then sure.
Apparently Mark, says coasting is what strida was good at, since in work clothes coasting = less effort = less sweat.
I think he is on to something.
OldiesONfoldies
07-05-08, 11:59 PM
Good stuff guys... thanks for your contribution. Wondering if I could persuade the tech experts like Awetmore, Jur, Vik et al as well as others to chip in. That is what makes foldies so fascinating for me -diversity of technology applied :) No black and white answers here.
jur
07-06-08, 12:54 AM
Looking at the pic above, There are 5 points where the Brommie scores first prize geometry-wise:
1. The Strida's seat height adjustment also changes the seat fore-aft position relative to bottom bracket. So if the Strida doesn't fit you, then you're out of luck for improving comfort. The Brommie would be easier to get to fit.
2. The Strida seat is much more directly over the rear wheel than the Brompton. So rear wheel bumps are not attenuated much at all due to geometry considerations (seat half-way between wheels is best).
3. The Brommie has rear suspension, obviously this is better for comfort.
4. The Brommie has bigger wheel size; harking back the small wheel harshness thread, smaller is harsher if all else is the same, so the Brommie wins.
5. The seat on the Brommie is on a long stalk so bumps are absorbed to some extent by its flexing. On the Strida, is it rather inflexibly mounted on a triangle.
I have only ridden a Brommie (which was not fitted to me). From the above purely armchair expertise, the Brompton is going to more comfortable for longer rides. I would be willing to do a 200km brevet on a Brommie but not a Strida.
[edit] I don't think frame material is of any importance.
Dahon.Steve
07-06-08, 11:46 AM
In one of my earlier discussions, a respected fellow foldie posted to say that the Strida is just as comfortable as the Brompton.
LOL! It was I who made that statement! I'm going to expand my comment a little further.
I recently had the pleasure of testing a Strida 5 for over a month and came away impressed. First, I happen to think the thick tire, low pressure compound (65 psi) adds tremendously to the comfort of the bike. We've seen this Dahon choosing Big Apple tires and abandoning suspension on most of their bikes. I consider recent tire innovation an effective idea in providing rider comfort and a departure from high pressure, costly suspension systems of the Birdy, Moulton and Brompton.
I recently purchased an aluminum hybird and without question, is the most comfortable, non-suspended bike I've ever owned or tested. That bike also uses thick, fairly low pressure (75 psi) tires from Kendra. I was never a fan of Kenda tires in the past but recent compounds have changed my mind and I feel the same way about the Big Apple.
I don't know what tires, older Stridas were using but the new bikes have clearly gone in the right direction. If you're using high pressure tires, that will certainly effect the comfort of the bike. I also happen to think the saddle was just fine, if not better than older Dahons in the past.
I only test rode a Brompton for ten minutes and I suppose over a longer ride (+20 miles), it would probably fair better than the Strida due to the suspension. However, you can add a suspended Brooks Champion Flyer on a Strida and using this saddle would almost certainly allow the rider to travel in confort over longer distances. In fact, lifting off the saddle for the large ruts and potholes can have the same effect.
makeinu
07-06-08, 02:35 PM
4. The Brommie has bigger wheel size; harking back the small wheel harshness thread, smaller is harsher if all else is the same, so the Brommie wins.
But all else is not the same. Big apples are available in 305 (Strida), but not 355 (Brompton).
OldiesONfoldies
07-06-08, 06:55 PM
Yes Mr Steve, fully agree that the type of tires do make a big difference to ride comfort. Big Apple vs original Kenda on Strida 3.3, no comparison really. But ceteris paribus , I feel the Brompton is the more comfy one as per Jur's points.
Can Strida fit Big Apples? The last time I measured on the 3.3, there was not enough clearance. Has anyone fitted Big Apples on their Strida? This is a nice revelation to me and great news for all Strida owners :)
As for Brooks saddles, they can be fitted to both bikes and I dare say that the traditional looking Brooks would look better on the Brompton than the modernish Strida. But asthetics is a very personal area so I shall say no more.
the front wheel of the strida could do a bigapple or a hookworm, anything 16x1.95 or 16x2 SHOULD work no problems.
The rear wheel could have a bit of trouble with anything larger than 16x1.75, as i think it will start rubbing the belt.
I found that after quite a bit of riding, most of the weight is on the rear tire.. the front hardly shows any wear. I have deflated my front tire to about 75psi, and left my rear at 100psi. Low rolling resistance and the bumps are soaked up by the Champion Flyer Saddle.. the front tire, albeit a Kenda K-West 100psi max, does a decent job of absorbing medium bumps. Infact, I completed a morning 20km "poodle" and didn't feel all that sore after at all.. and it was pretty refreshing.
