Documentation about the bike seems to get harder to find, here I have reposted all the documentation I was able to find on the bike
A Brief History of the Strida
The story begins in the mid-1980s with Mark Sanders, a British engineer and industrial designer. While studying at the Royal College of Art in London, Sanders became frustrated with the greasy chains and complex folding mechanisms of contemporary portable bikes. His goal was to create a "user-friendly" machine for commuters: something that could be folded in seconds, wheeled like a piece of luggage, and required almost zero maintenance. His graduate project eventually became the prototype for the Strida, earning him immediate acclaim for its radical "A-frame" geometry. The Strida has undergone several evolutions since its debut, maintaining its iconic silhouette while changing the design to fit shifting production methods.
The Launch (1987):Production began in Glasgow, and the Strida 1 was officially launched at Harrods in London. It was an instant sensation for its simplicity. It used a Kevlar belt drive instead of a metal chain, meaning no oil or grease would ruin a commuter's clothing. Production started in Springburn, Glasgow then Acton Engineering in Nottingham but the real change came when Roland plastics got involved. They were heavily involved with redesigning the bike to utilise injection molded plastic parts.
Going Global (1990s - 2000s):Manufacturing eventually moved to Ming Cycle in Taiwan, shifting to more aluminium parts, which allowed for better mass production. This era saw the introduction of the Strida 3, the version I have, which solidified the bike's reputation for durability and ease of use.
Modern Refinement (2009 - Present): The introduction of the Strida 5.0 and the LT models brought disc brakes, alloy wheels, and even multi-speed internal hubs. Despite these upgrades, the core design remains identical to Sanders original vision: a bike that folds in roughly three seconds.
Roland Plastics transitioned the Strida from a niche, somewhat fragile invention into a robust, mass-producible product. Even though production eventually moved to Ming Cycle in Taiwan in 2002 to meet global demand, many of the plastic-molding techniques and material choices established by Roland remain in the current DNA of the bike.
Today, the Strida remains a cult favorite among urbanites and design enthusiasts. It is celebrated not just for its portability, perfect for that "last mile" of a city commute.
My Stride 3 - An aluminium bike with orange fenders. It rides suprisingly well, although gears would be a welcome addition.
Weels are mounted from one side. This makes a smaller package when the bike is folded.
The safety catch, this ensures that the frame stays together,.
you press it down to unlock.
Easy enough to get the hang of.
The top hinge is a ball joint. These can pop out when over-streched. I have found that there is little risk of this in every day operation.
The handles can be folded in, this clamp ensures that they stay put when biking.
The Strida Logo.
original strida saddle.
this magnet keeps the frame locked together when folded..
A relatively big sprocket keeps the belt from skipping. Although you can get it to skip when applying to much force at the pedals. Later models have an idler pully to combat this issue.
The luggage rack is only meant for some small items, a lock and toolkit perhaps?.
All good advice, helmet, loose clothing and NO WHEELIES.
the other side, notice the ofset wheels..
The bearing in the big pully is a one way bearing. With normal bikes this would be located in the rear sprocket, but there is little room for that..
The second magnet.
Here you can see how small the sprocket is..
When the pedals are pressed in, they can be folded. Making the bike easier to store.
the folded pedal.
the folded pedal reduces the width quite a bit.
Differnt saddles can be mounted. it uses a standard mounting bracket, although it does not look like it.
In this position you can lock the wheels, quite helpfull when storing the bike or when keeping upright in public transport..
This is what the designer refers to as: 'folding the Strida into a stick shape'..| The Strida 3 on The Folding Society | Article |
| The history of the Strida folding bike | Article |
| Overview Strida folding bike versions - Japanes | Wayback Machine |
