Our largest ride so far!

It was incredibly large the ride group-42 riders to be exact. The ride list grew longer and longer as the registration deadline drew nearer. Seven
new Strida, Carry Me and Birdy Riders, namely, Silas and his mum, Sandra, Choong, Anthony, Ying, Chuan Yong's wife and Yang joined us in the ride. The starting point was at Lavender MRT station carpark.

What kind of cyclist are you?

Ever wondered who is a Strida Rider?

A Strida Rider is one who enjoys the convenience of a good folding bike, loves the way the bike folds and unfolds, and most of all, is thrilled that it can be rolled after folded!

Better still, Strida doesn't have a greasy chain so the Strida Rider knows there is little cleaning to do on the kelvar belt!

He just likes the simplicity in design and appreciates the clean lines in the Strida.

A Strida Rider folds and rolls his Strida everywhere he goes, even in the MRT or bus; knows it takes up little space and is theft proof.

His and her Stridas can be stored in the luggage bag and be ready to holiday with them in any part of the world.

Strida Riders don't get a backache from cycling as the riding posture is always upright. Their arms don't ache as the handling of the bike is relaxed.

Speed is not an issue as the Strida can go as fast as 25 to 30 km/hr on a single gear. And it can be folded and unfolded under 10 seconds. But Strida Riders are often not in a rush. Even the daily commuters on Strida get to work on time and without much fuss!

Strida Riders are social animals. We love our bikes and we love our food even more. Our group rides are always topped with a satisfying meal, making sure no one gets hungry and grouchy!

Folding bike fans are open-minded creatures. They are willing to accept unique designs, smaller bike frames and wheels for convenience and ease of storage at home, office and other places.

If the above description fits the bill, why not join the Strida fold? Strida makes a great companion, whether by yourself or in a group.

Come for a test ride at the Diginexx showroom, where the good folding bikes of the world come together.

Strida Riders blaze through ECP and storm the Old Kallang Airport Road's hawker centre!

Strida Riders are often 'low-profile' cyclists. We are happy cycling alone and even happier cycling in a group. We don't even like to speed.

However when you have 20 Stridas lined up together at the beginning of a ride, it cannot help but grab eyeballs. Folded Stridas in brush silver, yellow, white, black, red with green, black, blue and orange mudguards, it can be quite a colourful sight!

So 20 Strida riders woke up on a bright and early Saturday morning, and made their way to ECP F2 Carpark. Many even cycled from their homes in Bishan and Hougang (already a work-out!) to ECP.

The rides gets bigger each time, yet it was very nice to see familar faces like Rex, Regina, Sinclair, Will5555, Hippo, Awcute, SlimJim, OldieONFoldie, Paricutin43, Tinman and Oklah. Newer riders like Blur, e_motionsfly, Kia_Bo_He, Howie, Amanda, Uncle Chai and Siew Tin were warmly welcomed again.

In fact, our latest Strida addition - Howie had bought a MK5 (MK stands for Mark Sanders who is the designer of Strida) a day before the ride, practised hard on his Strida around his estate in the evening in order to ensure his tip top cycling condition on ride day! He found the Strida very easy to ride, fun and a great opportunity to get to know other cyclists.

And our Strida Rider, Uncle Chai who bought his yellow Strida many months ago also appeared for his very first group ride! He looked like he enjoyed the Strida company!

We congregrated with the Dahon riders and rode with them for a short while to the end of ECP and then made a roundabout turn to cycle to Fort Road.

Guiding us to Old Kallang Airport Road for a heart breakfast was the tall and gangly Will555 who rode ahead to lead the way and then stopped traffic at zebra crossing for all the Strida Riders!

With his expert cycling and even better sense of direction, he led us through Fort Road, Mountbatten Road and next thing we knew, we were at Old Airport Road.

Little did we expect the mini commotion we created as we 'stormed' the hawker centre with our folded Stridas. Many customers at other tables turned their heads to take a second look at the folded Strida being rolled through the hawker centre breezily.

We parked our Stridas in a neat line at a outdoor area and sat down at the nearby tables. A few made a beeline for the famous wantan mee, loh mee and kway chap. Others drank copious amounts of soya milk and lime juice to quench their thirst.

After the makan, the Strida Riders, led by Willl555 again, rode back to the Strida shop at Lavender to enjoy a bit of cool airconditioning and more water!

Awcute and Blur even helped demo the Strida to newbie customers at the shop while SlimJim sweltered in the sun outside the shop to tinker with his Strida.