Prepare for some Wallpaper-quality pics in the poodle thread, as the weather in toronto for this past weekend was fantastic.
The brooks will match a Strida nicely...and since the rear tire is so directly below the saddle, strida benifits greatly from it.
Hi T92, thanks for giving us a tour of your beautiful Toronto. Indeed, the Strida is an excellent urban assault weapon. I was constantly stopped by fellow cyclists and pedestrains when I was riding and exploring the wonders of Vancouver last year :) Short hops, no issue with comfort.
Hey OnF - all these questions with nice pictures - methinks you may be pining for another Strida :D Like an old girl friend you 'just can't get her out of your head'.
I felt the same and resisted getting a Strida5 for ages. I ignored the advice of Chop and others - wish I hadn't as the 5 is much better, especially for longer rides - high pressure tyres and stiffer crank area DO make a difference.
Jur - I agree I wouldn't use a Strida for a brevet (or century) - but then I wouldn't use a 16" bike when I've got a 700c bike ready to go. For your use and preferences you should get a Brommie. As for the other points: yes and no - yes theoretically, according to setting up bikes for racing Strida appears all wrong - but when you ride it, it feels great. I think the triangle just gives the right amount of flex. The bars (and crank) are stiff, yet the aluminium seat tube / plastic seatmounting is actually more flexible than the steel brommie seat post. I'm tall so I sit high and near centre, wife is short and sits further back. My position is near the 'traditional' upright, Dutch bike. But hers is well back nearer the rear wheel, theoretically all wrong - yet even for longer rides she finds it THE most comfortable bike and refuses to ride anything else.
OldiesONfoldies
07-07-08, 03:23 AM
Hi SS, looking at all the fun I had with my old GF, umm, you may be right. But sadly, there are some "relational" issues that need to be sorted out before I can go that way again. I have ridden the Strida 5 and it is a diff kettle of fish compared to 3.3. :)
It does not help too that my wife does not approve of my old triangle GF. She feels the riding position is not "efficient". She was a Sports Physio, very much into ergonomics and has a PHD so not easy to persuade her in this area. :(
cyclistjohn
07-07-08, 03:37 AM
......
Can Strida fit Big Apples? The last time I measured on the 3.3, there was not enough clearance. Has anyone fitted Big Apples on their Strida? This is a nice revelation to me and great news for all Strida owners :).......
Hello OonF, splendid response in the other Strida thread, thank you. I'm glad you appreciated the spirit of my post :-)
More awsome pictures ! Thanks TrueNo and OnF (and the Pootle thread ) makes this THE best forum.
jur
07-07-08, 04:57 AM
Hey OnF - all these questions with nice pictures - methinks you may be pining for another Strida :D Like an old girl friend you 'just can't get her out of your head'.
I felt the same and resisted getting a Strida5 for ages. I ignored the advice of Chop and others - wish I hadn't as the 5 is much better, especially for longer rides - high pressure tyres and stiffer crank area DO make a difference.
Jur - I agree I wouldn't use a Strida for a brevet (or century) - but then I wouldn't use a 16" bike when I've got a 700c bike ready to go. For your use and preferences you should get a Brommie. As for the other points: yes and no - yes theoretically, according to setting up bikes for racing Strida appears all wrong - but when you ride it, it feels great. I think the triangle just gives the right amount of flex. The bars (and crank) are stiff, yet the aluminium seat tube / plastic seatmounting is actually more flexible than the steel brommie seat post. I'm tall so I sit high and near centre, wife is short and sits further back. My position is near the 'traditional' upright, Dutch bike. But hers is well back nearer the rear wheel, theoretically all wrong - yet even for longer rides she finds it THE most comfortable bike and refuses to ride anything else.
Well there ya go. Strida just boots out all armchair stereotypes out the window. The ride is what counts. :thumb:
trueno92
07-07-08, 09:48 AM
everyone you are welcome for the pics! thanks for leaving such nice comments on them.
Oldies, those are some great pics on your own adventures! Vancouver is much more naturally-scenic, opposed from torontos concrete jungle.
I would have to say that the strida cannot accomedate the conventional geometry and seat-height of a F frame bike. This is probably why Simple-Simon's wife prefers the lower, bars-in-front-@-arm-level posture. The bike was designed to sit the rider a bit lower with the cranks slightly ahead of the rider, not directly below rider.
I remember Mark wrote about this and mentioned to prospective Strida riders that the seat should be a couple notches lower that what you would normally have on your race-bike.
