Strida

The Strida folds into a "wheeled walking-stick" that can be pushed along, much like a folded pram/baby-buggy whose folding concept provided the inspiration for the design.

Other notable characteristics include:

• a greaseless kevlar belt that replaces the traditional chain drive to avoid mess (see belt-driven bicycle)
• minimalist design (single speed, aluminium-triangle frame, etc.)
• low-maintenance brakes (drum brakes on the Strida 1, 2 and 3; disc brakes on the Strida 5 and later versions)
• ETRTO 305 mm (16") wheels, upgradable to 355 mm (18") wheels.

The single sided wheel mountings and belt drive make fitting gears (e.g. dérailleur or hub gears) more difficult than on chain driven bikes with conventional forks. The use of front mounted Schlumpf gear gets around this problem. Hobbyists in Japan have fitted 5{{Cite web | url=http://www.senmuchan.mydns.jp/tar_image/zero_yodo04.jpg | title=Picture of Strida | format=JPG | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722114029/http://www.senmuchan.mydns.jp/tar_image/zero_yodo04.jpg | archive-date=2011-07-22}}{{Cite web | url=http://www.senmuchan.mydns.jp/tar_image/zero_yodo05.jpg |title=Picture of Strida | format=JPG | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722114036/http://www.senmuchan.mydns.jp/tar_image/zero_yodo05.jpg | archive-date=2011-07-22}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.senmuchan.mydns.jp/bike/strida_fm5.MP4|title = Free Dynamic DNS(DDNS) by POP3,IMAP4,FTP,HTTP-BASIC for Home Server, VPS | MyDNS.JP}} and 7{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/bonbon200/26165609.html&sl=ja&tl=en |title=Google Translate |access-date=2010-12-22}} speed gears.

The Strida was the major project{{cite web|url=http://www.dezeen.com/2008/02/03/interview-strida-bike-designer-mark-sanders/ |title=Blog Archive » Interview: Strida bike designer Mark Sanders |publisher=Dezeen |date=2008-02-03 |access-date=2010-12-22}} for Mark Sanders's master's degree 1983 to 1985 at Imperial College London, and Royal College of Art. The course, IDE, (Industrial Design Engineering, now called Innovation Design Engineering{{cite web |url=http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=160473&GroupID=159384&CategoryID=36692&More=1 |title=Royal College of Art | Innovation Design Engineering |publisher=Rca.ac.uk |date=2007-08-18 |access-date=2010-12-22 |archive-date=14 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414082221/http://www.rca.ac.uk/Default.aspx?ContentID=160473&GroupID=159384&CategoryID=36692&More=1 |url-status=dead }}) was a joint course by both institutions for engineering graduates to specialise in combining creative engineering with creative industrial design. The project is recorded in detail in the master's degree thesis.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/masters__thesis_june_1985_-_strida/1 |title=Master's Thesis June 1985 - Strida |publisher=Issuu.com |date=2010-06-29 |access-date=2010-12-22}} The aim of the project was to simplify bicycles and especially folding bicycles. It was inspired by the Maclaren baby buggy which folds into a thin form, with its wheels together at the end, so that it can be rolled instead of being carried.

In 1985, Industrial Property Rights Ltd, (run by James Marshall,{{cite web|url=http://www.southwestbusiness.co.uk/news/30072014094159-acquaintance-of-greg-norman-and-muhammad-ali-discusses-his-business-in-gloucestershire/ |title=Acquaintance of Greg Norman and Muhammad Ali discusses his business in Gloucestershire|publisher=SouthWest Business|date=30 July 2014|access-date=2015-07-14}} former manager of golfer Greg Norman) licensed the design.{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/business_plan_december_1985_-_strida/1 |title=Business Plan December 1985 - Strida |publisher=Issuu.com |date=2010-06-29 |access-date=2010-12-22}} The name 'Strida' was suggested by the 8-year-old son of one of the company directors; this was adopted as it was preferred to the suggestion 'Blake' by a PR consultancy. Production of the Strida 1 started in 1986, originally in Springburn, Glasgow. The Strida was launched in Harrods, London in 1987.{{cite web |url=http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MAS.DPL/StridaArchivePIX#5169022349747969938 |title=Picasa Web Albums - Mark Sanders - Strida Archiv |date=1985-06-24 |access-date=2010-12-22 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Approximately 3,000 Strida 1s were made in Glasgow - these can be recognised by a welded steel rack, later replaced by a nylon injection moulded rack, which latter remains in production.

