While it's true that 16" wheels don't work well with a derailleur, they work very nicely with an internally geared hub or, as in the case of the Strida, a single speed
My personal experience with hub gears hasn't been that great and that's also backed up by other people who've had hub-geared bikes including Bromptons. A few days ago a work colleague came off his Brompton when he hit a pothole on the commute to work. I've no doubt that the Brompton is a very high quality piece of kit but for me, the 16" wheels don't cut it, but having said that, I will try one for myself in the next few weeks.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback, it's been very helpful.
Cheers
John