Probably, most of you know the name 'Mark Sanders'. The inventor of a lovely folding bicycle Strida. I found his post about bicycle design here (http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/2008/06/guest-post-by-mark-sanders.html) on the same name blog :) Through his post, you can understand creator's minds. He said the bicycle is the Human Amplifier. How great!

But it is not why I'm here now. I found out really astonishing fact that the nick of Mark is 'Human Amp'. Why is this astonishing? Because I've been seeing him on Strida Forum(http://www.stridaforum.com) too. :roflmao2:


Anyway, I'm checking a possibility of using Strida as a mountain bike :rolleyes:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2630237706_ed6816d0e4.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3049/2630238340_e356c2f9e0.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2629414107_9a9d5d6ef4.jpg?v=0

Just an FYI, you may want to remove your siglink to the other forum. It could be considered spam.

Thanks for your worry. But I don't want to remove my siglink because it is my major playground where I use English. I have a good blog but I can't introduce it because you may can't read Korean. You can see who I am there. The siglink shows me.

I suspect that the "human amp" that replied to me on bike design is a different one than on the strida forum, but you could be onto something.

I was take back when he said that he designed a full front gear shift assy that must have been in the bottom bracket of the strida 3. I still want speeds for my strida 5...

Why use a Strida for mountain biking? For the challenge? Lethal on trails like this, not engineered for it.

Excellent - Great link about Bikes and Designs for all (http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/2008/06/guest-post-by-mark-sanders.html)

It has some facinating links too
Copenhagen bikes (http://www.copenhagencyclechic.com/) :D
X-Bike (http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MAS.DPL/XBikePix) :twitchy:

and this seems to sum up discussions about riding position preferences
http://www.mas-design.com/Projects/Strida/Racing%20vs%20Cruising%20Strida%20posture.jpg
Which position do YOU prefer ? :D

Binch - The pictures look like you've just taken a big hit on your strida off road - not recommended on a 16" bike ! :D

Mark Sanders is, bar none, the greatest man in the folding bike world today.

Here are some key excerpts from the article:
[Strida] was designed to appeal to 'Blue Ocean' users, who also want a bike to be like any other contemporary product; fresh, easy to use and in this case ultra-portable (never carry – just wheel along).
This [the x-bike] was a wonderful opportunity to do some fascinating, fundamental testing and bicycle research: solid urethane tyres, small wheels with and without suspension, hub centre steering, ultra short wheel bases, twisting front wheel drive transmissions, etc. Pictures HERE (http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MAS.DPL/XBikePix) show some of the designs and testing – I learned that many of the so called 'bicycling facts' were in fact only 'de-facto' when used in context of cycle sport ... and not necessarily appropriate for everyday utility cycling.
The future of folding bikes - I see mechanisms getting much more like the automatic umbrellas we all now take for granted, but hidden in beautiful, clean and seamless monocoque frames. Having just turned 2 classic manual Can (http://www.idsa.org/IDEA2007/gallery/award_details.asp?id=67&cat=3) and Jar (http://www.onetouchproducts.com/jaropener.htm) openers into fully automatic products, I dream of doing something similar with folding bikes.

Here's hoping the IF Mode is released at a reasonable price point. Although I like the idea of being able to safely go over curbs with the large wheels (20" still isn't large enough for this kind of usage), not having to maneuver my Carryme through curb cuts is only worth so much. I'm also guessing that Mark must be a fan of the tikit's cable operated folding mechanism.

Anyway, I'm checking a possibility of using Strida as a mountain bike :rolleyes:


Whatever else you do, wear a cup! :twitchy:

Why use a Strida for mountain biking?

Because I have just two bikes. Strida5.0 and A-bike :D
I had to choose Strida for mountain biking and choose A-bike for this (http://kr.youtube.com/watch?v=mglmdKiBE7Q)(YouTube Video) :crash:

Today I was amplified too much by Strida. :twitchy:
The Max-speed exceeded 60km/h(37mph) => YouTube Video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpVp2W7qZxc)

I experienced the Space Warp :D

The bottom two pictures are very much like the roads I am riding in China. I did some trails in Nanjing that were like the dirt roads in PA, a lot like your second picture. I ride the Strida on many rails to trails and I have done 50 miles of the Des Plains River Trail on the Strida-5.

I have been running 55 psig front and 60 psig rear tires, what pressures do you use?

Also I have a Camel Back Flash lumbar hydration pack that doubles for a fanny pac when I am off the bike. How do you carry your water?

