Or the circus-bike as my wife first called it when she saw it in the shop
As I’ll be commuting with the train, and it’s easier to have a folding bike to take with you, I did some research and looking around and quickly arrived with the strida… Picked up my SX last Friday for €600, and as an extra they offered a year of free road side assistance Way to funny if you ask me but ok thanks…
The first ride in the shop was kind’a awkward, it didn’t feel stable at all. The shoplady tried selling me a Dahon folding bike, it was just as unstable if you asked me. Then they started talking about a newer Dahon they just got in and was as good as assembled. So after a few minutes of blablabla, I insisted on trying out the Strida again. The shopowner/mechanic said I could ride it in the back of the warehouse, as there was a bit more space there. After 2 minutes there I was convinced, managed to make a U-turn in a 2 meter wide space, picked up speed nicely and was stable. Sold!
In the car my wife said she liked my circus-bike more then those other folding ones, those are to much of a hassle…
And since I’ll be taking the train to work, it has to be a quick fold/unfold. (my employer pays for my train, and I’ll €0.2/km for the distance I ride the bike also)
So back home, I tried it folding and unfolding a couple of times. Got distracted by a text I got and damn, popped the ball out of the socket. With the help of this forum I got it back in, but I’ll have to order a new socket somewhere soon.
Then on Saturday I installed the tripcomp I had on my other bike and some new Sigma Sport lights (Tailblazer & Quadro X).
I had already planned out some other changes after reading on this place. Alu peddles and alu rear hub. But after examining the bike more closely I found out the SX already has those, hooray
Some frame protection will be ordered somewhere soon. The seat isn’t bothering me right now, but we’ll see how that goes.
As for the tires, it has the Innova’s on it. Kind’a happy it aren’t the Kojak’s, don’t know how those slicks would perform in the rainy weather conditions we have here.
Hi Thamar, my SX is exactly the same as yours but the saddle I changed it in first 2 or 3 months. Even now I’m looking for a better solution . I have mine for 13 months and 1200 kms and still enjoy my strida option. I hope the same happens to you.
Rearanged the tripcomp already, now on the crossbar instead of the handlebar, bit easier when folding. And ran the wires inside the tube to the back wheel.
Took it for another ride yesterday, and well, the seat will be changed quicker then I expected. I’m not that tall, 1m76, but the stock seat is to far forward to my liking.
Aha…out of curiosity; what kind of tools did you use to get the wire through the frame tube?
Did you also notice that the Holes for brake cables have sharp edges?
Hard to tell from your picture, but did you already try to loosen the saddle bolt and push the saddle more backwards?
I’ve moved the seat back another 0.5cm, and now it’s at it’s furthest so we’ll see… (it was only at about 3cm back)
Maybe a small sharp edge, but overall I don’t think it was that bad…
As for getting the wires trough, I dislokated the joint and took out the plastic thingie. I taped some fine electrical wire to the end of the black brakecable and just pulled it trough. And then reinserted the brake cable. And assembled everything. Soldered the tripcomp to the electrical wire and was good to go.
To take out the plastic joint thingie you have to take out the screw, and remove the rear brakewires first including the plastic guide thingie and then you can just gently pull it out.
Since I had already dislocated it by accident on the first night I got it, I could go ahead and explore some more. A replacement is already on order (also the side stand & protection velcro’s).
perhaps you’ve seen them - but unfortunately no guide for a complete change of the plastic ball socket parts…maybe a good opportunity to start a new thread
I’ll try to remember to take pictures and do a little writeup when I’m installing the new one.
[update]
A little toptip for mounting the sensor and holder for the tripcomputer.
The rubbers that come with most are not big enough to be mounted on the Strida. The piping is a bit wider then most other bikes. (Unless your set comes with optional rubbers for MTBs).
I broke one, and the other just wasn’t big enough. So off to the DIY-store.
I used a set of plumbing washers of 39x33x3mm. Used 3 to mount the tripcomputer on the middle bad and used 2 to mount the sensor near the backwheel.
I’m trying to find a nice spot on the train, or a nice enough way to tuck it in between the seats. It sticks out a bit, but I’m trying to avoid that as much as possible. Not everybody seems to like the folding bikes
The bike also proves good at my new job.
We work at a few different locations at the hospital, and our main building is at the far side. So in the morning, and evening, we have to go from one location to the other. Or during the day also if we need to get lunch, or just some administrative things. Racing trough the tunnels under the compound with the strida is fun, the bell comes in handy
You mentioned the tripcomp - which type do you use, please?
