I'm coming upon my 1 year anniversary with my Strida 5.0 folding bike, and I chose to mark the occasion by completing a sopping wet five-borough bike tour. The Strida certainly sparked lots of chatter along the route, with at least two individuals asking whether I had built the bike myself, which I imagine is because of the bike's clearly minimalist design. So you're probably wondering, what's it like doing 42 miles on the Strida?? The answer: Peachy! In contrast to Nycewheel's own caution for riding 100 miles on the Strida, I actually haven?t found the bike's riding position uncomfortable - even over a 42 mile stretch. That said, I definitely wouldn't ride for too long while wearing any sort of backpack/messenger bag; I encountered some much dreaded numbness during a mere 5 mile trip while wearing my Camelbak. Due to the upright riding position, it's really hard to carry anything on your back.
During these past months, I've commuted roughly 60 miles/week during every month except January. I've found several worthwhile accessories along the way, though none that are specifically made for the Strida. I use NiteRider MiNewt X2 dual beam headlights on the front end, an Arkel Tail Rider pannier on the bike's rear rack and a Lightman xenon strobe on each side of the lower portion of the rear rack so I can be seen by perpendicular traffic. I added Strida's after-market kickstand to the bike, but had to remove it within a short time. Not only did the kickstand interfere with the fold, but it also seemed to weigh down the belt-tension bolt to which it was anchored. I'm guessing a mechanic could have found a way to eliminate the problem, but it seemed kind of silly that one would need to hire a mechanic to install an after-market kickstand (which I why I didn't hire one). The best upgrade I've made is the switch to Schwalbe's Big Apple tires. The ride is infinitely more stable and, quite frankly, secure as a result of this change. The Big Apple's truly approximate an elastometer-grade suspension fork, and I can't recommend this upgrade enough. Unfortunately, this change has come at a cost: the bike's ability to be wheeled along while folded is significantly compromised. The Big Apple tires are much thicker, requiring that several washers be inserted behind each wheel's magnetic connections in order to accommodate the increased width. While the added washers allow the bike to fold completely, the connection is definitely weaker, and the bike's folded halves unclip as soon as I begin to roll the Strida. In short, one of the bike's best features - its ability to roll while folded - seems to be mutually exclusive with a very valuable upgrade, namely the switch to Schwalbe's Big Apple tires. I'm not willing to give up the Big Apples, but I do miss the added portability and will continue to search for a workaround.
Since purchasing the Strida, I have become a full-time bike commuter. I ride in all conditions except ice and snow, and, because I so love riding the Strida, I'm always looking for new bike-commuting opportunities throughout the week and weekends. The Stridas definitely been a great commuting platform, and, as a non-profit worker who demands a large return on any cycling investments, it's absolutely exceeded my expectations.
