Strida Bike and your Boat

[JasonRobinson]

Looks great... but wow that price.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by JasonRobinson

Looks great... but wow that price.

It's not that high compared to other quality folding bicycles. A slip neighbor of mine told me one day that the local camping store had a sale on folding bicycles. I jumped in my car and headed for the store.

What they had on sale for a couple hundred dollars looked like something you would see a clown riding at the circus. I tried it in the store but I couldn't maintain my balance.

The Dahon "Mariner" folding bicycle is about the same price as the Strida. I'm sure anything less will be a pile of rust pretty quickly aboard a boat, especially one that's used in salt water.

[rwidman]

Originally Posted by oregoncycle

..........A full sized bike isn't that large or difficult to deal with once the wheels are pulled and the handle bars turned sideways.

I think it's a bit like a dinghy. If it's too much trouble to deal with, it won't get used. I can see if you're going to be someplace for a week or more but I can't see going to all that trouble for a quick ride around town for a one night stop.

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by boatster

Strida Bike and your Boat

How do you carry your grocery (two bags) on the bike, using a backpack?

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

How do you carry your grocery (two bags) on the bike, using a backpack?

Keep in mind on a boat your refer is around 1/5 the size of a home unit, so you tend to buy less. When I shop at a grocery in Mx., I beg for a box for the rack on the back and backpak the rest. I've even been know to carry 2 bags on each side of the handlebars. Really adds to the adventurous spirit.

[rockDAWG]

After a voyage, I long for some carbonated drinks, fresh fruits and veggies. .

[Canibul]

That Trek District got my attention. I've been interested in belt and shaft drives with internal hubs. BUT when I go to Treks own website, I find they list five Districts, and every one of them is steel. Search district | Trek Bikes

Unless I missed something, none of them are aluminum frames.

[roverhi]

Originally Posted by rockDAWG

How do you carry your grocery (two bags) on the bike, using a backpack?

Have a Bike Friday. bikefriday.com It's their touring model with a heavier duty frame, braze ons for adding racks, 20" tires and folds into a large suitcase that can be set up as a trailer and towed behind the boat or shipped as normal luggage on the airlines. Have front and rear panniers, saddle bags, that can carry more than a couple of loaded grocery plus a case of beer on the rear rack. For bulky but fairly light items the suitcase/trailer will carry a lot stuff.

Have a couple other bikes but prefer riding the Bike Friday as it's so comfortable and easy to ride. Handling is a little quicker than my full size touring bike but nowhere near twitchy or challenging. Pedaling performance is comparable with 27 gears from the 9speed cassette and 3 speed rear hub. Do give up a little rolling resistance for the smaller tires but at 80psi it's not much.

I'm north of 7 decades and not in very good shape but can easily do 10 mile jaunts with a few serious hills thrown in. Bike lives in it's suitcase in the V berth when underway, on deck in port and shipping as regular baggage on the airlines. Fold the bike into a canvas bag for transportation ashore in the dinghy. Used the bike for almost all transport when I was getting the boat ready for the sail to Hawaii from Alameda. Carried sails, canvas, pulpits etc. on the suitcase/trailer and other parts and provisions in the panniers. Frame is steel but with regular freshwater wash downs and WD40 it's still looking good after more than 5 years. Biggest issue is it takes 15 minutes or more to fit into the suitcase. Not a big thing as only do that for passages or airplane transport. Bike folds into the canvas bag almost instantly. So it's not an instant use bicycle for ducking into port for an overnighter without spending the time to assemble/unfold if you keep it in the suitcase, not the canvas bag.

[capt. enki]

Originally Posted by roverhi

The upright riding position is tiring and makes for very inefficient pedaling. To get a larger number of muscles and make riding less tiring, you need to have some forward lean when riding. You don't have to be in the full tuck position of a rider in the drop bars but can't be bolt upright. Also the bolt upright position makes for maximum air brake wind resistance when pedaling into the wind. Didn't see that the bike had any gearing. If there are none, humping the bike up a hill will be exhausting for a typical cruiser.

We have two Strida EVO folding bikes. They have three gears that change by a brief back pedal. We have enjoyed riding our bikes around town and have them on our trawler cat where they fit easily. I am impressed by the degree of engineering that has gone into these cycles.

As mentioned by others, we have no financial interest in Strida or any of their retailers.

Pete

[Nicholson58]

Originally Posted by boatpoker

Tried electric scooters ... didn't last long in salt air.
Test rode the Strida and did not find it comfortable at all.
Bought two full size Trek Districts (aluminum/carbon fibre) AT 20LBS. each with belt drive and love them, They don't corrode in salt air are very easy to pedal uphill even though they are single speed and my 5'2" 120lb. wife can carry them both easily.

I have often thought that locating a used trail bike & replacing the seat clamp, head set clamp & skewers with quick release would be the best way to reach the mobility goal at least cost. We find this type of bike at Good Will or garage sales. This might be low enough on cost to make theft an inconvenience rather than a di$a$ter.