My Strida EVO

Strida Forum Riders Reports
18

** WARNING LONG POST **

I love the Strida EVO - it’s an amazing bike. I think owners should promote it… I only seen like < 5 Stridas in all of my rides in Singapore … all LT models (although I do know there has been EVO’s sold in Singapore! - they exist!!!). It’s just not a popular bike - for the price most people buy other bike models, nor is there enough marketing on Stridas! And even the resellers of Strida’s as far as I know - do not ride Stridas themselves - they have their own road or Mountain Bikes… !! (other than Bill Wilby - Strida Canada - now Bill if you are reading this - you are a Strida crusader - as are you BSA!)

On wear and tear here are the issues I am encountering…
[b]

  1. KS3 Strummy Archer gearbox.[/b]
    My rides are mostly 80% of the time on the 3rd gear. I do not need to swap gears much unless I am in the city road areas. As such I think my KS3 gearbox has had it “easy”. I ride on very flat paths and I can ZOOM FAST (25km/hr to 30km/hr) on 3rd … even small hills etc. Not too much shifting. However Gear 1 and 3 are super smooth. The gear 2 seems to have issues engaging now - and every now and then a loud clunk before it hits the 2nd gear properly every now and then (1 in 5 it does this?) - not sure if that’s normal but it works just fine when engaged fully. I can’t remember how it was when it was new!!! I think it was a bit like that at the beginning too not sure. I can’t say how long the KS3 will last as there is not enough people riding high milages on Strida EVO’s – not that I know of unless others can share. I be interested also!

2. Freewheel has been good to me. Only 1 freewheel has been changed. My current (2nd) one still looks good visually - so hope it lasts. I am shocked to have read that there was a post (from you - BSA?) in this forum that they can wear out in 2,500km or less.

  1. The rubber handle was wearing out (I tend to rub it when riding - wearing it out!) and the string thingy broke (the string that holds the brakes so the Strida can “stand”) - but that was fixed when I got the new extended handlebars! So problem went away. They sell replacement parts for that ANYWAY.

  2. Nothing I am aware of – re: rear hinge. They just tighten all the nuts and bolts? Something I NEED to be aware of?? I do worry now the bike has done some distance!

Out of the 4 bike services - there is nothing to mention specifically that raises alarm bells for this bike. I do agree it’s relatively a low maintenance bike (compared to my other traditional chain / gear bikes!). I really feel for the Strida EVO the critical components are KS3 gear box and free wheel.

Below is a picture of some of my “in house” spare parts I bought to keep on hand - as I do love my Strida and I hate for it to be at the LBS waiting for parts to be ordered before repairs.

From the diagram above…

Top left - my spare Strummy Archer brand new KS3 - still in shrink wrap. Given there is no need to maintain it, and it’s supposed to be what I heard is “self lubricating” I am very uncomfortable. It’s the heart of the Strida EVO and I keep thinking my existing KS3 gearbox will one day die… so I purchased this as a “spare”. I don’t want to have my bike @ the local LBS for “weeks” as they repair or service - if they don’t have parts.

Top Right - spare Kelvar belt. Sure the website saids 50K milage… it’s cheap why not just have a spare handy? My belt looks really worn out after 10K milage (teeth are intact though)… I can’t imagine it lasting another 10K !! Even though website saids 50K.

In the middle - 2 Aluminum Free Wheels. This is the other part I felt uncomfortable and would “wear out”. Amazingly I think due to the Singapore weather and my lack of “muddy” riding my free wheels have not had to much issues! I cycle generally on sunny days and but of late it’s been raining quite a bit - it gets wet but not muddy where excessive grit gets into the teeth of the free wheel. I am not saying it does not – it just is not the particles of sand grains etc which can do some severe wearing on the teeth. (I cycle on clear wet roads or paths – sorry to say I think Singapore does have some of the best roads in the world!). I also noticed that on several occasions when it rained on me and I was caught totally wet (me and the Strida) - the design of the freewheel has 2 “wings” circle structures on the outside of the teeth… they tend to block the water splashes - and when I touched the “teeth” in the freewheel it was in fact still dry or just “wet” only and all the road junk and grit was shielded by the “wings” on the side of the freewheel.

