Hi Amuro,
Good question. I was amazed at how many factories are listed producing fake stridas. I call them SLO's (Strida Looking Objects) this is because many of them may LOOK like Stridas, but they do not have all the details that real Stridas have. Here is a list of things that are not imeadiately obvious by looking at a fake.
1. Heat treatment of frame after welding ( means a drastic reduction in fatigue life of frame )
2. Correct tough nylon for important joints.
3. Use of strong heat-treated steel for parts like axles, ball joint. (this is obvious by their use of low quality steel for important screws holding seat, steering pin, axles, wheels and brakes.
4. The joints are all much looser than real stridas - meaning they are harder work to pedal, will wear quickly and make the normally stiff framed Strida feel 'floppy'.
5. Some SLO's use 4 screws to hold the steering pin. At 1st glance this may seem stronger than Strida's 2 screws. BUT Strida screws are special & strong - to avoid fatigue/fretting wear. The 4 screws on SLO's allow the whole steering pin to rock - this not only makes the frame feel floppy, it also will quickly wear and become even more loose - and will soon cut though the soft, non-heat treated aluminium mountings. That's if the soft screws don't break 1st.
6. Wheels tyres and hubs are really low quality- as all components used. They are not machined from Ali. But crudely welded together from steel then plated.
Buyers MUST realize that they are getting what they pay for - NOT a bargain priced Strida, but a crude VISUAL fake.
Just like fake baby milk looks just like real milk. I am apalled by the cheap money grabbing antics of these fakers. But I guess the chinese government has bigger worries (like feeding 1.3b people) than upholding foreign owned IP. It is a complete MYTH that strida has no patent and Ip protection. There are several patents still in force - and Ming are suing many SELLERS of fake stridas, but the Chinese gov. Is v slow to act on factories.
I hope this answers your Q's
Please keep up the excellent work you do on the forums with help and information.
Best
Mark
On 13 Dec 2008, at 23:28, Amuro Lee wrote:
> Hi Mark,
>
> There're some articles on bikeforums.net and stridaforum.com talking
> about the quality
> of fake Stridas.
> What do you think about this?
>
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=493693
>
http://www.stridaforum.com/forum/vie...5&p=3214#p3214
>
http://www.stridaforum.com/forum/vie...3&p=3215#p3215
>
> Regards,
>
> Amuro