Folding Bikes - Video group 'test' of a Brompton, Strida & Swiss Bike

A 'review' of the Brompton, Strida and Swiss Bike..

Shown on one of the main TV channels in the UK today.

http://fwd.five.tv/videos/jon-test-folding-bikes

Discuss

..light the touch paper and step away.. :innocent:

I think they were actually very fair in the remarks they made. Problem was with three very different bikes, they were not really comparable. Brompton kind of wins by default, at least for a commute. And they did like the Swissbike too.....
Now if they had a Mu P8, say.....

If my bike commute is not in an urban environment or in a multi-modal environment, I would prefer the Swissbike. Personally I could not adapt to the riding position of the Strida. I think this small review was biased and aiming to promote the Brompton brand.

I think this small review was biased and aiming to promote the Brompton brand.

That's a ridiculous remark. They gave clear and understandable reasons for what they said. You just don't like their conclusions that's all.

I watched the programme with interest. As others have said the bikes on test were very different from each other. By rights the Brompton should have been pitted against a BF tikit and Dahon curve for example. While they should have compared the Swiss bike to the likes of a Dahon Cadenza / flo, Airnimal Rhino or BF Pocket Llama ect.
I guess it is just that we know what is available out there where as the general public do not..... at least it gave a positive approach to the advantages of folding bikes.:thumb:

I thought it was a bit harsh on the Strida, when the same show liked the Strida in last test eg ..

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

(with the A-Bike, but over 10 miles / 16Km in the city).

I thought it was a bit harsh on the Strida, when the same show liked the Strida in last test eg ..

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

(with the A-Bike, but over 10 miles / 16Km in the city).

They asked the Olympic Champion pursuit rider what she thought and she replied. If the bike suits other people that's fine. It didn't suit her, but both the other bikes did. My own take on this is that her willingness to enjoy the other two and her loathing of the Strida, says a lot, but I recognise that it doesn't matter at all what I think. People must decide for themselves.

BTW, they rolled the folded Strida BACKWARDS.

I think this was great fun and good publicity for the folding movement...

They asked the Olympic Champion pursuit rider what she thought and she replied. If the bike suits other people that's fine. It didn't suit her, but both the other bikes did. My own take on this is that her willingness to enjoy the other two and her loathing of the Strida, says a lot, but I recognise that it doesn't matter at all what I think. People must decide for themselves.

I agree, and yes its good to get folding bikes recognised as available alternatives.

I think this was great fun and good publicity for the folding movement...

Good publicity for the folding movement, maybe not Strida though..

I think this was great fun and good publicity for the folding movement...

Good publicity for the folding movement, maybe not Strida though..

That's no surprise to me. The strida is about the last bike I would give house room too and I'll take in most waifs and strays with two wheels as my untidy garage and bike filled shed will testify. My dad bought one of the very first stridas when he retired and took it back for a refund within a fortnight. I rode it down the street and found it hideous, to be quite frank. I'm sure some people love them though, and if they suit circus performers and stunt men, that's fine with me. One of the worst features I think is that the taller a person is, the further forward they must sit to get proper leg extension. Smaller people have to sit further back so that they are stretched out trying to reach the bars. I acknowledge that it might work for some people in the middle height range somewhere, but that just has to be wrong.

I acknowledge that it might work for some people in the middle height range somewhere, but that just has to be wrong.

I'm 5'10. What is your father's height? (As I'm thinking of saving for one)

Did you try one joose? I am 5'10" too. The strida gave a relaxed comfortable position. (One uncomfy thing was the tube between legs). But strida riding to me is soo different from other bikes, I personally would not even call it bike riding.

No not tried one yet. There is no bike shop anywhere near me that sells them. I think there is a shop in New Castle that sells them and when I next visit there I will give one a try.

5'10 also.. mmm I'm not going to ask a lady her weight but in your opinion, would I be comfortable on one being 14 stones? (Which I think is 88.9kg). I would be on a sprung Brooks.

If you are comfortable on - say a Holland bike - very upright with a short reach to the bars, and use big apples with the strida, why not. But really before book yourself on it, I would say try it - to try is for the strida probably more important than for other, more adaptable folders.
thats a matter of taste: I liked the ride, it was hilarious and I would have loved to pursue myself to buy it, as I like the looks much...but I could not see myself riding it for "serious" reasons. For example the little Carryme feels much more like a "real bike" to me.