Left middle are 2 spare tubes - nothing to say much here.

Bottom is 2 Strida original disc rotors on spare… Probably didn’t need these but they here and spares!

Future CONCERNS of Strida Ownership:

  1. I worry that Strida’s will become obsolete. I mean I don’t see many on the road vs say Bromptons or cheap supermarket bikes that cost 20% of the price of a Strida. So Ming Cycles stops production. In Singapore e-scooters are so prevalent now - they killing off recreational cycling. The cheap e-scooters cost 33% of the price of a Strida EVO - they quick, light and compact for commuting to office etc. And no sweating! They sold in supermarkets for the masses!

  2. I got alot of creaking and I been checking the joints. Posts on this Strida forum of “sudden tube” failure scares me. I since wear a bike helmet ALL the time - as I do ride 20-25KM/hr average speed and in some cases 30Km/hr+. (okok it’s NOT the fastest bike but a fall as it’s an upright seating bike posture to the hard cement road would be very nasty at 25km/hr + speed if a tube suddenly broke! Nasty to my head! So helmet it is!). FYI - I am 200lbs! Not the lightest rider but well within the recommended weight range! I did pay specific attention and I DO think it is the kelvar belt rubbing on the chainwheel… can’t prove it. Creaks under load or hard pedalling. Silent when cruising or normal light pedalling.

  3. My KS3 gear box dies…(that’s why I have a brand new one on standby lol as per my spare parts I am holding) - so I can swap one out for repair/service and other swapped into the bike). HOWEVER to be fair this is paranoid fear by ME… the KS3 is GOING strong still only the clicking noise when I am in Gear 2. I asked the distributor and they assured me it goes “forever” with NO maintenance required. I am used to bike maintenance regular weekly!!! I find this odd. The bike distributor only has 1 experience of another EVO owner who rode thousands (no idea how many!) and his KS3 was “loose” and would unintentionally change gears when it goes over any bumps. That other person was visiting Singapore with his Strida EVO – from Thailand.

  4. I have to keep stocking up on Free Wheels (which are expensive compared to normal bike parts!) but as mentioned they seem to last for me so far. Now don’t blame the Strida, one of my other traditional 8-speed chain bikes - the chain ring was worn out by me in just 3 months of regular “my typical riding” and it needed replacing! (yes - 3 months - of 40-50 KM trips / 4-5 times a week). That chain ring was an original part and was stainless steel – I swapped it to an alloy so will see if that metal is longer lasting. That was kinda short lived on my other bike!!! So the Strida Free Wheel has lasted for me when I compare to my other bike! Just wished it was cheaper or as other formmers (Chester Tan etc) mentioned - can replace JUST the plastic teeth on the free wheel itself. I cycle for exercise and enjoyment so I am OK with parts costing etc - but I know many people use it as part of their daily commute and the concept is NEED TO KEEP maintenance and ownership costs DOWN. The Strida Free-wheel is over priced but I guess it’s more complex to make vs other traditional free wheels on the after-market - on common mainstream bikes.

If my Strida EVO was stolen, damaged in a bike crash or just “died” including tube failure – I’ll buy another NO QUESTIONS ASKED. I plan to ride the Strida till it is worn out.

Even thought the Strida is SGD$1250 (approx Euro 800) so is more pricey than most comparable bikes at SGD$500 (EUR 320) – it bring huge riding pleasure and satisfaction, portability… and LOW maintenance. I was looking at another Gates Belt Driven bike and it was SGD$5000!!! or a Birdy at approx SGD$3200 pending the model. How about an original Brompton - a 1-speed Brompton is SGD$1,900 here in Singapore. So – I’ll buy a Strida EVO anyday! YES THE Strida EVO is THAT good! IMO!

I will not touch a Strida LT. They just is no comparision…