Strida Riders cruise on the runway - and show strength in numbers at folding bike roadshow

Our first all-folding bike roadshow took place at this year's National Runway Cycling Event held at the Paya Lebar Airbase on Sunday 3 June 2007.

This was held in conjunction with Strida Riders' first group ride at the annual cycling event.

More than twenty Strida Riders showed up with a good mix of Strida 3.3s and Strida 5s (fondly known as MK3 and MK5) to lend support to the runway event and roadshow despite the early start time!

Many Strida Riders who had just bought their MK 5s were participating in their very first group ride and there were also some familiar faces in the group ride too.

At the all-folding bike roadshow, which was the very first such roadshow in Singapore in recent years, there were an array of foldies on display for the first time: the German-engineered Birdy, a touring beauty, the MTB thrill-seeker, Reach, the super fun, Carry Me and of course, the latest ultra-stylish Strida 5 Sport, all of which had just arrived in Singapore a few days before!

Carry-Me with its 8-inch wheels attracted many who were intrigued by its folded size.

Strida captivated many cyclists with its signature triangular bike frame that remains an integral part of the overall design and has its frame shape copied into newer designs such as the A-Bike.

First designed in 1986, Strida has seen 5 versions in the past twenty years, the latest being the Strida 5 Sport version which boasts of a superb disc brake system and 100PSI Kenda Kwest tyres, Biologic grips and a sturdy alloy bottom bracket.

Hordes of cyclists milled around the roadshow booth, admiring the different foldies. Strida Riders helped out with crowd control management and showed the other cyclists how to fold and unfold the foldies and explained the benefits owning a good foldie.

Uncles, aunties, serious cyclists souped up in cycle garb, children and female cyclists thronged the booth as there was a folding bike for different needs and preferences.

Serious cyclists looked at the Birdy and examined it from top to toe. Many leisure cyclists fell in love with the simple design of the Strida and its even simpler folding and unfolding. Elderly folks and young children immediately took a liking to the Carry Me as it was nifty, small yet offered a surprisingly sturdy cycling experience.

The weather was swelteringly hot and great for cycling. Many Strida Riders hung around the roadshow to help with the enquiries and the tear down of the roadshow.

After the event was over at noon, the Strida Riders then took off and cycled to a hawker centre for a hearty lunch.

It was a most enjoyable cycling day and a even more fun time to get to meet fellow cyclists at the runway event.

Lianhe Wanbao features Strida Riders and their different cycling lifestyles!

Recently Lianhe Wanbao featured three Strida Riders and their different cycling lifestyles.

Davidtch, Will555 and Yen were interviewed: Davidtch commutes to work on his trusty red Strida. Will555 cycles from Woodlands to Hougang every Friday after he returns his cab. Another Strida Rider, Yen took her Strida on her Hangzhou sightseeing trip with her husband Tofu. They cycled on their Stridas and spent hours sightseeing!

Three different cyclists. Three different cycling lifestyles. On the same bike.

Strida Group Ride - 30 June 2007 - Lavender MRT to Robertson Walk

Strida Riders enjoyed their latest group ride on 30 June and saw their largest gathering to date. Some 28 riders gathered for the ride (plus one nursing a swollen ankle!).

The ride organiser, Davidtch, spent much time recceing the route and even tried out the TCC breakfast before giving it a thumbs up!

David rides this route every day as he cycles to work at Millenia Walk from home at Upper Boon Keng.



In the group, we had even had one young rider aged 12 years old who turned out to be a good cyclist! More new Strida Riders joined the ride and got to know the other riders.


Riders checked out one another's Stridas, to see what accessories were on their bikes.

The park connector took the Strida Riders from Lavender MRT to The Pier @ The Robertson (located after Clarke Quay).

Later, the riders enjoyed a pitstop at TCC at The Pier which provided excellent service. Their Stridas also had a well deserved rest outside the restaurant.

Breakfast at TCC turned out to be affordable and tasty. With a hot latte, it cost just $8.50 per person for a full breakfast that came with a glass of orange juice.

Some of the Strida Riders even commented that they would visit TCC again with their families as the food service had been very pleasant.

The route took one hour and the return route took another one hour back to Lavender MRT. A large group of riders then took the MRT with their Stridas to visit a large bike shop at Changi. A late lunch of bak chor mee at Eunos followed.

Strida Rider of July 2007: Rex gets 'animated' with his Strida!

We got to know Rex in the early part of this year, before Chinese New Year. What we did not know was that he had already done some online research on folding bikes before he finally saw the real thing at East Coast Park one weekend!

