Folding Bikes - Tyres for Strida 5

Bikeforums.net is a forum about nothing but bikes. Our community can help you find information about hard-to-find and localized information like bicycle tours, specialties like where in your area to have your recumbent bike serviced, or what are the best bicycle tires and seats for the activities you use your bike for.




View Full Version : Tyres for Strida 5


EvilV
02-16-09, 10:58 AM
Any thoughts on Schwalbe City Jet for Strida 5


I'm going to replace the tyres on my Strida copy and was wondering about these ->

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24630

Apart from anything else, it ain't that helpful that there are two very different sizes of 16" tyres around and that few of the sellers advertise the ISO rim sizes.


regfman
02-16-09, 11:21 AM
another of my tales of woe:

I have an electric air compressor in the garage that I bought to keep my car tires inflated, rather than paying to use the pumps at the gas stations. I'm old enough that I remember when the pump was free, and I decided that I'd rather pay $80 for my own pump than be paying $0.25 every so often to fill my tires ;)

I got lazy recently and rather than use my hand pump to pump up my low tires on my fake strida I decided to use the electric pump, and I didn't bother to turn down the regulator valve on the pump since I figured it's probably not very accurate anyway. Well I blew up the tire because I couldn't release the value quickly enough when the tire was inflating.

So I went to the shop that I mentioned on another thread and the only tire they had was the Schwalbe City Jet so i bought it. The tires that came on the bike were 16 x 1.75. The City Jet tire is a 16 x 1.95. It fits on the rim but the fenders don't fit over the tire. It is a much larger tire than the original one. The bike store is allowing me to bring the tire back since I haven't ridden on it and they are ordering another Schwalbe that is 16 x 1.75. Actually they are ordering two of them as i figure I might as well have two good tires that I can inflate more than the cheap ones that came on my fake Strida. --- Plus I bought a floor pump with a gauge on it and I won't be using the electric compressor for bikes anymore.

EvilV
02-16-09, 11:26 AM
Wow - am I glad I asked that question.

Sorry to hear of your problem.

LOL - the reason I am replacing my tyre is almost the same. It is marked 35psi max, but being an optimist and liking efficient transport, I just pumped them to 65psi.... IDIOT!!!

Of course the rear one has developed a bump now. The front is fine, but it takes no load hardly so it hasn't had such a hard life.

So - I need to stick to that 1.75 then. Any idea which schwalbe tyre? I'm not tied to that make, it just looked like a great offer at £9.99 including postage.


BruceMetras
02-16-09, 11:39 AM
Wow - am I glad I asked that question.

Sorry to hear of your problem.

LOL - the reason I am replacing my tyre is almost the same. It is marked 35psi max, but being an optimist and liking efficient transport, I just pumped them to 65psi.... IDIOT!!!

Of course the rear one has developed a bump now. The front is fine, but it takes no load hardly so it hasn't had such a hard life.

So - I need to stick to that 1.75 then. Any idea which schwalbe tyre? I'm not tied to that make, it just looked like a great offer at £9.99 including postage.

I'm running Maxxis Hookworms (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009U817K/ref=nosim/?tag=nextag-sports-mp-delta-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B0009U817K&linkCode=asn) 16x1.95 .. note they are rated at 110psi... don't know if the rims will take that though.. I run 50psi and that seems fine.. very rugged looking tire .. should be for BMX stunts ... fenders will clear by adjusting them, or perhaps slotting the mounts.. I didn't have to slot mine..
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31K-M6d0LQL._SS500_.jpg

EvilV
02-16-09, 11:44 AM
Thanks Bruce. I'll see if I can find some on the web in the UK.

EDIT:

I'm only getting US offers on google.

BruceMetras
02-16-09, 12:09 PM
Thanks Bruce. I'll see if I can find some on the web in the UK.

EDIT:

I'm only getting US offers on google.