Troy

hey bich, thats awesome! you should have taken some video of you getting on the strida at the beginning and perhaps a shot of the speedometer!! that would have been great!

otherwise, it looks really fast! i find the bike surprisingly stable over 25. the triangle may be good at being a strong geometrical shape to not collapse, however, it does suffer a bit of lateral flex at good speed.

I have been running 55 psig front and 60 psig rear tires, what pressures do you use?

Also I have a Camel Back Flash lumbar hydration pack that doubles for a fanny pac when I am off the bike. How do you carry your water?

Troy

You look like a specialist :)
I'm a simple enthusiast of Strida. I try to maintain 60psi on both tires and drink much water before climb a mountain by Strida :D When I feel thirsty, there must be a clean stream near by me in a Korean forest.

hey bich, thats awesome! you should have taken some video of you getting on the strida at the beginning and perhaps a shot of the speedometer!! that would have been great!

otherwise, it looks really fast! i find the bike surprisingly stable over 25. the triangle may be good at being a strong geometrical shape to not collapse, however, it does suffer a bit of lateral flex at good speed.

YES! That's what I regret. It was a sudden event without any plan :crash:

When I started, I drove Strida with one hand(left) and took video with right hand. And then I felt DEATH when I tried to slow down(12~19seconds in the video). So I had to put down my right hand on grip after the crisis.

Strida is stable and strong. But I must say, "Never drive with one hand during a nosedive." :D

I just LOVE the way the right line waves and undulates about! :D Like a timewarp effect.

You look like a specialist :)
I'm a simple enthusiast of Strida. I try to maintain 60psi on both tires and drink much water before climb a mountain by Strida :D When I feel thirsty, there must be a clean stream near by me in a Korean forest.

I don’t think I am a specialist; I just love to ride alone and to ride simple machines.

I live in hotels for months at a time and love the Strida for its simple design and extremely low maintenance.

I did not look for dirt riding; it tends to find me when I am in China and when I found I could handle the machine nicely on hard packed limestone I progressed on to lower quality roads and then trails. I have been a long way out from town in the mountains of China with no cell phone reception and never felt the Strida-5 would let me down. I have even learned to trials somewhat while standing on the pedals with the crank arms parallel to the ground. The disc brakes are great for very, very, slow speed control when descending steep sections of trail.

I did try 45 psi front and 55 psi rear tire pressure on some very poor trail but found that the 55/60 worked better. If I go to 60/60 the front wheel slides around more in the soft stuff.

Thanks for your reply

Troy

All of you will be fully amplified when you view this YouTube video about Strida riders' meeting in Korea :)
>> http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pJXArlLxmOQ (http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pJXArlLxmOQ)


pics by Syance
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/2853122242_fbc0b89d52.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3025/2853122270_5e4981965a.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3115/2853122292_80bf2fe0b0.jpg?v=0

pics by Mangodegul
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/2853102872_09e438da4f.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3191/2852270537_bd1c6770e9.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3240/2853102460_96e50ed226.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/2852269701_e5d7ba0aeb.jpg?v=0
(my shoes.. hehe :roll: )

pics by Dooli *click each to view enlarged photo
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2853126422_4c6f7b7f33.jpg?v=0 (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3011/2853126422_4c6f7b7f33_b.jpg)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2852294395_143ecc3364.jpg?v=0 (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3258/2852294395_143ecc3364_b.jpg)
(The cute girl in the middle is our Empress :shock: )

Strida may be stable and strong..... if compared to a-bikes. :(
You'd better visit the A/S center and see the piles of strida waiting for maintenance. (I did)

Strida may be stable and strong..... if compared to a-bikes. :(
You'd better visit the A/S center and see the piles of strida waiting for maintenance. (I did)

Oh.. sorry to hear your 'not-good' experience :(
Mine is strong ;) Maybe I'm lucky :rolleyes:

Raxel - I have seen your 'blinged' up bikes - why dont you do a Strida ? ... I am sure you could get the weight way down eg 6Kg.

Strida may be stable and strong..... if compared to a-bikes. :(
You'd better visit the A/S center and see the piles of strida waiting for maintenance. (I did)

Exactly what I like in a forum posting, detail

I know from this posting:

Which parts failed by Strida Model
The type of failure(s) for each part/model
The frequency of each failure
The root cause of the failure

With this detail I can now assess the Strida against other folding bike models.

Thanks for the input.

Troy