No not tried one yet. There is no bike shop anywhere near me that sells them. I think there is a shop in New Castle that sells them and when I next visit there I will give one a try.

5'10 also.. mmm I'm not going to ask a lady her weight but in your opinion, would I be comfortable on one being 14 stones? (Which I think is 88.9kg). I would be on a sprung Brooks.

You should try one yourself I think rather than going from other people's experience. Some people really like them and others hate them.... Maybe they are like Marmite (I see you are a brit so will get that joke). Ordinarily I think we can take note of other people's views on what a bike is like, but the strida is a very different kind of bike than most of us are used to. I think it is less like an ordinary bike in the way it rides than most other folders are.


EDIT:

You have to dismount to the rear for a start, which is very unusual.

If you are comfortable on - say a Holland bike - very upright with a short reach to the bars, and use big apples with the strida, why not. But really before book yourself on it, I would say try it - to try is for the strida probably more important than for other, more adaptable folders.
thats a matter of taste

Holland bike style is more to my taste than most. Your right that I need to test it before buying. To be honest, it will take me a very long time to save for it so I will have many chances to try it, I'm in Germany for the New Year as usual so may even try it over there :)

You should try one yourself I think rather than going from other people's experience.

Again, totally true. I'm I right in saying then that Newcastle has a bike shop that sells them? I'm sure I saw it on the Strida website.

Ps, I hate Marmite. Yuck! lol

If you are comfortable on - say a Holland bike - very upright with a short reach to the bars, and use big apples with the strida, why not. But really before book yourself on it, I would say try it - to try is for the strida probably more important than for other, more adaptable folders.
thats a matter of taste

Holland bike style is more to my taste than most. Your right that I need to test it before buying. To be honest, it will take me a very long time to save for it so I will have many chances to try it, I'm in Germany for the New Year as usual so may even try it over there :)

You should try one yourself I think rather than going from other people's experience.

Again, totally true. I'm I right in saying then that Newcastle has a bike shop that sells them? I'm sure I saw it on the Strida website.

Ps, I hate Marmite. Yuck! lol

LOL - I like it (marmite).

Do you mean Newcastle upon Tyne, or Newcastle under Lyme? I thought living in Derbyshire you might be referring to the latter. Anyway - I'm not aware of any shop around here that sells them. Even Brompton can only be bought from a place ten miles away from here.

Just looked it up - you're right. Here are the details ->

EthicalSuperstore.Com Ltd
16 Princes Park,
Team Valley Trading Estate, Gateshead,Tyne and Wear,NE11 0NF

www.ethicalsuperstore.com

Telephone:
0845 009 9016
Email:
enquries@ethicalsuperstore.com

I would try out the Dahon Curve D3 if I was you. There are some hellish good deals on ebay.co.uk at the price point of about £275 for the 2007 model. It can be had from Winstanley's for £245 if your sexual identity is well enough established to feel happy with a pink one.

I'm quite attracted to the Curve D3. I bet it will ride better than the Strida.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/DAHON-CURVE-D3-16-WHEEL-LIGHTWEIGHT-ALLOY-FOLDING-BIKE_W0QQitemZ330283813297QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330283813297&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72:1301|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1308

I meant Tyne, not Lyme. Lymes a dump lol (well the bits I've passed through)

EEK, Gateshead side! Lol, just joking. Will have to Sat Nav it when I'm up next.

Curve D3 (08) is the bike I already have! lol It rides good, but after 7 miles I ache on it (my full trip 1 way is 9 miles). I think the bikes fine, my body shape is odd lol

Not so good on the train though. (I bike/catch train to work and back depending on weather) Mine are always standing room only. Even when folded, Curve is a large package in that situation. Strida would fit well above on the bag racks, hence the reason I'm attracted to it.

Having said that, you always get the bike Nazi's (the Tour de Commute types) bringing their full size bikes on board, smashing people up with them and then getting pissed off with everybody... buts that another rant for another day ;)

That's no surprise to me. The strida is about the last bike I would give house room too and I'll take in most waifs and strays with two wheels as my untidy garage and bike filled shed will testify.

Ah, but you did let a lovely one get away - to the Colonies, no less. :p

I love my Strida - for its intended purpose. It is not an all-around bike or a long distance ride. It is an elegant solution for a public transportation commuter who has a short ride at the end of the bus or train ride. I marvel at the simplicity and elegance of its design.