Keep at it, there has got to be a knock-off of it in the UK.. ahaha... here's mine sitting in the rain (something that it's been doing a lot of lately).. I find that it is pretty darn good in the wet stuff .. brakes remain excellent.. speeds remain low for obvious gearing reasons.. handles dirt and gravel roads well enough with the bigger tires and I could care less if the drivetrain components are getting soaked or muddy.. even though it's raining, dog still needs to get run.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3284718031_148bbb091f_b.jpg

regfman
02-16-09, 12:24 PM
That tire looks about the same size as the City Jet but my experience was that it seemed too close. You apparently got your 1.95 to fit. I did play around with adjusting it on the slotting. Maybe the City Jet is a bit larger, or more likely I didn't take enough time tweaking it.

EvilV
02-16-09, 12:31 PM
That tire looks about the same size as the City Jet but my experience was that it seemed too close. You apparently got your 1.95 to fit. I did play around with adjusting it on the slotting. Maybe the City Jet is a bit larger, or more likely I didn't take enough time tweaking it.
Was it actually rubbing the fender?

regfman
02-16-09, 12:34 PM
Yes. The fender was a bit wobbly. I would pull on it a bit and open up some clearance in one spot and it would be touching somewhere else. It was that close.

EvilV
02-16-09, 12:47 PM
I'll take a look at how much 'meat' there is on the fender mounting. If there is enough, it would probably be easy to enlarge the slot so that the thing could be mounted higher. I'm also googling for hookworms in that size.

Maybe Cyclistjohn or Chop can advise on tyres available in the UK. They have a lot of Strida experience.

SesameCrunch
02-16-09, 02:18 PM
Keep at it, there has got to be a knock-off of it in the UK.. ahaha... here's mine sitting in the rain (something that it's been doing a lot of lately).. I find that it is pretty darn good in the wet stuff .. brakes remain excellent.. speeds remain low for obvious gearing reasons.. handles dirt and gravel roads well enough with the bigger tires and I could care less if the drivetrain components are getting soaked or muddy.. even though it's raining, dog still needs to get run.


Glad to see your SLO is being put to good use. :thumb:

Did you do anything with the bottom bracket, or is it still original?

BruceMetras
02-16-09, 02:39 PM
Glad to see your SLO is being put to good use. :thumb:

Did you do anything with the bottom bracket, or is it still original?

Funny, some guy that hangs around the GG Bridge parking lot in a long trenchcoat seems to be flogging these things to unknowing louts. haha

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e157/sesamecrunch/slackerhill.jpg

The plastic bottom bracket is obviously a huge weak link in the SLO.. I did heli-coil mine with an 8x1.25mm heli-coil and it is solid for now and has undergone multiple belt tensioning sessions as I went around messing with things to mess with, and, doesn't lose tension for the time being .. I'll probably want to order up an aluminum BB before the hybrid-plastic one disintegrates under me..

Did your Strida sell on CL?

SesameCrunch
02-16-09, 03:01 PM
Funny, some guy that hangs around the GG Bridge parking lot in a long trenchcoat seems to be flogging these things to unknowing louts. haha


:innocent::innocent::innocent:



The plastic bottom bracket is obviously a huge weak link in the SLO.. I did heli-coil mine with an 8x1.25mm heli-coil and it is solid for now and has undergone multiple belt tensioning sessions as I went around messing with things to mess with, and, doesn't lose tension for the time being .. I'll probably want to order up an aluminum BB before the hybrid-plastic one disintegrates under me..

Did your Strida sell on CL?

Heli-coil, eh? Gotta remember that one.

No, no takers on the real Strida. I think the market for triangle shaped folders is totally overtaken by the clones. Don't think anybody wants to pay Strida prices any more. Good thing I got a discount on mine, heh heh. No regrets, though. I still love that bike.... (Come to think of it, I love all my bikes. Look where I keep my Moulton nowadays. BTW, notice the nice rack? :p)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e157/sesamecrunch/trr1.jpg



Sorry for the thread hijack, EvilV.

Now, back to our regular scheduled programming...

BruceMetras
02-16-09, 05:14 PM
Crunchie!! that bike looks so .. so British... just gorgeous.. wife must love it in front of the fireplace... sorry to continue the hijack Evil, but.... how did you ever manage to let that beauty go (?!?!?!?)