In 1988, production moved to Long Eaton in Nottingham (near the Raleigh Bicycle Company factory, which by then was in decline). Sturmey-Archer developed a 2-speed, front-mounted gear which was prototyped and tested but never made in production. The Strida won all three UK Cyclex Bicycle Innovation Awards in 1988{{cite web |url=http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/MAS.DPL/StridaArchivePIX#5169024480051748802 |title=Picasa Web Albums - Mark Sanders - Strida Archiv |date=1985-06-24 |access-date=2010-12-22 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} (Best New Product, Most Innovative, Best British Design). Approximately 17,000 Strida 1s were made in Nottingham.{{cite web|url=http://www.strida.us/flashden/strida-story.asp |title=Strida Areaware |publisher=Strida.us |access-date=2010-12-22}} Most were sold in Japan and UK, with smaller quantities in USA, Australia and Germany.

In 1991, production moved to Casa Hipolito, a Portuguese Manufacturer. At this time Strida Ltd. was developing a baby buggy as a second product.

By 1992, 25,000 Strida 1s had been produced.

In 1993, the British Technology Group BTG, a company that licenses and commercializes medical innovations and other UK technology, controlled the rights to Strida until 1995.

In 1997, Roland Plastics, a UK firm, purchased the rights to produce Strida and moved production back to Wickham market in the UK. It released the Strida 2 a year later.

In 2000, the Strida won I.D. Magazine’s Annual Design Award, Sail Magazine’s Pittman Award for Innovation and Safety, and the British Design Council Millennium product Award. Steedman Bass, of Boston USA, purchased the rights to produce the Strida. With Mark Sanders, Bass began development of the Strida 3 as described by The Open University course 'Design and designing' (T211).{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atTcZ1B6WGY |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/atTcZ1B6WGY |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=Folding bike re-invented |publisher=YouTube |access-date=2010-12-22}}{{cbignore}}

In 2002, in order to meet increased demand, Bass moved production to Taiwanese manufacturer Ming Cycle. Strida 3 was launched, with an inaugural shipment of 2000 units to Italy. Ming began to establish distributorships in Korea, Japan, Netherlands, France and the U.S.A. Development of the Strida 5 started.

In March 2006, Ming Cycle took over ownership of Strida rights.

In November 2006, a Strida 3 was featured on the UK television programme The Gadget Show,{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVVgsQt1DK4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211213/kVVgsQt1DK4 |archive-date=2021-12-13 |url-status=live|title=A-Bike & Strida Folding Bikes Tested |publisher=YouTube |date=2006-11-13 |access-date=2010-12-22}}{{cbignore}} alongside the Sinclair A-Bike.

In 2007 the Strida 5 won a design award at the Taipei International Bike Show.

A 2-speed gear option was added in 2009, based on the cableless, Schlumpf front crank operated epicyclic gearbox.{{Cite web | url=http://www.schlumpf.ch/hp/sd/sd_engl_technische_daten.htm | title=Technical data | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120306091418/http://www.schlumpf.ch/hp/sd/sd_engl_technische_daten.htm | archive-date=2012-03-06 }}

The Strida 5 includes an upgrade kit of the Strida 3, and adds disc brakes, eccentric belt tensioner, metal spoked wheels and high pressure tyres.