Of course, with most bikes, unless you are leaning forward, most riders cannot reach the front bars sitting upright... but then again, I would hate to ride a distance sitting upright for the entire run, and this is why bar-ends on a strida really help this cause.
Bar ends help the strida not feel as twitchy, since your hands are wider apart, and for longer runs, you can have your hand a bit further forward on the bars, allowing a bit of tuck and getting more weight over that front wheel.
It looks even MORE abstract and unconventional, but it changes the ride dramatically, and i highly recommend them.
trueno92
07-07-08, 09:52 AM
Hello OonF, splendid response in the other Strida thread, thank you. I'm glad you appreciated the spirit of my post :-)
for a little summary of tyres I've tried on my Strida 3,
& a pic' highlighting the front Big Apple, although nowhere near as polished as your photo's I'm afraid.
interesting saddle, but why the joust attached to the frame? hahaha:lol:
cyclistjohn
07-07-08, 10:47 AM
everyone you are welcome for the pics! thanks for leaving such nice comments on them.
.........
This is probably why Simple-Simon's wife prefers the lower, bars-in-front-@-arm-level posture..................
Of course, with most bikes, unless you are leaning forward, most riders cannot reach the front bars sitting upright... but then again, I would hate to ride a distance sitting upright for the entire run, and this is why bar-ends on a strida really help this cause.
Bar ends help the strida not feel as twitchy, since your hands are wider apart, and for longer runs, you can have your hand a bit further forward on the bars, allowing a bit of tuck and getting more weight over that front wheel.
It looks even MORE abstract and unconventional, but it changes the ride dramatically, and i highly recommend them.
Trueno92, yes they are super pic's. We only spent 1 night in Vancouver a few years ago, & went along a park opposite the area in your map, very nice. The totem poles were rather interesting :-)
My wife looked at your pic's admiring your Strida 5. She'd like one too, as like Simon's wife, she prefers her Strida 3 to other bikes, as it fits her so well. For sightseeing & "pootles" the upright posture we find just fine, but a good saddle is important hence my Strida pic's over the last couple of years have tended to show different saddles being tested :-) She's ridden trips of well over 30 miles on hers without problems.
shows the bar ends I currently have fitted. Like you, I find them very handy for a posture change, but my wife's not that keen on bar ends on any bike she's tried.
interesting saddle, but why the joust attached to the frame? hahaha
It's a boom for a video camera I attach from time to time :-)
rhm
07-07-08, 11:29 AM
What's comfort? Can you ever be comfortable on a heavy bike that feels sluggish and has terrible brakes? On the other hand, if you have a light and zippy bicycle with excellent brakes but doesn't feel at all like any other bicycle you've ever ridden it, can you ever be comfortable on that? This is a semantic question, and I'm not going there.
I've ridden a Strida a lot (I've had one for three years) and a Brompton a little (I test rode one exactly one time, hardly enough to form an informed opinion). Since you're asking for an opinion, I will say I'm not impressed with Brompton as a bicycle. Opinions aside, however, the fact is the Brompton is a lot like a 'conventional' bicycle, and if you have a pre-conceived notion of what a bicycle should feel like, the Brompton will be more like it than the Strida. If you have a non-folding bicycle you consider 'comfortable', there is a good chance you can set up a Brompton to mirror the setup of that bicycle, and then the Brompton will be 'comfortable' too. With Strida, that's just not an option.
Like SimpleSimon, I have my seat extended to the top of the seat tube, and this way the Strida fits me pretty well. It's a very pleasant ride, but it's not much like any other bicycle. The distance between the seat and the handlebar is so small that it always feels strange. It is especially strange at first; after a while it is less strange, but I predict that unless you sell all your non-Strida bicycles, a Strida will remain strange. If 'strange' means 'uncomfortable' to you, then you have your answer.
Maximum sustainable speed on the Strida is about 16 mph, and that's spinning the pedals pretty fast. At that speed, other bicyclists will pass you. Maybe not all of them, but certainly some of them. Well, I'm not comfortable having other bicyclists pass me; so I get frustrated riding the Strida more than a few miles. But it's not exactly a comfort issue, if you see my point!
trueno92
07-07-08, 11:56 AM
haha i agree with RHM, but i hate having cars pass me. hence i need a rocket pack attached to my strida.
OldiesONfoldies
07-08-08, 12:02 AM
Thanks everyone for your input. Things I have observed:
1. The issue of one bike being more comfortable than another is highly subjective and personal. I was hoping for an objective measure (Jur tried - thks) but its easier said than done. The most comfy foldie I have ridden is the Birdy Mococoque - its dual suspension really soaks in the bumps. But for me to make a statement that it is infinitely more comfy than a Strida will invite plenty of passionate responses. I fear to go that way :) Any "Alex Moultons" among us want to give it a go?
