Strida Folding Bike review at Toronto’s Green Tenant
Since many rent their homes and apartments some terrific energy saving or green projects are not possible. However, many projects are possible when you know what or how to do them. Green Tenant is a blog with lots of environmentally appropriate how-tos and information primarily for those who rent. They just posted a review of the Strida.
Thanks to Andrew for this.
Belt-Drive pioneered by STRiDA goes mainstream
The STRiDA folding bike successfully commercialized the use of a drive-belt over more than 20 years. Clean, maintenance free belt-drives have a lot of advantages over chains. As I mentioned in a previous post, they are now beginning to be adopted by some industry heavyweights and more than 50 other manufacturers and custom shops.
Here’s a more specific summary from Bike Radar.
To Spacing.ca: Folding Bikes Sound Expensive
The well followed blog, spacing.ca did a post about savedbybikes.com.
My impression is that it is a good post, and certainly helps get the word out. Many seem to feel that the article made the point that the STRiDA folding bike must be too expensive:
“Yet the price tag was enough to put many them off: $980 + tax can sound like a lot for a bike, even if it is foldable, hand-welded, 22lbs and has disc breaks[sic].”
I suppose I have a number of things to say about the price, but a couple are critical:
The price, $894 ($800 USD) is essentially the global price for a STRiDA bike. It is a very good price relative to the quality and design of this product and is the same or actually quite a bit less than other “high-end” folding bikes. There is an economic principle at work here: when you sell something of value for less than its true value, shortages result. It seems STRiDA’s manufacturer sells every bike it can make, which would indicate that the global price is at least, fair. Indeed bicycle savvy consumers often state that the price is great, or at least, about right. Other folders, which don’t have the ease of use, design and features of the STRiDA are much more. In a progress report on a STRiDA instead of car the writer saved the cost of the bike in one month.
The article states:
Since opening the shop, Steve has totaled just over 40 sales, significantly less than he had hoped for by this time.
I think 40, now around 53 is a terrific accomplishment, but I did hope for more. It is not the price in my opinion that makes people consider before adopting. It is exactly because we chose to do the right thing and target commuters, not cyclists. Our mission is to get those who commute all or part of the way by car to consider an alternative; leave the car at home and ride a STRiDA to the GO Train or TTC station. So, in effect: “completely change your lifestyle and pay the better part of $1000 to do it. ”
I’m not entirely surprised that people aren’t lining up. Given this, again I think 46 or so is remarkable.
Thanks for a good article Jake, and thanks for trying the folding bike.
Car/Bike commute hybrid
John D. Hamalka MD is a Healthcare CIO who supports some 3000 doctors, 18000 faculty, and 3 million patients in Boston Massachusetts.
Experiencing a “there must be a better way” moment with a more than challenging commute/daily schedule, John chose the to replace his car in the city center with a folding bike in an experiment. After investigating folding bikes by Bike Friday, Brompton and Dahon , John chose the STRiDA as “the only one light enough, small enough, or quick to fold enough to just toss in and our of car/office/train in a few seconds.”
The goal here is to apply the appropriate tool for the job. In-city gridlock, caused by cars, has made them less and less useful. Bicycles are superb for inner-city trips and folders even better.
For many, an entire commute by bike may be too much; leaving the car as the best tool. If there is available rail or public transit the folding bike remains best of all,.
After many years of commuting entirely by car, I never do any more. Most days I travel by GO Train(Toronto’s public commuter rail) with a STRiDA folding bike under the seat. This a great way to go; the bike is always with me, no chance of theft, and I am never stuck in traffic or have to pay for parking. On those days when I need a car available, I drive to the Northwest corner of Toronto, park free, take the bike out of the car and ride the final 10 km (6Mi). This has worked wonderfully for me and I appreciate the longer ride.
I’m looking forward to an update on John’s experiment with this.