Just asking because there are sometimes problems with operating range of wireless sensors or cable length of wired versions.
I’m using a Sigma BC906.
But I’ve cut the wire and resoldered it with some phonecable (used with RJ11-plugs normaly).
I found that that was the easiest. But the sigma is coming loose from time to time, and mostly on the train and I hate it.
And also today I managed to brake of my rear light when pushing the bike between the trainseats, aaarrrrggghhh. Just bought some small cheap led-lights. Probably going to get the Philips Saferide to replace the stock reflector.
Also on order is the Abus Combiflex Pro lock
The lock is for at work.
I don’t have a fixed desk, I work at multiple buildings, depending on rotation. So a small lock comes in handy. And especially this one, it’s light weight and with the 120mm extendable cord it’s perfect to lock it onto something. Just to avoid a quick grab-and-run.
Just the other day I saw a Strida-ridester at the station, but I was in a hurry to catch my train so no time to chitchat.
I am now using the VIOO USB light from Decathlon. Is is cheap (<13 EUR) but very powerfull. I can charge it at work through the USB port of my laptop.
It is foreseen to be attached to the seat post of normal bikes, but by installing it upside down on the seat tube of the Strida, it works fine.
Can’t always charge them at work, and I would forget them I think
But the broken rear light, it was only the clip, is reused. I’ve taken apart the rear reflector (removed the reflecting red part), and glued the back of the light on it with Tec7. I don’t think it’ll fall of, ever. The rear light itself also doubles as a reflector.
I also have one of those cheaper decathlon-thingies hanging on my backpack, just in case.
As for the front lights, did an order on aliexpress just the other day. Let’s wait and see what China can offer us for about €3
The Sigma light wasn’t the smartest choice, and I don’t think it can handle being taken off and on the mount all the time…
This week the folding bike really showed a great advantage over all other commuters on the train!
Train stopped at regular station, but the doors didn’t open, pushing the button didn’t help. After 30 seconds it just drove of to the second station of the city, 5 km’s further.
That’s where the folding bikes come in really handy, the other people had to wait 10 minutes for a train in the other direction. There where a lot of pissed people waiting there
At least I got to work in time, barely and sweaty but in time.
Rear light still hasn’t fallen of, wished I did the same with the tripcomp… Oh well, it isn’t a big loss actually. I won’t be replacing it.
Must say that after about a month my pace is really picking up, it’s strange that you pass other cyclists with ease.
The folding and unfolding process is getting smoother by the day. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be able do an all in one ninja move with it
Saw a strida-colleague here in my city, in his late 50’s with a Strida3. He really loved the bike. And also saw a black one at the station, in a distance.
You see a lot of people with a Brompton here, man am I happy that the Strida is such an ease to walk around with, even on stairs…
A set of Schwalbe MP tires is on it’s way from Germany, a lot cheaper then here…
I’ll be mounting that set, and keep the innova’s as spare tires.
Haven’t ridden them yet, but when you compare both tires, you clearly notice that the Schwalbes are more ridged, the sidewalls and overall tire don’t flex that much.
Also replaced the innertubes with Schwalbes.
I’ll be keeping the Innova’s as spares, you never know what happens.
Correct, just the profile patterns of these tyres are looking similar but the rubber material is softer and in fact different (!?).
However, in future we will have to live with the Innova.
Strange that the Innova, type IA-2241-01, can’t be found in the 2014 catalogue… http://www.innovatires.com/download.php
There’s the type IA-2084N, which is 0,1 inch smaller; does that mean the 1,35" version will be produced exclusively for Ming?
The first fall with the strida is a fact. Got caught in between a tramtrack, damn I hate those things.
I think it has been at least 10 years since it last happened to me. Oh well, nothing to bad, I’m not hurt except for my ego
And the bike has some battlescars, nothing serious actually, just some scratches since I wasn’t riding that fast…
As for the rest, the only things done are some basic maintenance.
Inflated the tires last tuesday, it had been about a month since I last did it and they went from 6.5bar to 5bar.
And some minor brake adjustments, rear brake wasn’t catching that good anymore.
The only upgrade I got was one for myself, rainpants and decent winter-outdoor-rain-coat.
Way to funny if you ask me but ok thanks…
. I have mine for 13 months and 1200 kms and still enjoy my strida option. I hope the same happens to you.
