Strida LT 2010 ???

Interesting, no Sport Duo in the catalog …

Do you remember that I mentioned it before on bikeforums.net ?

Here are the photos taken in April this year in the factory of Ming Cycle:

The version selling inside Taiwan market will come with the rear rack but the verson selling overseas will not… :unamused:


I heard the Taiwanese version saved money by applying a clear paint over the aluminum frame. The US version seems to be powder coated just like the regular Strida 5, and thus saves money by leaving out the rack.

I do not see the plastic wheels as a bad thing, in fact I like them more.

What I do not understand is the use of disk brakes because Mark Sanders said that the good things about the Strida 3 were the plastic wheels and drum brakes, due its abuse resistance.

Probably a cost of manufacture thing. If you use a standardized frame and brake mountings across the board, that keeps costs lower. The LT just looks like it uses a different wheel.

One thing, my 3.2 could not keep higher pressure tires on the rims, since the plastic wheels did not have a seating bead on the rim. After a while, I took to using contact cement on the bead to help hold them on. Does the LT have a metal rim, or is the entire wheel the fiberglass composite?

I think its a metal rim on an otherwise plastic wheel : ie the best of both worlds :smiley: - high pressure tyres + no metal spoke hassles. I guess the only downside might be a tad more weight … anyone confirm ?

I agree hidden drum brakes are probably the best for abuse resistance) - but as they are not used on many bikes, they must cost a lot more and probably weigh more.

On the Taiwanese Strida forum, someone mentioned that Ming Cycle was interested in selling the plastic wheels to existing Strida 5 owners. However the idea was abandoned after some foreign distributors balked. Original thread here (registration required):

strida.kuso.com.tw/modules/newbb … 5&start=20

I wonder who are these anti-consumer distributors in question. Strida Europe? Areaware?

From my point of view, these are the main pros and cons of plastic wheels, (hub included) :

PROS.
lighter, cleaner, noisyless, non adjustement required, rust-proof, modern shape design, cheaper.

CON.
No high presure tyres. Weakness between metal bearings and plastic seats.(this is the main dissaventage)

Regards

Hydra

@Hydra: Are you sure the plastic wheel is lighter? I thought it was the opposite but I may be wrong. Another disadvantage of plastic wheel is its slightly higher wind resistance, especially in the side wind situations.

@Guest: I wonder why distributors wanted to block selling plastic wheels. Do they actually believe many Strida owners would gladly buy a new bike just to have those wheels? That’s pretty short-sighted. There are pitifully few options when it comes to Strida customization, and that’s one reason frequently cited by Strida bashers. Distributors should encourage the development of more accessories and upgrades not to hinder it! Now I can’t help suspect if they have been blocking the release of Speed Drive kit too.

@hydra The new plastic wheels have aluminium rims so they CAN take high pressure tyres.
Ming are not so good on innovative use of plastic and composites, so I would guess the plastic spokes are heavier than they need to be - but still good - I think they look more up to date than the traditional spoked wheels.

In the past some days, Garry and I have been concentrating on this arguable matter to solve positively. I am a Korean Strida user and enthusiastic members of StridaCafe are hoping to buy the new plastic wheels as accessories(parts) for upgrade like Taiwan friends. But we should assume these things in basis (please :slight_smile: ):

  1. All problems don’t have solutions.
  2. It is always best to be positive before finding a proof of faults.
  3. The demands of an upgrade part has a specific volume.
    We became to believe that Strida US and Strida Europe are reliable distributors trying to support Strida users. It was because they were always active to answer all of sensitive questions. About the supply restriction we could take this from Strida EU.

Our latest action was to send sensitive mails to Ming cycle two times yesterday. You will be able to view what they are going to do for Strida lovers soon. But at this time, let’s accept their plan(or policy) friendly even if it would appear disappointed. All of us need them and they also love Strida as much as we do… maybe… :wink:

ps Personally I hate the Korean distributor. They just love Big Margin from selling complete bicycles but the supply of plastic wheels will only increase the low-margin replacing services through which their poor service minds will be exposed more and more as time goes on! :imp: ← This is me who has the common sense of Korean Strida users. You are lucky outside Korea.

Strida LT is now on Areaware website. Contrary to prior reports, there are four color choices available: black, brushed silver, neon green, and red. The rack and mudguards are also included. However, the price is now $600 not $499. The approx. ship date of the LT (and Sports Duo) is March 1st.

areaware.com/prodshow.asp?CatID=15&subCatID=79

I just realized these newly added colors for LT are the same colors that Areaware eliminated from its 5.0 roster. Did Areaware simply convert its unsold 5.0 stock (unpopular colors) to LT by replacing the wheels? Just a wild guess. We will know for sure after they start shipping the LT. If the location of belt snubber bearing is unchanged, they are very likely to be repackaged 5.0 bikes.

There are back-snubber and bottom-snubber. I guessed the bottom-snubber is designed for Strida LT because the Strida LT photo showed the bottom-snubber for the first time. But in fact, now, I can find there is no relationships, following a lot of new photos in Korean community.

The location of snubber seems to be determined by the manufacture-date of frameworks. I guess the bottom-snubber has been started from the middle of year 2009. So the bottom-snubber simply shows ‘it’s a brand new frame!’ :wink:

Why can you not purchase these wheels, i have a strida 5 which i have not ridden for a while, because the spokes on the back wheel keep going, i want to ride my strida, but definetly need these wheels.

If you frequently experience spoke problems, you might have a bad rim or hub. Why wait for the plastic wheel? Can’t you buy a new spoked wheel from Areaware?

the problem is I commute daily and after half a year one spoke went and it starts some viral thing with spokes going once a month now. It’s frustrating but I would buy a new plastic rear wheel instantly if it was available for under a hundred! I dont think there’s anything wrong with my bike after 6 months of daily commuting it starts to go now. But a new fiberglass wheel would be cool to update my bike. wish we can buy them! I don’t want the 18 inchers cause i’ll lose the mudguards and you’ll still have spoke problems.

I know what you mean Ed, i really wish i could purchase it, only the back wheel as you say, i think it would look cool too. I do roughly 11 miles a day (5 each way on a dual carriage way!! yeah i know im nuts!!) & im not the lightest of blokes, & to put it simply, most of your body weight is on the back wheel.

[size=150]PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEEEAAAZZZZEEEE can i buy a spokey 4 my back wheel.[/size]

OK, maybe i was a bit excited yesterday, what i meant to say was

PLEASE COULD I PURCHASE A “MAG” wheel for my Strida 5

Thank you in advance…anyone???