By using the park connector, Rex rides everyday from his home at Bishan to his workplace at South Bridge Road, clocking in two hours of cycling every day!

His wife Regina also owns a Strida and both can be seen cycling at East Coast Parkway on weekends. In fact, if you want to spot or meet Strida Riders on weekends, ECP is the place to go:

1) How did you get to know of Strida?

I was surfing the web for award-winning foldable bikes and found the UK Strida site. A few months later, there were three of these sexy things ridden by none other than Vivian, Steven and their friend, Terence. I spotted the real thing at East Coast Park. A subsequent search revealed Singapore's very own Strida shop in Lavender.

2) Do you own other bicycles?

I have a Schwinn Heavy Duty Cruiser which is braked by back-pedalling, and an Aleoca foldable bike.

3) Why did you choose a folding bike over a normal bike like a mountain bike?

I needed a bike which would be allowed on public transport on wet weekdays, and which could fit into my Renault Clio on weekends.

4) With single gear, does Strida go a lot slower? Doesn't it affect your ride?

The only limiting factor is leg-power. So the more you have, the faster you go!

5) What is it that you like about your Strida?

My Strida is my perfect travelling companion ( apart from my wife, of course!).
It is light enough to be carried easily up and down stairs and overhead bridges,
and small enough (when folded) to be stowed unobtrusively both in the office and on public transport.

6) Where do you ride/go with your Strida?

My Strida goes to work with me on weekdays and on dates with my wife on weekends.

7) Can you describe your normal riding route? How long does it take you and the total distance one way and two way?

It's park connectors most of the way via Bishan Park-Potong Pasir- Bendemeer- Kallang- Marina Promenade- Esplanade- South Bridge Road.

The total one-way distance is approximately 14 km and takes me just under an hour. There is a lot of relaxing greenery en route with an especially scenic stretch along Marina Promenade. It's also quite nice to see the same old people fishing, exercising, joggling and cycling by every day.

8) Has cycling improved your general well-being or health?

Definitely! I feel energized and clear-headed when I arrive at the office each day, and fitter and stronger in general.

My sports dri-fit outfit keeps me cool and comfortable throughout my ride. After a quick shower and change of clothes at the office, I am at my desk all set for the day.

9) In your view, what do you think a rider should consider when buying a folding bike?

A foldable bike has to be light, easy to handle when folded and above all, very foldable- just like my Strida!

10) What do you do for a living?

I am a designer/animator/music-maker and I spend days (and sometimes nights) animating characters, creating music and sound effects. (P.S: he is very good at what he does! and psst, the Mr Brown Christmas e-card was developed by him!

P.S: He has just created a sweet piece of techno music just for Strida riding!

11) Where do you keep your bike in the office?

My Strida is displayed in the living area of my office because it is simply too beautiful to be hidden under my desk.

12) For those thinking of commuting to work by cycling, what is your advice?

For safety, be appropriately kitted-out with a helmet and lights, and obey traffic rules.

13) Any funny incidents involving the Strida?

Being chased by a golden labrador, being ambushed by the same dog, and witnessing a fellow Strida Rider being menaced by the same beast all in the space of a week! (These incidents were not so funny at the time!)

Another incident which was breathtaking, rather than funny, was seeing an eagle doing a National Geographic-style fishing stunt along my cycling route once.

I always enjoy my journey home but it was definitely more fun when I had the company of other Strida Riders after a posting on the Strida Forum. We are considering making this a regular thing.

14) Have you been chased before by strangers who asked you about your Strida?
Yes, by pedestrians and by riders of other types of bikes including a couple of mountain bike riders whom I overtook unwittingly.

One of these caught up with me at the pedestrian crossing at Bishan park and told me how amazed he was that a small single-geared bike could go so fast.

P.S: Rex recounted a story during which he overtook a MTB cyclist who then tried to catch up with him at the traffic junction. When asked why he was going so fast (on a single-geared bike!), Rex sheepishly replied, " I want to get home before it rains!"

Strida Rider of May 2007

David Tan or (his forum nickname davidtch) is a man who loves everything red. So it came as no surprise when he bought a red Strida to match his red messenger bag and red helmet!

David lives in Upper Boon Keng Road and every day he cycles from home to his office at Millenia Walk and in the evening, he cycles home.

He works in the regional office of a large international insurance company and analyses the accounts of its regional offices in Asia. Strida Singapore was curious to find more about his daily ride to work; David was more than happy to share his riding experiences.


1) Where do you go with your Strida?
Mostly, I would ride it work and from office back to my home. I also ride it to run some errands.



