Exactly how bad is the Strida...

[[email protected]]

My commuting bike - a run of a few miles twice a day - is an Electra
Cruiser, but I'm attracted to various cheap-ish folding models for, for
instance, getting about the town centre after a bus or train ride in -
with the main accent on good foldability to avoid arguments with public
transport employees. Unfortunately I'm substantially heavier than the
specified weight limits of Clive Sinclair's A-Bike and the "JD RAZOR
COMPACT ADULT BIKE" folder. Dismissing for now the idea of
distributing my weight over two A-Bikes or Razors Scotch-taped
together, I turn to the Strida. Strida 3 is said to be an easier and
more confident ride than the previous models. So if you don't want to
go further than a mile, tops, then how about it?

My main concern is the riding position: do you inevitably rest your
weight on the handlebars? Unfortunately I can't do that; that's why I
got the Cruiser - I suddenly and inescapably developed a very painful
condition of the hands and forearms, a sort of computer RSI. But you
sit back on the Cruiser and the handlebars sweep around in a broad U,
so your weight isn't on your arms and your hands.

Conversely, if I only treat it as a scooter with a seat, that's
something.

I see that the manufacturer offers a test drive at the expense of
return shipping paid by the customer if not satisfied, and I'd give it
a go but I'd ask first. For that matter, if someone in striking
distance of Glasgow owns a Strida that could be tried - or one that
they want to get shot of - then I'd like to know. I'm fairly close to
its top allowed weight as well.

They come up on eBay as well, of course.

I had something else on my mind... no, it's gone. I'd better just
press the "Remember" button ;-)

 

[Tony Raven]

[email protected] wrote on 13/07/2006 03:13 +0100:
> My commuting bike - a run of a few miles twice a day - is an Electra
> Cruiser, but I'm attracted to various cheap-ish folding models for, for
> instance, getting about the town centre after a bus or train ride in -
> with the main accent on good foldability to avoid arguments with public
> transport employees. Unfortunately I'm substantially heavier than the
> specified weight limits of Clive Sinclair's A-Bike and the "JD RAZOR
> COMPACT ADULT BIKE" folder. Dismissing for now the idea of
> distributing my weight over two A-Bikes or Razors Scotch-taped
> together, I turn to the Strida. Strida 3 is said to be an easier and
> more confident ride than the previous models. So if you don't want to
> go further than a mile, tops, then how about it?
>

I have heard of problems with the seat breaking on the Strida. You
could look at the Handybike as well http://www.handybike.com/

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

 

[Peter Clinch]

[email protected] wrote:

> Strida 3 is said to be an easier and
> more confident ride than the previous models. So if you don't want to
> go further than a mile, tops, then how about it?

A pal had a pre-3 and the advice from that (which would cover 2nd
hand/eBay etc.) is "don't go there!". Though I read in VV that the 3 is
considerably improved.

> My main concern is the riding position: do you inevitably rest your
> weight on the handlebars? Unfortunately I can't do that; that's why I
> got the Cruiser - I suddenly and inescapably developed a very painful
> condition of the hands and forearms, a sort of computer RSI. But you
> sit back on the Cruiser and the handlebars sweep around in a broad U,
> so your weight isn't on your arms and your hands.

Can't say for the Strida, though note that of other folders the Brompton
has a relaxed upright seating position (not the new S type, mind).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[[email protected]]

> distance of Glasgow owns a Strida that could be tried - or one that
> they want to get shot of - then I'd like to know. I'm fairly close to
> its top allowed weight as well.

I borrowed a strida for a few months once.It was not suitable for me at
6ft 2to 3 and 95kg.position no good and ride horrid.But for an average
person it seemed like a quick fold/unfold and adequate ride for a mile
or so.
My 12year old boy thoroughly enjoyed it, but he did not have to go far.
When parts wear out it could be a problem.
TerryJ

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:
> <snip>
>
> Strida 3 is said to be an easier and more confident ride than the previous models.
> So if you don't want to go further than a mile, tops, then how about it?
>
> My main concern is the riding position: do you inevitably rest your
> weight on the handlebars?
>
> <another snip>

rja,

I owned a Strida 1 for a few years. During that time I rode it
precisely once: home from buying it. I kept it for novelty value and
enjoyed watching my friends fail to cycle the length of my hallway on
it. It was affectionately named 'faceplant'.

Taking advantage of Strida's trade in to upgrade to a Strida 3, I gave
it to a friend, who uses the Strida 3 daily.

Although the geometry etc looks almost identical, the ride is very
significantly improved; and I didn't find my weight is pushed forward
at all during my briefish test-ride.

So; the Strida 3 is streets better than the Strida 1; but I can't see
many (any) situations in which a strida would beat a Brommie...

my opinion only etc etc...

M.

