Happy Easter Foldernauts!!

Strida 5s are now available in :-

Netherlands

& France
The French site lists 3 models :-
3.2 (the 3 with the anti-slip roller on the rear pulley, but still using plastic wheels)
3.3 Marine (as above but using alloy spoked wheels)
And the 5 Sport

So I may finally get my sticky paws on one!

I wonder why the French and Dutch get these bikes first? I also wonder how much these new Strida's weight? The beauty of the Strida was that it was under 25 lbs.

Regardless, I'll wait until the first 3 speed comes out before thinking of getting one.

The Fr site says 'poids plume' 11Kg or about 22lb.

I doubt hub makers will produce a 3 speed hub just for the strida half fork (btw does that type of fork have a name). Perhaps the new strida will permit a 2 speed BB.

I wonder if you can stand on the strida 5 pedals?

Looks like the same plastic main gear as the iXi, https://www.ixibike.com/.

What would be neat is if they could adapt the iXi belt drive for the brompton.

It look like the 5.0 received some interesting upgrades. I like the new color too!

MMMM tasty !

[QUOTE=14R]It look like the 5.0 received some interesting upgrades. I like the new color too!


There are several colours available, but perhaps only in the Far East:

https://www.ssangyong.co.jp/bike/stri...a50/index.html

Note the weight is still specified as 10 Kg. too.

I don't believe the weight. Strida has claimed that every model they've ever produced is 10kg. Seems a little fishy to me.

On a decent set of digital scales, my Strida 3 weighs .......... 10 Kg.

Thanks for the link.. the ixi bike looks really neat .. too bad its a bit pricey .. the design is amazing..

Thanks, but I'll take a Strida (if only for roll when folded - never carry).

The Strida is one of the best designed 'town runabouts',

Apart from the Wow factor,

The ultimate engineers dream, minimum parts, three frame members & three joints, less is more!

It is more agile than any other folder (I can do a controlled u-turn in about three foot, making it great for zig-zagging through busy places)

Never gets your hands dirty,

Folds quicker than any other folder that I've tried (I haven't tried the Tikit yet)

Can roll easily on it's wheels when folded, even with shopping on the rack,

& now with the 5 it looks like there is scope for a few customisations (e.g. Hope hydraulic brakes )

The only drawbacks are that the seat adjustment is limited, and there is a lack of gears at the moment but I sense that this won't be for much longer.............

I'd say the current disc set-up is over-kill on a bike with a 55" gear - why would you want to stick bigger and better Hopes on?

The look of the 5.0 is nice - it's just the problematic saddle adjustment that makes the bike a non-starter for me. That said, for 2-3 mile multi-modal spins, I can see why it has it advocates...

I haven't even adjusted my brakes yet. It's the first cycle I've had with drum brakes & I really like them. I can't think of a situation when they've been inadequate actually, in any weather (UK), so it probably is overkill .

Maybe it's a marketing move to fit the disc brakes, as they do look nice?

It doesn't take *that* long to adjust the seat :-) Having Allen screws to hold the moulding means they (un)fasten pretty quickly.

Or do you mean something else perhaps, maybe range of adjustment?

We use our Stridas when we're travelling & are unsure how far we'll ride before we set off, depending on how interesting the area is where we've parked or landed, & have done quite a few trips of 12 to 15 miles just fine. So I'm not clear as to why you think they're only suitable for 2 - 3 miles?

I think I read that Simon's done a longish ride in Holland. I'd be interested to know the longest trips other Strida riders have done actually.

I imagine from his sig,, geo8rge has done a 10 miles trip ;-)

We've had punctures on a few of those longer trips though :-( I'm trying to find a UK supplier for "Mr. Tuffy" liners which riders from the US say are quite good.

I think that is part of the reason, and why I would suggest the 5.0 bike will do well in Japan etc (they have a greater range of deluxe/optimally specced folders over there), but probably not so well in Europe and the US. I always liked the pared down simplicity of the Strida - less things to go wrong (although some of the components seem a bit fragile).Discs apart, the rest of the improvements seem worthwhile.

Precisely, the taller you are the higher you need to raise the seat, and in so doing this brings the saddle closer to the bars. This is unfortunately the opposite of what most taller riders need. I found the position (at 6' 2") uncomfortable.