But the reality is suspension systems of some sorts do add to riding comfort. Which is why a Strida with a Brooks Flyer spring saddle and better tires WILL be more comfy than a stock one and that applies generally to other bikes too.
2. The Strida's very upright seating position is ideal for some but not for all, understandably. The Brompton's more conventional seating position fits a wider range of preferences. Yes? Chop disagrees but others do. Eg, a child can ride a Brompton but may not fit on a Strida. The Brompton with an extended seat post can accommodate taller riders while Strida's range is pretty fixed.
3. The Strida is slow - but Strida owners appreciate this. Who says faster has to be better? It may very well be the perfect "poodling" bike.
4. The Strida polarises opinion - you either like it or not. I'm personally torn so that explains why, like many of you, I need to have more than one folder. Those who love it, love it!
Appreciate your postings here folks! I hope it has been a rich learning experience for you as it is for me.
OnF
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/Birdy.jpg
My friend's Birdy Monocoque... LX bits. Tackling rough roads in stride. Full suspension that works.
http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l260/oldiesonfoldies/AlBromyRoyalPalacePPR.jpg
Hated by some, loved by many (judging from the long wait to order one)
JSnow789
07-08-08, 07:58 AM
As I've said before, I never liked my Brompton, found it too short, crap brakes, horrible seat, seldom rode it, gave it to Nia, my daughter.
The only limitation to the Strida's comfort was that it shared Brompton's propensity for awfully uncomfortable seats. changed the seat for a wider sprung flame saddle and it is now yummy on the bum!
Strida 5 gets my vote!
Which seat did use to replace the stock on the Strida?
Carlos71
07-08-08, 09:14 AM
Which seat did use to replace the stock on the Strida?
I've seen several Stridas with Brooks but I'm thinking about getting a Spiderflex.
somnatash
07-08-08, 01:00 PM
The issue of one bike being more comfortable than another is highly subjective and personal...
Hi,
while I admire the looks of a strida, I only own a brompton, here are my biased 2c:
I look at the "spirit" of the bike the idea of the design, the "core" or the heart of the bike - which to me is the frame design. (form and folding)
Everything else comes second as it is often exchangeable (even the frame itself can perhaps be copied in form and function with different material e.g. titan) and falls victim to upgrades for more comfort/performance/...
Not only "every bum is different" also everyone defines comfort differently. As a conclusion for me a bike which is most adjustable is most comfortable generally speaking. The bike which frame can be equipped to anatomy and preferences. Like OnF puts it: the bike which is able to "fit a wider range of preferences".
1) adaptability to ones wishes ads to comfort (feel comfy only if fast/pootling?)
2) adaptability to match ones anatomy perfectly ads to riding-comfort
3) lightness ads to (riding) comfort
For 1) + 2) this is the brompton. Is there any other folder which has inspired so many people for adaptations and which can be made comfortable or suited for so many different people and applications? A racer, a long distance world touring bike, a city shopper, an ad-a-bike, a child carrier, a child tandem, a cargo bike...Gearing-possibilities range from singlespeed fixed gear over 14rohloff-gears to 18 dérailleur. A child can ride comfortable on a brompton so can a giant. Its easily possible to stiffen or to soften the suspension, ad a suspended seatpost (e.g. thudbuster) or front suspension (e.g. pantour). While the dual calliper brakes are not too bad (come with jagwire and fibrax-pads) one may change to soft touch hydraulic rim brakes (or even discbrakes). The seat be any rail-saddle and adjusted font-aft. Choose different bars (form+height) and adjust front-aft bar-position (more still with "littlepixle-mod" syntace peanut or aberhallo). I suspect with a bar-quick-release one can get the same upright position like a strida (triangle: hands, bum, feet). For people who don't find upright position comfortable at all, there is the brompton recumbent konversion kit, the "brekki".
3) If single speed strida is 22 lbs, brompton wins with "purist" S1E-X = 20 lbs.
Okay, this sounds like a lot of modification and while this is probably a sign that people love their bike and find it worthwhile, "having to adapt" may also feel uncomfortable... but that's before riding:D
Somnatash
chainstrainer
07-08-08, 03:03 PM
I don't think anyone disagrees that a Brompton is more adaptable than a Strida. That is to be expected given the design parameters for the Strida have a narrower focus. If comfort is subjective, then adaptability of course provides a wider range of options for personalized comfort. That doesn't mean a Strida can't be as comfortable as a Brompton for a particular rider though. It is simply less adaptable toward that end.