I commute on my Strida daily and have had it now for the best part of a year. There’s been a fair amount of rain and mud around and it isn’t free-wheeling like it did, so think I need to take the rear hub assembly apart and give it a good clean.
The information supplied in the manual is fairly light on useful details, just an exploded diagram but no details of the method for dismantling. I can see a black bolt on the frame side and a small silver bolt holding the magnet on the wheel side which I’ve undone, but now I’m not sure how I go about taking the thing apart?
I think most of the work needing doing will be just thorough cleaning off accumulated dirt and grit, and maybe adding a tiny amount of oil to the freewheel (after cleaning) , Check the lock clip on steering pin and maybe add a spot of oil there and any screws where rust may have taken hold. (keep oil away from brakes !! , belt and pulleys !!) Checking screws for tightness, cables etc. for damage. Maybe adjust the belt tension - as discussed somewhere else on this forum.
I guess you have ‘mechanical sympathy’ and are used to maintaining, dismantling and rebuilding stuff using hex keys and spanners etc. Otherwise You may want to take the bike to a good bike shop -I find it tends to be the standard bike stuff that needs more care eg wheels, spokes brakes, So any bike shop can help … But If they are not used to Stridas you may need to help them by taking manual, exploded picture and descriptions - if they say its complex go elsewhere - Strida is pretty simple, as bikes go. Otherwise, all I did other than cleaning and checking was to check all the spoke tensions - I tap them all and listen for the odd loose spoke that makes a dull sound and tension those … so they all share tension fairly evenly.
If you need to take the rear wheel off – (I hope this description makes sense, its from memory )
1st You’ll need to disconnect the brake caliper, at least take out 1 screw and slacken the other one (but the caliper may then need to be re-positioned to grip both sides of the disc evenly without rubbing when re-assembled).
Possibly Reduce belt tension, although as long as you are careful and dont kink the belt it can be rolled off the LH side of the front pulley as the pulley is turned but if you are adjusting belt tension anyway you might as well slacken the tension at this stage - to do this slacken large BB lock ring on LH side, and screw underneath it may be stiff after a years use, but then carefully rotate the eccentric BB to reduce tension - ie rotate to bring the crank axle slightly further back. A small movement makes a big difference to belt tension.
Unscrew the rear axle (internal) hex screw (this holds the magnet keeper on - carefully note the order of the washers, some are nylon, the magnet keeper, and spacer). You’ll need a 4mm hex drive (Allen key) … the tool that comes with the bike has one … but you may need a longer key as the screw has ‘Lockite’ on it.
Align the rear sprocket so that there is a cut-out in its outer flange next to the belt snubber bearing - or the flange will prevent the wheel/sprocket assembly from coming off.
Slide whole wheel / brake disc / rear sprocket and belt off to the LH side - this is where you need reduced belt tension, or the belt off the front pulley - or belt tension will prevent any side movement.
Now you can get to the rear sprocket / free wheel for a good clean, and possible re-oil (lay on side and drip oil into it – only a few drops … then if you have time leave it over night on its side for the oil to run into the pawls and bearings inside the freewheel (or even replace the whole freewheel - if water/grit has got inside freewheels can be rebuilt but few do that when replacements cost so little) Unless you are skilled with drifting off free wheels you may need to visit a bike shop for a freewheel removal tool. With the wheel off you can get to all the nooks and crannies that dirt collects - around the caliper(s) and inside the frame.
With all the bits now cleaned and sparingly oiled – re-assemble in the same order as taken off.
The snubber may need to be adjusted (these needs to be a small gap between it and the back of the belt) – this needs thin spanners and care. Cranks can work loose so check their screws. Ditto pedals. Check seat clamps are tight, and H’bar QR (under handle bar stem) is adjusted OK. Front wheel can also be removed in a similar way to rear wheel, but without the added complication of the belt. Check axle screws are tight.
The large 13mm bolt head on the rear RH side of the bike, holds spring washers which press the bottom tube against the rear/seat tube with a nylon washer between. The 13mm bolt head, spring washers and nylon washer control the way the bottom tube moves when disconnected. This is the same as Strida3 (and even the really early stridas). These only need maintenance if the bottom tube is either: really loose (so easily drops to the floor), or really tight (so the bottom tube does not drop under its own weight).
There is also loads of help: here on this forum , plus other forums, Strida.com Strida.nl and strida.us etc. I find it very satisfying to clean up a bike and bring it back to ‘as new condition’… good luck and enjoy.
Hi, thanks for an extremely comprehensive reply! I’ve had a go and decided to get the freewheel properly cleaned by a local bicycle expert. I’ve done the rest myself and soon my Strida will be good as new!
If I want to replace my freewheel, is there a special tool required specifically for the Strida due to it using a belt drive? Or will a regular freewheel removal tool work just as well?
-I find it tends to be the standard bike stuff that needs more care eg wheels, spokes brakes, So any bike shop can help … But If they are not used to Stridas you may need to help them by taking manual, exploded picture and descriptions - if they say its complex go elsewhere - Strida is pretty simple, as bikes go. Otherwise, all I did other than cleaning and checking was to check all the spoke tensions - I tap them all and listen for the odd loose spoke that makes a dull sound and tension those … so they all share tension fairly evenly.