I didn't say the Strida was only suitable for 2-3 mile rides, but I would contend that is what the bike does best - particularly in concert with trains/buses/cars. I am sure longer rides are possible (I have only had a test ride on an older model), but there are many other folding bikes I would rather ride 15 miles on. I have no doubt someone will suggest that it is possible to do the Paris-Roubaix on a Strida, but that doesn't mean it is the best tool for the job.

I have used the Panaracer Flataway Liner which is similar and likewise effective. Easy to get hold of in the UK. Try Wiggle.

It does look that way, yes. I imagine as space is at a premium in their cities, folding bikes will become more desirable there, & they do indeed have an amazing range of folders available.

I too am attracted by the bike's simplicity. Apparently there are less than 150 components in a Strida 3 for example.

I haven't in practice found any fragile components, so maybe that was your impression from the earlier (Mk1 or 2?) bike you rode.

I'd be interested to get an older version, but the few I've seen are asking almost the price of a new one!

I'd hazard a guess that the transmission (BB) improvements would be the most useful.

That's interesting, as I believe the Strida's designer, Mark Sanders, is 6' 4". Maybe he compensated, being the designer :-)

In my wife's case, ( ~ 5' 7") she finds the handlebar distance the best of any previous bike.

Well, yes, and you could probably say that for almost any example of transport, car, etc. I'm sure I'd enjoy journeys in Morse's old Jag' rather more than our Rover 214 ;-)

I suppose it often boils down to getting the best value for what one can afford :-) I have yet to see a comparably priced folder which offers similar Strida features that I've come to find very practical.

Thanks for the Flataway tip! I've just been to Wiggle's site for a look. Presumably I'll need 2 of these (ie. not enough in 1 pack for 2 * 16" tyres)? I'm trying to imagine how they're actually inserted :-)

Anyone check this strida out.. supposedly a future model ??
Looks fake ?

Thanks for spotting that, & the gallery in fact.

The rider must have long legs ;-)

I could mount the BB upside down ok, although the handlebars would be a bit of a challenge :-)

There are a couple of good Strida videos on this site.

https://nagoya.cool.ne.jp/alform1/index.html

Also useful, thanks.

Here's a different "folding" idea from one of the links referenced via your post:

https://nagoya.cool.ne.jp/alform1/litrech.jpg

That sliding tube must need a very good clamp mechanism.

I needed two, but that was with 20" wheels. I can't remember if they are 305s or 349s on a Strida - if the former, you may be able to get away with 1 pack. They fit between the tube and tyre.

As regards the other points, if the Strida works for you and your wife over 10 miles +, then great. For me, it's too much of a compromise...

The stopping power of the drum brakes was definitely good enough for me, once upon a time when my Strida 3.1 was new. But two years of NYC traffic later, the pads of the rear brake are quite worn out. Though the cable is nice and tight, it cannot expand the brake pads enough for them to engage against the inside of the drum. Cable adjustment is not the solution; the lever on the drum is actually bottoming out against the frame. I'm not sure how I'm going to fix this; Strida is working on a repair kit that the'll be able to send out one day, but that isn't an option right now.

I don't know what's the root cause of the problem, whether a it's an iherent flaw in drum brakes, or something about the way the Strida's brake is mounted, but evidently the folks at Strida decided disk brakes would be a worthwhile improvement.

And I, now that I'm down to one working brake, I'm not going to second guess them!

That's interesting to know, but as the other new Strida models (3.2 and 3.3) are not equipped with discs, clearly the problem is not a major concern for Sanders - particularly if they are working on an in-house repair kit. Who manufactures the drum brake by the way?

I am surprised that your drum brakes are suffering after only a couple of years - some people I have met claim trouble free operation for a lot longer...

Looks just like the GIatex Bikes..


Too bad Giatex have ceased operations of the their production... the chibas looked really promising..

I am happy to put my drum braked, plastic wheeled Strida onto the luggage chute of the airline. But would not be so sure with a conventionally steel spoked, bike with more vunerable disc brake wheels. BUT the Strida5 sure wins out on sex appeal !

40 * 305 in fact.

I'll get 1 initially & see how I get on, thanks. I'll be particularly keen to see how well they cope with sidewall puncture points, as my 2 most recent punctures, just a mile in between on each wheel, were both from the side.

This is the only folder I've ever owned, so I suppose I need to ride some others when I get an opportunity, to see just what those compromises are, unless again you mean for taller riders?