n+1 eBay Strida Mk 3, an multi-modal enabling bargain or waste of money? A cyclist's dilemma...

I don't have the stones to commute by bike for 4 seasons of the year (rural 13 miles each way).This year has been rubbish with minimal bike commutting after I broke my knee in late January, on a rugby pitch, and then had a few related health fitness issues over the summer. I've realised that unless and until I get rid of the car then having it sat there outside my front door is always going to tempt me into it when the weather is bad, or I'm tired, or lazy. So the car was going up for sale but now Beth, my daughter, has made me an offer for it so when she gets back from Cypus next week I will be tossing the keys in her direction and getting on the train.

I'm going to see if a folder makes train commuting more of a realistic proposition. The station is a two minute walk from home but I've a 20 minute uphill walk to the office at the other end. For some reason I've taken against this walk. I loathe it.  If I train it to work having no transport lunch times is a drag as town is a 25 minute walk away. I considered buying a clunker to leave at the station but decided against as a) no proper cycle parking at the station b) chaining it to the railings isn't fair on the people who live around there,c) even clunkers get nicked or vandalised d) I don't like riding clunkers.

I looked a compass marine folder. £133 delivered. Then a Strida caught my eye. A bit of research on eBay reveals Mk III's go for around £100 and seem to hold that price pretty much regardless of age so long as they are in working order. Parts are still available, from here in the UK or from Vanmoof in the Netherlands, there are even a couple of London based shops that do spares, repairs and service, and looking at the parts diagrams any half way competant home mechanic should be able to do most things once you get used to the weirdness e.g. an 18t shimano screw on freewheel in the bottom bracket area and no freewheel on the backwheel.  Si it has a freewheel, just not where you'd expect it to be on a conventional bike.

Put in a bid and got one. From someone on the Isle of White whose multi-modal commute seemed to go train-ferry-train-bike. So, it arrived yesterday partly stripped for shipping so my first mission was putting the seat and rack back on. I needed to reposition the seat being a fair bit taller than the first owner and removing the seat locating pin was a bit of a drag, I think the threads on the alloy seat tube are worn. However once removed it was only a couple of mins work to put it all back on, probably set the saddle an inch or two too low but will do for now. Putting the rack on took only seconds. I checked all the bolts, tightened a few, and found one partly rounded allen socket (which I'll replace in due course). Will give it a going over with a torque wrench in accordance with the manual and "Mike's Tips" (the designers own guide to getting the best out of his creation - though he has sold the design on to a company in the Far East, Ming, who are one of the world's largest bike manufacturers) later today if it stops raining and put some air in the tyres and a couple of mini LED's fitting and it should be good to go. I restricted myself to couple of very wobbly runs down a quiet corridor at work y'day. 56" gear. Easier than my fixed.

The listing said the back brake needs new shoes. As it is it is merely for decoration, the left lever does nothing. Let's hope that is all it is and nothing more sinister is wrong with the rear brake.  That said, who uses their rear brake?. Deens Garage of Beckenham are getting me some new shoes in £20 for a set of four. Came with a spare set of green mudguards, those fitted are orange, and two spare Halfords tubes. I suspect the tubes fitted may be perished hence the generous replacement tubes not mentioned in the auction. Cheeky. Saddle is a well squidgy gel one and normally we wouldn't get on but I won't be riding it for long at a stretch. Condition overall is used, but no major flaws, and the 'chainwheel' has a circumferential crack but it doesn't seem to affect its performance. It is a Mk 3.2 as it turns out, with the snubber bearing to prevent the drive belt from skipping a tooth.

If it suits and I decide to keep it I think I'd want to look at:-

Sorting out better mudguards/putting flaps on the existing ones - the rear isn't long enough to prevent 'the stripes' when its wet and I want to ride waering normal clothes.
Finding out if a Strida 5.x (current model) bent handlebar set can be retrofitted to a Mk 3.2 to give my knees more room
Seeing if a Brooks Flyer sprung saddle will fit (I have one spare)
Buying a courier bag to carry stuff in as it has a very upright riding position and I hate rucksacks on bikes.
Maybe putting faster wire wheels on; at my size 100psi is preferred over the 65psi max allowed by the plastic wheels but that would depend on picking up a pair second hand or NoS from somewhere.

Oh yes it fits in the boot of a Cinquecento (but that's going to my daughter) and how many bikes can you say that about?

Posted via email from greg collins' posterous