EvilV
02-17-09, 02:10 AM
I can always buy another if I want too.... He keeps putting up these pictures to make me nostalgic. :)

I wasn't riding it after an injury I got last winter and I kept looking at it and thinking, that's too much money for an ornament. It lived in my house too. Talk about a spoiled bike (*).


By the way, with all the ribbing you've been giving me about being Mr Knockoff - I didn't know that you had an SLO. :eek: I must say, it looks pretty neat in those tyres. I like the colour too. Yours seems to be from the same stable as mine (Yonkiang wot not & etc). It has the reflective stripe down the front frame member. Are the insides of your hex bolts gently rusting? Mine have a thin film of rust discolouration inside the hex recesses. No big deal, but not well plated fastening hardware. I see you kept the original pedals. Mine went in the can on the second day and I put on some spare non-folding ones for now. I can swap them out with my MKS folders from the Merc if I want to take it somewhere which requires ultra-compact folding.



(*) spoiled in the sense of an over-indulged child - I'm not commenting adversely on Crunchy's minor alterations which are very nice.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3284718031_148bbb091f_b.jpg

cyclistjohn
02-17-09, 03:25 AM
Any thoughts on Schwalbe City Jet for Strida 5

...
Apart from anything else, it ain't that helpful that there are two very different sizes of 16" tyres around and that few of the sellers advertise the ISO rim sizes.

Very unhelpful, yes. Many sites don't give enough info' on dimensions.

I fitted a City Jet 54 * 305 (16 * 1.95) to the front of my Strida 3 about a year ago, & it's now on the front of my recumbent. It was fine, but as I had no luck fitting a big apple to the back (at least with a reasonable pressure) I didn't try it on the back.

Interestingly Chop! reported he has fitted big apples ok, so perhaps the rear wheel clearance to belt is greater on the 5? Of course I don't know how exact the copies are in that area, so maybe buy just 1 & try it?

john

EvilV
02-17-09, 04:39 AM
Very unhelpful, yes. Many sites don't give enough info' on dimensions.

I fitted a City Jet 54 * 305 (16 * 1.95) to the front of my Strida 3 about a year ago, & it's now on the front of my recumbent. It was fine, but as I had no luck fitting a big apple to the back (at least with a reasonable pressure) I didn't try it on the back.

Interestingly Chop! reported he has fitted big apples ok, so perhaps the rear wheel clearance to belt is greater on the 5? Of course I don't know how exact the copies are in that area, so maybe buy just 1 & try it?

john

I think they are dimensionally exact. People are swapping out strida parts. The differences are in the finer points of manufacture and in some instances of materials. Someone I know changed his rear wheel for a strida one after a spoke problem and found the wheel bearings were identical. I had some spokes break as well, but got some new spokes made up and have tried to tension the wheel. None of the spokes were remotely tight enough, so there was a lot of fatigue going on. My amateur wheel building (for amateur read AMATEUR or maybe A M A T E U R) may or may not solve the problem. Having said that, I did manage to tension the Merc rear wheel so that it has lasted about 3000 miles without any more breakages.

On the belt clearance thing, there is a 12 - 13mm clearance between the current tyre and the belt and about 10mm under the mudguard (fender). I'd rather not have to alter the mudguard position because it looks as if I'd have to remove the rear wheel to do it, but there is about another 10mm of adjustment possible. This should make it possible to gain another 20mm in total. To be honest a 16x1.75 tyre is the answer. That's what I will pursue.

EvilV
02-17-09, 05:04 AM
Right - I ordered through the Strida supply chain.

Kenda 16x1.5 £16.99 plus postage.

I'll make sure not to over pump this one.