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
> > <snip>
> >
> > Strida 3 is said to be an easier and more confident ride than the previous models.
> > So if you don't want to go further than a mile, tops, then how about it?
> >
> > My main concern is the riding position: do you inevitably rest your
> > weight on the handlebars?
> >
> > <another snip>
>
> rja,
>
> I owned a Strida 1 for a few years. During that time I rode it
> precisely once: home from buying it. I kept it for novelty value and
> enjoyed watching my friends fail to cycle the length of my hallway on
> it. It was affectionately named 'faceplant'.
>
> Taking advantage of Strida's trade in to upgrade to a Strida 3, I gave
> it to a friend, who uses the Strida 3 daily.
>
> Although the geometry etc looks almost identical, the ride is very
> significantly improved; and I didn't find my weight is pushed forward
> at all during my briefish test-ride.
>
> So; the Strida 3 is streets better than the Strida 1; but I can't see
> many (any) situations in which a strida would beat a Brommie...
>
> my opinion only etc etc...

Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price? I have in mind light
and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
So how many journeys before I break even...

I also have the impression, perhaps wrong, that Strida is actually
easier to carry than Brompton, and especially when standing on a bus.
And I'm not sure about the fold. Those who love it, do love it, I know.

 

[Peter Clinch]

[email protected] wrote:

> Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price?

Errrr, no!

Strida starts at £220, Bromton C3E is £400. I'd personally spend
another £100 and go for an M3L, but we're still at well under 4 times
the price.

> I have in mind light
> and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> So how many journeys before I break even...

My next door neighbour bought a Brom (at £468, then the L3). He's not
an avid cyclist by any stretch of the imagination. He estimated that it
had paid for itsslf in purely financial terms within a year.

> I also have the impression, perhaps wrong, that Strida is actually
> easier to carry than Brompton, and especially when standing on a bus.

I would think so, the Brom isn't that good a /carry/. But the main
point is you never really need to carry it very far. The Strida is also
ahead here is your storage space is basically linear rather than cubic.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] wrote:

> [email protected] wrote:
> > [email protected] wrote:

> <snip>
>
> Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price? I have in mind light
> and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> So how many journeys before I break even...
>
Two points:

1)
Payback for my commuting investment considerations include (in order of
importance).
Time; cycling saves me almost an hour a day over public transport. (no
parking, so driving is not an option).
Exercise; 25 minutes a day isn't a lot; but its 25 minutes more than
I'd otherwise get.
Pleasure; I'd rather cycle than sniff someone else's armpits.
Cash saved over bus fares; zero. I calculate the savings and spend that
amount on cycling bits.

and (2)

either you'd use the bike daily irrespective of which you buy; in which
case the extra comfort of the Brompton *may* be worth it.

or
Having the Brompton over the Strida would mean that you'd use the
Brompton when you may not actually use the Strida. (making its value
near zero)

or
You won't use either; in which case (I'm guessing) you would get back
most of the Brompton excess spend in the second hand market.

 

[[email protected]]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price?
>
> Errrr, no!
>
> Strida starts at £220, Bromton C3E is £400. I'd personally spend
> another £100 and go for an M3L, but we're still at well under 4 times
> the price.

Mmm, okay. I just remembered that when I last looked at prices for
folding bikes beyond the simple break-in-half models, my eyes popped;
and then Google found me a particular Brompton model going for around
£900 - that must be the really nice one.

Of course, without a gear shift, Strida is not suitable for going any
very great distance. Brompton is, more so. But perhaps I didn't put
it clearly that I do intend to keep my seven-speed Electra Cruiser -
it's just that I can't take it on the bus!

> > I have in mind light
> > and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> > put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> > So how many journeys before I break even...
>
> My next door neighbour bought a Brom (at £468, then the L3). He's not
> an avid cyclist by any stretch of the imagination. He estimated that it
> had paid for itself in purely financial terms within a year.

Again perhaps depends on whether it's a first or a second bike... My
work commute is theoretically forty miles in a week, 2000 in a year,
but that's covered already! This is for nice easy jaunts into town!
;-)

> > I also have the impression, perhaps wrong, that Strida is actually
> > easier to carry than Brompton, and especially when standing on a bus.
>
> I would think so, the Brom isn't that good a /carry/. But the main
> point is you never really need to carry it very far. The Strida is also
> ahead here if your storage space is basically linear rather than cubic.

Thank you. It sounds like that actually could work for me, then. And
the poor thing needs /someone/ to appreciate it ;-)

As long as it isn't agony, or deadly peril, when you actually ride the
thing - both of which have been alleged!

 

[Tony Raven]

[email protected] wrote on 13/07/2006 12:37 +0100:
>
> Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price? I have in mind light
> and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> So how many journeys before I break even...
>

In that case buy the Concept Marine folding bike. £69 for the single
speed (i.e like the Strida) or £117 for the three speed (like the
Brompton). Despite its cheap price it gets good reviews and is
practical too.

--
Tony

"Anyone who conducts an argument by appealing to authority is not using
his intelligence; he is just using his memory."
- Leonardo da Vinci

 

[Peter Clinch]

[email protected] wrote:

> Mmm, okay. I just remembered that when I last looked at prices for
> folding bikes beyond the simple break-in-half models, my eyes popped;
> and then Google found me a particular Brompton model going for around
> £900 - that must be the really nice one.

