I’m from Italy, I got my Strida few days ago and did some ride tests. I have to say that I found it comfortable and was surprised on how it is easy to keep equilibrium even at very low speed. On the contrary at higher speed steer becomes too responsive and I found difficult to proceed on a straight line. I have an SX with 18" tyres (in a cool bronze color!). Hills seems quite hard to afford but probably it’s me too much out of shape!
I now have few questions and would be happy if someone could give me some suggestions :
I regret I did not buy the bend handlebar. I think that a larger handlebar could be much stable also due to the fact that the weight is slightly moved forward. Do I guess correct? I saw that seems a bit complicated to change the handlebar… is there any video?
It is possible to buy the handlebar only without brakes and grip ? Should be easier I guess (I’d like not touch brakes cables)
I saw this but it is not available anymore https://www.amazon.co.uk/Strida-CYSP215-03-4-Areaware-STRiDA-Steering/dp/B00273UI78
My rack does not stay up while I saw many folding video where, when the bike is folded, they could fold the rack too and it stand up just attached to the saddle. I mounted it two times, maybe I do something wrong? It is the aluminium rack.
I’d like to try the antipuncture belt as the marathon plus are out of production, has someone ever tried them? Must be cutted as I dont think they produce a suitable size for the 18" innova tyre
Quick folding : First times was not so quick nor easy but now I’m using this trick that I find very easy and quick.
I need wider handlebars anyway (due to knee – bar contact with short ones) but I’d say that, at least in the beginning, the wider bars feel LESS stable.
But also, this feeling is a matter of flavour and training.
For example my local folding dealer told me that for him it is easier to ride Strida with short bars. (He is familiar with several other brands, like Brompton, Dahon, Tern and Xootr.)
And I mean it is in fact vice – versa!
Of course you are right with the weight, you can put a bit more pressure on the front wheel.
(As long as your saddle is not adjusted too low.)
Unfortunately not any longer since several years.
But you can see that as a kind of „service“ from Ming cycle – for some it is tricky to get rid of the grips and mount new ones. That works best with pressurized air which is mostly not available for average users.
There is no need to touch the brake cable housings – but you must replace the brake cables since the original ones are too short for wide bars.
Pardon me, but here I didn’t get your point, do you mean your SX can’t stand like that?
You mean the unfolding of the bottom tube followed by the opening of the magnet connection – well done I’d say.
Here’s another correct one; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RbP0elWy7U
Indeed I am looking for less responsiveness as even slight imperfection of the ground seems to make the bike steer. Maybe then I just need to get used. Any suggestion?
I understood the matter with the brake cables thanks! I will think twice before doing this change.
about the folding thing I saw sometimes people folding the rack this way
Not sure that I’ll need but just to understand if mine is correctly assembled. My rack cant stand like this and will fall down
The small and narrow 18" tyres are of course very sensitive regarding level differencies of the road in riding direction - what did you ride before the Strida?
But also, there is a certain reason existent which can make a Strida extremely twitchy:
That are damaged or broken bottom tube bearings (part nr 100-03 and 100-04);
you can check them easily yourself, they have to be visible present and intact.
It is definitely not required that they run perfectly and smooth (even brandnew ones don’t!).
With a few simple tricks is that truly doable, no worries
(For a perfect result you should own a cable cutter plus a little bit of patience - just one hint.)
Hmmm…that is odd, there is just one bolt and you can’t mount it wrong I believe…
Does it fall always at the same side, left or right?
Before (but I’m talking when I was young ) I was riding a road bike but years ago so I’m probably not used anymore… but I’ll check parts you mentioned just to be sure, thanks.
I’m pretty sure I just need a while to get used. I choosed the 18" for a slight increase of speed but I probably made a mistake… will see.
About the rack indeed I tried to tight the bolt but doesnt go more than that.
It goes down in the correct position, if I press it attach to the frame correctly but does not stay up like in the picture. Just this. I’ll ask the vendor as I have no idea on why this happens.
For a slight increase of speed your choice was certainly correct I’d say.
That sounds as you would expect some kind of function which is not really planned.
However - looking at the mechanical function of the carrier connection (to the seat mount) it seems that you can not simply tighten the bolt 370 harder to get some friction (and your desired effect) into that joint!
For my meaning (knowing that “Ming cycle” and “precision” will never meet) I’d assume that the two latches for bolt and nut are a little bit too far away from each other.
When you move the rack over the plastic seat mount (without bolt) - does it have much play there?
you mean that the rack should not stay like in the picture below? Mine does not and yes there is some play that obviously does not allow friction. But I still do not get if that is normal or the rack should be able to close like in this picture
I’ve checked on two of my bikes with identical seat moldings and the same, black carriers:
On my silver EVO the carrier stays in the position shown above, the distance of the two latches to each other will be ~ 30,6 mm.
At my blue efneo the carrier falls down immediately, the latche’s distance is here ~ 31,4 mm.
…and there is one thing obvious - I can see the bolt in the gap between latch and seat molding!
Try to fiddle a washer between one latch and the seat molding and it will work just as you want.
Please do note that the word “tolerance” does not exist in Ming cycle’s vocabulary
Just the last question about the tyres. These tyres are particularly subject to puncture based on your experience?
I mentioned the antipuncture belts, have you ever tried or heard from someone that used on the strida bike?
Which ones do you mean with these?
Generally I’d say it is more the road condition than the tyre’s fault.
My experience is very limited, but gladly I’ll tell you of my TWO flats within ten years:
The first one occured with an original Schwalbe Marathon - flatsafe tyre
and the penetrator was - believe it or not - a tiny single staple of poorest quality, in fact nothing more than a thin piece of copper wire
The second was a Schwalbe Kojak @ 8,0 bar and one hard and thorn-like shaped stone which hit the tyre exactly midships - strike, even if the aggressor was smaller than a corn of rice!
I’ve fixed the first flat on road and took the second home (because it was very near) but it has to be sad that repairing a flat is on Strida much more easy than on most other bikes due to the single sided wheel mounts.
…and I remember clearly that we had back then another, pretty unexpected, problem while fixing the flat - we couldn’t find the perforation in the tube and there was no water source available!
Since then I’m carrying one of these little fellows in the toolbag: https://www.simson.eu/en/product/simson-leak-detector/
Above mentioned will reflect my personal meaning about “flat-safe” tyres but after thinking about it I do in fact remember someone; Ferenc - a member from Hungary - told me a while ago that he’s using a Kojak inside of another tyre as an additional antipuncture protection!
He cut off the beads of the inner tyre I believe.
Anyway, if you ask me and you really want 100% no flats, there is just one feasibility:
