Introducing the Strida

Posted on April 24, 2008 by Rachel Pulfer | Comments

In an era of ever-denser cities and ever-mounting fuel costs, the Strida offers a solution for the car-weary: a foldable bicycle that takes the commuter bike from sensible to sexy. Rachel Pulfer reports on the Strida's arrival in North America for this month's edition of Material World, a column that tracks the meeting-points of culture and commerce.

The Strida is a foldable bike from British designer Mark Sanders. Available for 16 years in Europe, the unique, triangular-shaped foldable bicycle has only recently reached North America. Version 5.0 is now available courtesy Areaware, a New York-based design distributor.

Sanders designed his bike with the urban commuter in mind. “Transportation means freedom,” says Sanders, “and a folding bike is even more freeing than a regular one since you can literally take it anywhere.” The bike is made of lightweight, rustproof aluminum and comes in a wide variety of colours, from blue to retro cream (with, natch, caramel-coloured components). A belt made from Kevlar replaces the more traditional metal chain – good news for anyone who’s ever biked to work, only to discover nasty grease spots on recently dry-cleaned trousers.

The most striking aspect of the Strida is its triangular frame. Sanders’ design offers both a stable, smooth ride and ease of foldability: just unlock the crossbar, then align it to the post supporting the front wheels. Magnets in the hubs of the wheels help lock them together, creating a device that’s easy to push along, or hang discreetly in a closet. It’s also relatively light – according to BusinessWeek reviewer Cliff Kuang, it weighs 19 pounds. (Kuang does however point out that lighter foldable bikes exist – some high-end versions weigh in at a mere 17 pounds.) Also, some foldable bikes feature several gears; the Strida 5.0 has only one.

But nothing, of course, is ever quite perfect. And as any fashionista knows, a streamlined look requires certain sacrifices. What's more, with the price of gasoline hovering between US$3 and US$4 a gallon in the U.S., and predicted to go as high as CAN$1.40 a litre in Canada, more people are biking in North American cities than ever before. Clearly, the Strida hasn't just got good lines – it's got great timing. For more, check out www.strida.us.