It's also definitely not for introverts.

...the strida is a very different kind of bike than most of us are used to...
You have to dismount to the rear for a start, which is very unusual.

What? You mean it's usual to hoist my leg to the front over the handlebars to dismount? I had no idea that getting off a bike toward the rear was considered very unusual.

That's no surprise to me. The strida is about the last bike I would give house room to

I second that - the interface between grey plastic and metal has always put me in mind of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31WS3Z4CNPL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
Mmm NHS crutches. Bevan's best.

:roflmao2:

Strida would fit well above on the bag racks, hence the reason I'm attracted to it.


If you are a multi-mode commuter using train, trolley, lightrail and in particular the bus, the Strida is often the best choice during rush hour. I've been in many commuter buses where the overhead rack is too small for a Brompton and would only fit a thin package like the Strida. In many cases you'll find that if your bike cannot fit in the overhead rack, you'll have to stand each day on the train or bus because you cannot take two seats. Not desirable at all.

Overall, I think the view of the Strida was too harsh. The Strida is similar to the Pedersen bicycle where the weight is too much on the rear creating front stearing that feels unstable. However, you get used to it and soon becomes "normal" after a while. The test ride was too short to give a fair opinion.

I second that - the interface between grey plastic and metal has always put me in mind of these:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31WS3Z4CNPL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
Mmm NHS crutches. Bevan's best.

:roflmao2:

Oh no! I'm an owner of a Sliver Strida 3.2 :notamused:
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=380848

However, the grey plastic parts have been changed to black since version 5.0 :D
Perhaps Ming Cycle (the Strida manufacturer) also had this in mind when they decided to change the colour. :lol:

I agree with Dahon.Steve. The review was far too harsh on the Strida. I own both Brompton and Strida. I commute 6.5 miles to work, all flat except for one significant hill.

You know what? After riding the Strida for a month, it was the Brompton I felt rode funny and uncomfortably. I'm keeping both for now (the Brompton is better for taking in a restaurant since it stands on its own), but I love the Strida's upright ride. I'm not trying to go as fast as possible. That is dangerous in a place like NYC, and probably most any place where you have to mingle with traffic and/or people. The single speed is perfect for safety and not breaking a sweat in your work clothes.

The Brompton rides more like a traditional bike, I'll grant that. But "familiar" meaning "better" is a subjective judgement. I find myself liking my Strida more than a traditional bike. I feel safer on it, with its upright ride, great brakes, and ability to touch the ground with my feet while still seated.

I meant Tyne, not Lyme. Lymes a dump lol (well the bits I've passed through)

EEK, Gateshead side! Lol, just joking. Will have to Sat Nav it when I'm up next.

Curve D3 (08) is the bike I already have! lol It rides good, but after 7 miles I ache on it (my full trip 1 way is 9 miles). I think the bikes fine, my body shape is odd lol

Not so good on the train though. (I bike/catch train to work and back depending on weather) Mine are always standing room only. Even when folded, Curve is a large package in that situation. Strida would fit well above on the bag racks, hence the reason I'm attracted to it.

Having said that, you always get the bike Nazi's (the Tour de Commute types) bringing their full size bikes on board, smashing people up with them and then getting pissed off with everybody... buts that another rant for another day ;)

I think you'll have to try the Strida then. That outlet on the Team Valley Trading Estate is not a specialist bike place so make sure you talk to them first to make sure the bikes are in stock and you can take a test ride. It would be grim to drive up here from Derbyshire and find your proposed test ride was not possible. If you decide against the Strida after a ride, the base Brompton isn't that much more expensive and is fine for nine miles in my opinion. You can do much more if you are inclined without feeling bad.


I've been looking at Stridas on Youtube and this is a pretty funny vid

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aWEAHbr5lAc&feature=related


This video is a must see before you take your test ride!!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DA3BNAgZS7A&feature=related

Ah, but you did let a lovely one get away - to the Colonies, no less. :p

I love my Strida - for its intended purpose. It is not an all-around bike or a long distance ride. It is an elegant solution for a public transportation commuter who has a short ride at the end of the bus or train ride. I marvel at the simplicity and elegance of its design.

It's also definitely not for introverts.

LOL - yes I did, but I knew the colonist would get better use of it than I had.

That's a ridiculous remark. They gave clear and understandable reasons for what they said. You just don't like their conclusions that's all.