BruceMetras
02-17-09, 05:15 PM
By the way, with all the ribbing you've been giving me about being Mr Knockoff - I didn't know that you had an SLO. :eek: I must say, it looks pretty neat in those tyres. I like the colour too. Yours seems to be from the same stable as mine (Yonkiang wot not & etc). It has the reflective stripe down the front frame member. Are the insides of your hex bolts gently rusting? Mine have a thin film of rust discolouration inside the hex recesses. No big deal, but not well plated fastening hardware. I see you kept the original pedals. Mine went in the can on the second day and I put on some spare non-folding ones for now. I can swap them out with my MKS folders from the Merc if I want to take it somewhere which requires ultra-compact folding.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3289/3284718031_148bbb091f_b.jpg


Know full well, all ribbing was always in the context of good natured fun :lol: .. and, at no time did I suggest you should have spent $700+ on a real SLO... Mine came into stock after some serious arm-twisting by that GG Bridge parking lot guy... I've always liked the idea of the Strida, but here in the States, just way too much dough for me .. anyway, this GG Bridge guy was up for bartering with bangers, so one SLO was exchanged ... as to the hardware, I replaced any of the bolts that I thought were doing any real work.. pretty cheap hardware to say the least.. also, I think yours is the deluxe, updated SLO.. note my handlebar warning... no idea what it says.. probably something to do with who to contact with warranty complaints.. :beer:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/3289194476_6c00e4ff08_b.jpg

SesameCrunch
02-17-09, 07:44 PM
Mine came into stock after some serious arm-twisting by that GG Bridge parking lot guy... I've always liked the idea of the Strida, but here in the States, just way too much dough for me .. anyway, this GG Bridge guy was up for bartering with bangers, so one SLO was exchanged

:innocent::innocent::innocent:


.. note my handlebar warning... no idea what it says.. probably something to do with who to contact with warranty complaints.. :beer:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/3289194476_6c00e4ff08_b.jpg

It says the same thing as the sticker on the real Strida - "Warning! When braking, use the rear brakes first."

EvilV
02-18-09, 02:41 AM
Know full well, all ribbing was always in the context of good natured fun :lol: .. and, at no time did I suggest you should have spent $700+ on a real SLO... Mine came into stock after some serious arm-twisting by that GG Bridge parking lot guy... I've always liked the idea of the Strida, but here in the States, just way too much dough for me .. anyway, this GG Bridge guy was up for bartering with bangers, so one SLO was exchanged ... as to the hardware, I replaced any of the bolts that I thought were doing any real work.. pretty cheap hardware to say the least.. also, I think yours is the deluxe, updated SLO.. note my handlebar warning... no idea what it says.. probably something to do with who to contact with warranty complaints.. :beer:

No - I knew it was in fun. No probs - I just meant I had no idea you had one. You probably said, but I missed it. As for warranty, I contacted my seller and asked him about spare parts. He sent me the official Strida URL. :lol:

I ordered my new tyre from a bike shop in the Strida supply chain. I know another SLO owner with one exactly like mine and when he snapped a rear spoke he ordered a new Strida wheel from the same shop. It went straight on. Even has identical bearings. The hub is much better made and the wheel is properly tensioned unlike our SLO ones - hence the snapped spokes he and I had.

:beer:

EvilV
02-19-09, 10:31 AM
Got the original Strida Kenda tyre today..... What a beast it was to get onto the rim.

The original SLO tyre came on and off in seconds without tools. Fingers only - no problem. This Kenda was about the tightest tyre I ever put on. I had it soaped up - had to. I think I would have torn the bead other wise it was so tight. As I got one side a bit more over the rim, the other side was coming off it. I got 'She Who Must be Obeyed' to help me. She couldn't even hold one side on as I inched the other over the rim, bit by cursing bit. In the end, we did it. She said it put her in mind of giving birth to our three sons - only this was a lot tighter and more of a struggle.

Nice image - or not as the case may be.

BruceMetras
02-19-09, 11:17 AM
Got the original Strida Kenda tyre today..... What a beast it was to get onto the rim.

