Originally Posted by makeinu

I lock my 20" Downtube outside most of the time because its not much more expensive than a beater (especially a beater with decent tires) and although I can take it with me in a pinch, it really doesn't fold well enough to be worthwhile in the vast majority of situations. So I agree that there are situations where one might want to lock a folder.

However, I would never lock a Brompton or Strida because while locks and locking techniques can reduce the risk of theft and accidental abuse, there's no way to protect from intentional abuse; and bikes, being a minority vehicle, are at high risk of vandalism, doubly so for unusual bikes like folders, quadruply so for expensive folders like the Brompton, and octoply so for expensive unusual folders like the Strida.

I also don't agree that folders are always inconvenient to take inside. One of the reasons I love my Carryme so much is because I actually think it is easier to fold it up and take it with me than to lock outside. Folding it is quicker than locking, I don't have to waste time findind a place to lock it, I can ride it straight up to the door, and its pretty much completely unobtrusive indoors. Of course that's not to say it's so convenient that it's worth dragging around just in case, but neither is a box of tissues. Also, yes, there are situations where keeping the bike right at hand can get slightly inconvenient, but in those cases it is still easier to simply stand it up in the nearest corner than locking a bike outside ever would be (and there is always a spot in the nearest corner because, quite frankly, the Carryme fits in corners better than just about any other object known to man...without scratching the paint on the walls by leaning it up like the Strida).

This is why, tempted as I am, I have not seen fit to fill in the middle of my collection with 16" bikes like the Brompton or the Strida. They're not quite convenient enough to drag around in *all* situations and they're not suitable to put at risk of theft, abuse, and vandalism by locking outside...plus it's a hassle to not know exactly what you're going to do with your bike at your destination and to waste time scoping out the situation before deciding whether to lock or fold. When I ride my Carryme I know I'm taking it with me without regrets and when I ride my 20" Downtube I know I'm locking it without regrets.

That being said, I don't see why the OP would have a problem with a Strida in a gym. Gyms tend to be spacious and sectioned with big machines in mind. Just lay down the Strida next to your treadmill, weight lifting bench, etc.