Hello EvilV
Why ridiculous remark? The review is too short lacking many aspects of the modern folding world. Again, the way the program was produced convinces me that someone wanted to promote Brompton bicycles. Beside that, PDR observation completes my answer.


[QUOTE=PDR;7788521]I watched the programme with interest. As others have said the bikes on test were very different from each other. By rights the Brompton should have been pitted against a BF tikit and Dahon curve for example. While they should have compared the Swiss bike to the likes of a Dahon Cadenza / flo, Airnimal Rhino or BF Pocket Llama ect.
I guess it is just that we know what is available out there where as the general public do not..... at least it gave a positive approach to the advantages of folding bikes.[/PDR]

I have to say that the Strida must be one of the most devisive bikes ever made in terms of the fact that people seem to love them or hate them. Of course, 5 minutes on a bike with such different ride characteristics isn't very fair at all. After riding the Strida almost every day for over 3 months, I find it is the most comfortable and nimble city bike I've ever ridden. I go back to a regular bike and the steering feels sluggish and unresponsive, the posture feels hunched over and wrong. I guess it's just about getting used to something different and developing the muscle-memory to make it seemless and intuitive. One nice thing- if so many people have such knee-jerk negative reactions to the Strida after their very first time on it, I can enjoy it's awesomeness free of a new trend. I get admiring questions about my Strida all the time here in San Francisco as I comfortably cruise along, yet I still have yet to see another person riding one here.

I enjoy riding both Strida & Brompton bicycles, & by no stretch of the imagination do I find the Strida any more difficult to ride than any other folder I've tried (Brompton, Birdy, Mezzo, CarryMe, Downtube IXFS). In fact, my Strida generates more fun than any of those other bicycles!

If I was a commuter, particularly where punctuality & cleanliness are important, & my journey was, say < 16 kms or so, the Strida would be my first choice, as it has cantilevered wheels, so punctures are trivial to fix on both wheels, & it is a very *simple* bicycle - far fewer parts than other folders, so only simple tools need to be carried. Drum brakes mean heavy rain & floods are no problem. We (my wife has a Strida too) have *never* been refused admission anywhere in both hemispheres with our Strida bicycles, & in fact, the Strida is so unusual, it generates *far* more questions & interest than the Brompton I'm currently riding, wherever we go! To give you some idea, a supermarket chain manager in NZ spent several minutes with us, contemplating importing them! I've no idea if he's pursued that idea.

The Strida (un)folds far more quickly than any other folder I've tried, so clearly useful where that operation is frequent. Its "wheelprint" < than that of a Brompton, for example, so there are many situations where it's actually easier to store (upright) a Strida than say, a Brompton. It's also very easy to "stroll", again very useful in many situations.

My view is that both designers, Mark Sanders, & Andrew Ritchie, have given an enormous amount of energy, time, thought & expertise to their respective bicycles, & in some ways they are complementary designs, not competitive. The attention to detail in the Brompton design is particularly inspiring, but of course it's much more complex than the Strida!

I no longer ride big wheeled bicycles, as they are impractical for what *we need* in 2 wheeled transport. That doesn't mean I find big wheeled, or alternative design, bicycles terrible! We sometimes attend the informal "Origami" rides held in the UK, & during our last ride, I swapped with a rider riding a Dahon Cadenza. Initially I found the bike a bit heavy & quite different to the small wheeled bicycles I've been riding for the last 2 years. Within 5 minutes I became comfortable with it & enjoyed the further several miles I rode.
However, I'm not even sure that in a "perfect world" (no storage or theft problems) I'd go back to big wheeled bikes, as I enjoy the practicalities of small wheelers. BUT, all of the bikes I've tried have been enjoyable to ride in one or more ways, so it's hard for me (as I'm no athlete or expert bike rider) to understand why some people find bicycles like the Strida, say, or perhaps Mezzo, so difficult to adapt! (I am of course, presuming detractors have actually ridden such bicycles for several miles on varying road surfaces. There is of course, no way for me to know.) Most of the bicycles mentioned above, I've ridden for many miles without any problems, & most of those on the public "Origami" rides.

Many people of all ages have ridden our Stridas; young people in particular take just seconds to become accustomed to its riding style, but 2 people we know in their late 50's also very quickly adapted & loved riding it, so it really is mystifying why a few people are so antagonistic.