The original SLO tyre came on and off in seconds without tools. Fingers only - no problem. This Kenda was about the tightest tyre I ever put on. I had it soaped up - had to. I think I would have torn the bead other wise it was so tight. As I got one side a bit more over the rim, the other side was coming off it. I got 'She Who Must be Obeyed' to help me. She couldn't even hold one side on as I inched the other over the rim, bit by cursing bit. In the end, we did it. She said it put her in mind of giving birth to our three sons - only this was a lot tighter and more of a struggle.

Nice image - or not as the case may be.

Oh, that's a great image.. thanks for sharing.. haha.. the Maxxis tires went right on.. no drama.... neener neeener!

trueno92
02-19-09, 11:35 AM
haha damn. did any of you guys use plastic tire levers? they make the job a bit easier, cuz when ur trying to slide on one side of the tire, the lever can hold it in place from always jumping out...

either way, I haven't really experimented with different tire widths. The tires already seem pretty fat, running 1.50's but I am just a bit concerned about when the bike is folded, the tires could come in the way of preventing the magnets from making contact. the magnet axle could be extended, but it could make rolling the bike in folded form, a bit more prone to coming apart.

EvilV
02-19-09, 12:12 PM
Oh, that's a great image.. thanks for sharing.. haha.. the Maxxis tires went right on.. no drama.... neener neeener!

They aren't available here - leastways not advertised on the web. I tried local shop after shop on the phone and as soon as I mentioned the size they just said -'Oh - sorry - no call for anything that size.' To be fair - there are VERY few folders around this city. t is compact enough to ride directly to where you want to be without going multi modal so - not a lot of folders. I couldn't find any on the web either - at least not in the UK.


haha damn. did any of you guys use plastic tire levers? they make the job a bit easier, cuz when ur trying to slide on one side of the tire, the lever can hold it in place from always jumping out...

either way, I haven't really experimented with different tire widths. The tires already seem pretty fat, running 1.50's but I am just a bit concerned about when the bike is folded, the tires could come in the way of preventing the magnets from making contact. the magnet axle could be extended, but it could make rolling the bike in folded form, a bit more prone to coming apart.

Yeh I have some nice orange plastic levers. As for the 1.75s and magnetic click and hold. It worked ok, but sometimes I did have to make a VERY purposeful closure to initiate it.

trueno92
02-20-09, 08:09 AM
cool, well i suppose with the increased tire pressure, say 100psi, the bike will be much easier to roll, and not want to come apart as easily!

EvilV
02-20-09, 09:47 AM
You won't believe this - I hardly do and I've seen the inescapable evidence. That tyre has gone FLAT!!!!!!

I'm on the point of putting the damned SLo in the garage and burying it in junk. I want to get that tyre off and on again about as much as I want to give birth to a sixteen pound infant. I think the latter would be easier almost.

trueno92
02-20-09, 10:10 AM
wow hahah

did something actually puncture? or had the innertube torn from all the wrestling getting that tire on and off etc?

EvilV
02-20-09, 10:43 AM
wow hahah

did something actually puncture? or had the innertube torn from all the wrestling getting that tire on and off etc?

I suspect the latter. I only rode it a couple of miles after 'fitting' the new tyre.

SesameCrunch
02-20-09, 11:52 AM
You won't believe this - I hardly do and I've seen the inescapable evidence. That tyre has gone FLAT!!!!!!

I'm on the point of putting the damned SLo in the garage and burying it in junk. I want to get that tyre off and on again about as much as I want to give birth to a sixteen pound infant. I think the latter would be easier almost.

http://deephousepage.com/smilies/pullhair.gif http://deephousepage.com/smilies/pullhair.gif http://deephousepage.com/smilies/pullhair.gif !!!


http://deephousepage.com/smilies/40s.gif


http://deephousepage.com/smilies/party5.gif


http://deephousepage.com/smilies/sleeping10.gif


http://deephousepage.com/smilies/itsokay.gif


:thumb:

EvilV
02-21-09, 05:46 AM
LOL - it's OK now.

The thing went off and on much easier the second time. Still a struggle, but not the epic one I had before.