The Strida is made by Ming Cycle in Taiwan. There was a key patent which covered the early Strida 1 onwards. The U.S. version of this patent was filed in 1986{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US4718688|title=Collapsible bicycles with triangular frames}} and expired in 2006,{{Cite web |url=http://www.freepatentsonline.com/help/item/When-does-a-patent-expire.html |title=When does a patent expire? |access-date=16 January 2011 |archive-date=6 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111106192026/http://www.freepatentsonline.com/help/item/When-does-a-patent-expire.html |url-status=dead }} which means only the mechanism used in Strida 1 and 2 of the product is now in the public domain. Several other aspects of the latest Strida 3 to 5.x versions are currently covered by patents in various countries, including the folding handle bar system US7243573,{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US7243573|title=Folding handlebar}} hub and locking system US7367632,{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US7367632|title=Hub assembly for disk brake of bicycle}} front joint system US7681900,{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US7681900|title=Quick release structure for a bicycle}} with other patents pending. The Patents, Trademark, Copyright and other IP are owned by Ming Cycle, Taiwan. Some components of the Series 3 to Series 5 machines are interchangeable but other significant components and sub-assemblies are not. Series 5 and Series 4 (Mini) machines have a freewheel mounted in the conventional position on the rear wheel (In Series 3 the freewheel, a commonly available Shimano 18t model, is part of the metal and plastic bottom bracket/crankset assembly) and a metal bottom bracket shell which incorporates an eccentric housing to adjust belt tension. Alternative folding handlebars which give more knee clearance for the taller rider are available for the Series 5; these may be retro-fitted in place of the standard folding handlebars on Series 3 and Series 4 (Mini).

• Strida 1
• Strida 2
• Strida 2.5 (with folding handlebars)
• Strida 3
• Strida 3.2 (snubber bearing to prevent drive belt slippage)
• Strida 3.3 (wire wheels)
• Strida 5
• Strida Special Edition
• Strida Elite Edition
• Strida Mini / Strida 4 (for smaller riders)
• Strida SX (with 355 mm or 18" wheels, with upgraded 10 kg rated metal rack and metal butterfly action folding pedals)
• Strida SD (2-speed version)
• Strida MAS (Mark Sanders Special Edition){{cite web|url=http://www.strida.com/en/news/?method=detail&aid=99 |title=News |publisher=STRIDA |access-date=2010-12-22}}{{cite web|url=http://www.a-basketful-of-papayas.net/2010/11/strida-mas-upgraded.html |title=Strida MAS upgraded |publisher=A Basketful Of Papayas |date=2010-11-20 |access-date=2010-12-22}}
• Strida LT (with glass fiber reinforced nylon wheels)
• Strida EVO (3-speed version with Sturmey Archer kickback bottom bracket, available in 305 and 355 mm (16" and 18") versions, both with the SX's improved rack and pedals.)

A number of unlicensed copies of Strida are manufactured in several countries (China, Thailand), and are sold with names such as "Folding bike Strida" or STRDA.{{cite web|url=http://www.china-strida.com/ |title=Strida Folding Bikes,Strida Foldable Bicycles 5.0,1.0,2.0,3.0,4.0 |publisher=China-strida.com |access-date=2010-12-22}} Ming Cycle continuously prosecutes importers of these non-genuine and intellectual property right infringing products.{{Cite web |url=http://www.mingcycle.com.tw/upload/Image/catalogue/Strida%20Declaration%202008-Apr.pdf |title=Strida Declaration |access-date=13 August 2010 |archive-date=6 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006065936/http://www.mingcycle.com.tw/upload/Image/catalogue/Strida%20Declaration%202008-Apr.pdf |url-status=dead }} In 2021 Mr Sanders said fakes greatly outnumber genuine Stridas.{{Cite web|date=2018-05-28|title=Fake folders – how Brompton and Strida tackle the copiers|url=https://www.bikebiz.com/fake-folders-how-brompton-and-strida-tackle-the-copiers/|access-date=2022-01-16|website=BikeBiz|language=en-GB}}

{{reflist|33em}}

{{Commons category|Strida}}

• {{official website|http://www.strida.com/}}
• [http://www.mingcycle.com.tw Ming Cycle] Strida Manufacturer
• {{YouTube|j5tFFIBDzVs|Pre-Strida, RCA bike & young inventor in 1985}}
• [https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/masters__thesis_june_1985_-_strida Masters' Thesis June 1985 - Strida] Description of the design and engineering of the bike that was later to become 'Strida'. Thesis for Imperial College, and Royal College of Art's joint master's degree in Industrial design Engineering (IDE)
• [https://issuu.com/mark77a/docs/business_plan_december_1985_-_strida Business Plan December 1985 - Strida]
• {{YouTube|YlGrowWoZnc|Strida 3 speeds - Slideshow}}

{{Folding bicycles}}

{{British bicycle manufacturers}}

Category:Folding bicycles

Category:Cycle manufacturers of the United Kingdom