A few bicycles, like the Strida, & my compact long wheeled based recumbent, are tremendous fun to ride, partly because they generate huge amounts of interest, & are great ways to interact with all sorts of people :-)

I must stress that I only have experience of recent models of the above bicycles, in particular, Strida 3, & 5. I would like to try Strida 1 & 2, but haven't yet had an opportunity.

As has been pointed out, the "Gadget show" appraisal of the Strida is somewhat at odds with the previous review conducted by Suzy Perry & her colleague.

I have told the folding group about how I tested many folding bikes and why I choose the Strida over all of them. Now I admit that living in a hotel room 9 months out of the year and relying on trains for weekend travel for those 9 months is not everyone’s life style but I have been faithful in my test to make the Strida 5 my only bike for one year and have truly enjoyed the experience.

What the video did not show was having to carry a bike off the train while carrying your computer bag and such. This is a hassle, try this on a workday in Shanghai. Carrying a folding bike in this situation would be like a normal person carrying all their bags into the airport to begin a multi week trip. In the video they just picked up the bike in its bag and stood there they did not move through and around people while carrying it and other baggage.

Now for riding the bike, I can ride my Strida without hands and can take my pullover off over my head while riding it (this took a while to accomplish I admit). I have even ridden my Strida through Chicago traffic hands off talking on my cell phone. So riding a Strida for me is more fun than my 700C fixed gear. So I am a little shocked about the video.

The only modifications I have made to my Strida are I changed the seat and use Speedplay Frogs instead of folding pedals. Now the Frogs make the bike handle completely different than standard pedals and allow power to be applied to the rear wheel through more of the pedal rotation.

My wife loves her Strida and when she watched the video her comment to me was that she and I still skateboard, surf, kayak, mush, and rock climb, the two people on the video probably only ride bikes. She is 48 years old and I am 54 years old. So maybe that is the difference between her and I enjoying the Strida while the two individuals on the video did not.

Oh and I am finding the longer skateboards available now will smoke any folder when it comes to inner city commuting via multimode transportation and they are way easier to pack.

TBakel

I would concur with the last 2 posts. This is a fascinating thread - I have never heard of another bike that divides opinion as Strida. I got to ride one recently for the first time and yes it did feel different, but bad - NO! in fact I loved it. It was a pretty crowded street with both cars and people but the bike felt really at ease dogging all - it has a small footprint, not much bigger than a pedestrian, so it didn't intimidate like my road bike does in similar crowded places. It is one of the first small wheeled bikes to really tempt me.

They summed it up pretty well in treehuggers review ..
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/09/review-strida-folding-bike.php

"Just like many modern fighter planes are designed to be unstable so that they are more maneuverable, the Strida seems a but hard to control at first. But get it into crowded streets, and it is unbelievably maneuverable- the thing turns on a dime. I have taken it around cars and pedestrians in ways that would not have been possible on my road bike "

That's no surprise to me. The strida is about the last bike I would give house room too and I'll take in most waifs and strays with two wheels as my untidy garage and bike filled shed will testify. My dad bought one of the very first stridas when he retired and took it back for a refund within a fortnight. I rode it down the street and found it hideous, to be quite frank. I'm sure some people love them though, and if they suit circus performers and stunt men, that's fine with me. One of the worst features I think is that the taller a person is, the further forward they must sit to get proper leg extension. Smaller people have to sit further back so that they are stretched out trying to reach the bars. I acknowledge that it might work for some people in the middle height range somewhere, but that just has to be wrong.

I APOLOGISE FOR THIS TOTAL RUBBISH.

I HAVE SINCE BOUGHT A STRIDA 5 TYPE BIKE - A COPY AND IT IS A GREAT DEAL OF FUN. I WROTE THE ABOVE BASED ON IGNORANCE AND PREJUDICE. IT IS COMPLETELY WRONG.
:o

I APOLOGISE FOR THIS TOTAL RUBBISH.

I HAVE SINCE BOUGHT A STRIDA 5 TYPE BIKE - A COPY AND IT IS A GREAT DEAL OF FUN. I WROTE THE ABOVE BASED ON IGNORANCE AND PREJUDICE. IT IS COMPLETELY WRONG.
:o
I think Mark Sanders (http://bicycledesign.blogspot.com/2008/06/guest-post-by-mark-sanders.html) will be happy to see this comment. :)