You can get up to £1275 for the (titanium) kitchen sink option: there's
a price list here... http://kinetics.org.uk/html/models.shtml

> As long as it isn't agony, or deadly peril, when you actually ride the
> thing - both of which have been alleged!

Quite forcefully by my pal who (briefly) owned one in between Broms, but
that was a Pre-Mk3 and I've not come across any opinions about the 3
that don't think them considerably superior to those that came before.
Not the same as saying the 3 is actually good, of course, but what it
does say is it isn't fair to judge the current model from the older ones.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

 

[[email protected]]

Tony Raven wrote:
> [email protected] wrote on 13/07/2006 12:37 +0100:
> >
> > Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price? I have in mind light
> > and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> > put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> > So how many journeys before I break even...
> >
>
> In that case buy the Concept Marine folding bike. £69 for the single
> speed (i.e like the Strida) or £117 for the three speed (like the
> Brompton). Despite its cheap price it gets good reviews and is
> practical too.

The what now? Google seems not to have heard of it. Too many other
matches, or none. So where do I find out about it?

Meanwhile, www.HandyBike.com wants to run JavaScript and I don't, on
/this/ PC, but I wonder if that is the same machine that I was calling
"JD Razor"?

 

[Bryan]

Tony Raven wrote:
> [email protected] wrote on 13/07/2006 12:37 +0100:
> >
> > Well, Brompton is, what, four times the price? I have in mind light
> > and occasional use, and I could buy a car for Brompton money. Or to
> > put it another way, hypothetical auto costs are 50p a mile (or were).
> > So how many journeys before I break even...
> >
>
> In that case buy the Concept Marine folding bike. £69 for the single
> speed (i.e like the Strida) or £117 for the three speed (like the
> Brompton). Despite its cheap price it gets good reviews and is
> practical too.

The what now? Google seems not to have heard of it. Too many other
matches, or none. So where do I find out about it?

Meanwhile, www.HandyBike.com wants to run JavaScript and I don't, on
/this/ PC, but I wonder if that is the same machine that I was calling
"JD Razor"?

That'd be because it's the Compass Marine See recent thread 'Compass Folding Bike' http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk.rec.cycling/browse_thread/thread/974d99aca780f014/9c5a530ec326eafe?q=marine&rnum=2#9c5a530ec326eafe

which includes a link to http://www.compass24.com/cgi-bin/abnetshop.pl?basket=lnquebrpwvfjvni

Bryan

 

[Tom]

[email protected] wrote:

>> In that case buy the Concept Marine folding bike. £69 for the single
>> speed (i.e like the Strida) or £117 for the three speed (like the
>> Brompton). Despite its cheap price it gets good reviews and is
>> practical too.
>
> The what now? Google seems not to have heard of it. Too many other
> matches, or none. So where do I find out about it?
>

Compass Marine, it's a re-badged Dahon I believe.

Tom
--
Return address is dead. Real address is at
http://toomanybikes.com/address.jpg

 

[Alan Braggins]

In article <[email protected]>, Tony Raven wrote:
>
>In that case buy the Concept Marine folding bike. £69 for the single
>speed (i.e like the Strida) or £117 for the three speed (like the
>Brompton). Despite its cheap price it gets good reviews and is
>practical too.

Do you mean Compass Marine?
http://www.compass24.com/cgi-bin/abnetshop.pl?wahl=Bicycles_Bicycles
lists the single speed, and a lighter weight three-speed at £243.
I haven't checked the paper catalogue, but if the web pages are more
up-to-date, the \xa3117 three speed might not be available, although
http://www.atob.org.uk/price_tag.html lists it.

 

[Noel]

> So; the Strida 3 is streets better than the Strida 1; but I can't see
> many (any) situations in which a strida would beat a Brommie...
>
> my opinion only etc etc...
>
> M.

I have owned a Strida 3 now for about 15 months and love it. I have never
tried other Strida models but I find the ride is very nice and make the ~5
mile trip from Clapham Junction to Hammersmith in about 23mins and that is
mainly offroad along the cycle paths etc. So it does clip along at a nice
speed despite the lack of gears.

The design puts you at the top of the triangular frame and intially i
wished they had put the handlebars further forward as effectively you have
a very short wheel base but once you have ridden it for a while you soon
get the hang of it and it is very manoeuvrable even at slow speeds.

When folded, you wheel the Strida around rather than carrying it which is
nice (I did try a traditional folder for a few days and quickly got fed up
with it banging against my legs and lugging it around the station). Also
when there is standing room only you can lock the brakes and stand it
upright so it takes almost no room at all (and there is no oily chain
etc).

I weigh ~80Kg and am 5'11 but I admit to some nervousness recently when a
friend who is more like 95Kg and 6'2 tried it...but they do guarantee the
frame for life.

A Brompton is certainly a more robust item but as long as you understand
the Strida is purely a commuter bike then I think it does very well
indeed. Certainly I would be lost without it now.

HTH
Noel

I did post something a few months ago on here too so sorry if I am
repeating myself:

http://groups.google.co.uk/group/uk...st&q=strida+noel&rnum=1&#doc_5fb1f2142951fc5a