Only took fifteen minutes from start to riding it away. It was a tyre lever pinch flat on the side.

regfman
02-21-09, 12:51 PM
I called the shop that I mentioned earlier to see if they got in another 1.75 tire to exchange for the 1.95 City Jet that I had ordered. They told me that they were having trouble getting the 1.75 but they did get in some Schwalbe Marathons 1.50's. But instead of costing $22 the Marathons are $35 each.

Now if the main reason for a higher quality tire is that it allows me to roll with less effort because of higher tire pressures than I would probably want to buy two of them. $70 plus tax. Plus driving 40 miles rt to the store this weekend. Here is where news of the slowing economy and my dwindling 401k is having its effect. Where in the past I probably would have thought that this higher tire pressure is a tweak worth doing I instead called around to a local store and found a Kenda, which turns out to look (tread pattern is exactly the same) like the chang-di tire that came on the fake strida and I bought it instead for $12.

On the chang-di the tire pressure is marked as 40psi, but on the Kenda it says 40-65psi. I think it is the same tire though. I pumped it to 65 and the bead came out so I've backed off to 50 and I think everything is okay.

Right now I am out the price of the City Jet but the guy who sold it to me says i can return it, and if he means only for an exchange, not cash, even that's okay. The economy is falling apart but what the heck..... they have some really nice folding bikes in that store.

EvilV
02-21-09, 04:25 PM
Did your Kenda go on OK?

Mine was a bugger the first time.

Hope you can find something useful to spend that credit note on.

regfman
02-21-09, 07:10 PM
Yes, it definitely was harder than the City Jet, but I got it on okay.

Chop!
02-23-09, 03:25 PM
Evil! For god's sake man! 1st you buy a knock-off Strida now you fit those crappy K tyres! They wear out very quickly in my experience, once the tread wears down they puncture if you ride over velcro!!!!!! LOL! Get with the programme! What you spend is what you get! LOL!

Safe walking! LOL! (cos with all those punctures you won't be riding much!) :roflmao2: :lol::speedy:

EvilV
02-24-09, 01:48 AM
Evil! For god's sake man! 1st you buy a knock-off Strida now you fit those crappy K tyres! They wear out very quickly in my experience, once the tread wears down they puncture if you ride over velcro!!!!!! LOL! Get with the programme! What you spend is what you get! LOL!

Safe walking! LOL! (cos with all those punctures you won't be riding much!) :roflmao2: :lol::speedy:

:(

I was trying to make my bike a bit more original, and that's the thanks I get.

LOL

I was asking earlier for a recommendation from you and you didn't come in. Never mind. What should I have got, and more important WHERE FROM IN THE UK? I'll keep in in mind for next time.

http://www.bikeforums.net/showpost.php?p=8370537&postcount=10

Chop!
02-24-09, 03:36 PM
Sorry, if I didn't see your request, but as I've often tried to explain, I get online in fits & starts, according to where my tours take me. For future reference, I would go for puncture resistant Schwalbes or Dutch Perfects (the latter are usually cheaper BTW) If you have already bought Kendas, keep an eye on the rear tyre & swap with the front before the tread gets too 'Kojak'!

If you do ever get Big Apples, don't inflate them to the max or the wheels may not click together on folding.

PS Soz, was in a teasing mood last post! LOL!

EvilV
02-25-09, 04:03 AM
Sorry, if I didn't see your request, but as I've often tried to explain, I get online in fits & starts, according to where my tours take me. For future reference, I would go for puncture resistant Schwalbes or Dutch Perfects (the latter are usually cheaper BTW) If you have already bought Kendas, keep an eye on the rear tyre & swap with the front before the tread gets too 'Kojak'!

If you do ever get Big Apples, don't inflate them to the max or the wheels may not click together on folding.

PS Soz, was in a teasing mood last post! LOL!

Thanks Chop.

I was not in the least offended, but was trying to be funny with the :( face.

Are these Dutch Perfects available here? Also, I have never seen any online adds for 16" shwalbe marathons that fit this bike. They seem to be in the 349 size rather than 305 (are those the right numbers? I was up late night).

Cheers.