2) What do you like best of your Strida?
Strida is compact yet uncomplicated. In the office, it is easily stored under my cubicle desk. at home, I can make it 'stand' in my service balcony.

In addition, I just need to learn once in order to fold and unfold the Strida. No complicated steps involved.

Strida has a very clean design. The brake cables are neatly hidden inside the tube frame. instead of brake calipers, drum brakes are used.

Lastly, I like the kevlar reinforced drive belt, which is cleaner than a steel chain.

3) If someone is looking to get a folding bike, in your view, what factors should he consider?
It has to be compact and light. In addition, it must be easy to use. I have been looking for a bike with these characteristics for a while now.

4) Do you get reactions from strangers when riding or resting your Strida? Any funny stories to share?
Since I started riding the strida last December, I have been getting smiles and strange looks from passers-by. strangers would walk up to me and ask me about Strida. sometimes, some of them have so much to ask or say that i have to find excuses to leave or i would be late for work!

5) How do you keep your Strida in "good shape" - do you polish the body or accessorise it with bike accessories?

The Strida is low-maintenance so I just wipe my Strida down once a week. however, on rainy days, I will wipe it clean once I get home. I have just recently got a cyclocomputer to complement my sunday jogging.

6) How do you store the strida in the office?

Actually, the Strida fits nicely below my office desk.

7) How long it takes you to cycle to work in the morning?
Usually it takes me about twenty minutes to work and back to home.

8) What is your usual morning ride gear (is it office clothes) or do youchange into bike or sports gear first?
Every morning, I will wear my long sleeve shirt, tie and pants to ride my Strida. After a few months of riding, I decided to buy a pair of BMX shoes. It is more comfortable.

9) Can you also describe your daily riding route?

I ride through Geylang Lorong 1 and Geylang Road. Once I cross the Kallang River, I will ride into Kallang River Park and continue via Marina Promenade. Once I reach the Sheares Bridge, I will turn right onto Republic Boulevard via a gravel road. From there on, it will lead me straight to Millenia Walk. Total distance is approximately 3 km. this route is really beautiful in the morning and in the evening. I can see the sunrise while going to work and the sunset when riding home.

10) What do you say when you come across people who ask you about the Strida?

I would tell them that this bike is very easy to ride and invite them to try it out. Well, some of them do take up my invitation ad they like it a lot. They even ask me where to buy it.

11) To people who may say riding a bicycle to work and from work to home is not feasible, what do you say? How do you do it?
Riding to work is feasible but you would need some planning ahead. I planned out the safest cycling route which is of utmost importance to me. For me, it would be through the park. After that, I did a trial ride from home to work to time the journey and then I could decide on whether I need another set of clothing for cycling.

12) How do you feel about your health since you have taken up cycling on a daily basis?Every morning i feel refreshed after riding to work. in addition, it also perks me up. No more morning blues.

13) In fact, why did you decide to cycle the Strida from home to work? Why not just own a car or take public transport? Is it uncomfortable riding in your office clothes?

It is a matter of convenience. Previously, I take the MRT and alight at Bugis MRT. It takes me at least 30 minutes to walk to office. Since I started riding Strida, I only need 20 minutes to reach my office. In addition, it is healthier to ride. When I cycle I am wearing my office clothes. Basically, I do not perspire except on really warm days. In fact, I actually perspire more when I walk from Bugis MRT to office!

14) In your view, would should one consider if he wants to cycle from home to work and/or vice versa? Any advice? Why not?

Those who do not stay near their office can also consider cycling as a form of commuting. There would be some form of commuting between home and the mrt as well as the mrt and office. So this is the best opportunity to ride your Strida. You would probably save bus waiting time and become healthier in the process. The most important thing is to plan the safest cycling route and this may involve taking a longer route. If you need to ride on the pedestrian path, priority should be given to pedestrians.

Strida Rider of April 2007

1) Why did you buy a folding bike instead of a conventional mountain or road bike?

Well, I used to own 3 mountain bikes, and all of them got stolen after some time, even though they were locked right below my home!

Thieves nowadays are daring and speedy I tell you... but to cut the long story short, I have always been on the lookout for something convenient to bring around, easy to ride, and something that looks attractive enough for me to want to ride it all the time!

Most folding bikes don't cut it because they get folded and that's the end: you can't push them around! This bike gives me so much flexibility in travelling as well as a leisure utility bicycle!

2) What is it that you like best about your Strida?

Definitely how cool it looks (or cute to some of my friends because the wheels are small -16 inch) as well as how quick and easy it is to fold it up!

I can fold and unfold the Strida in 3-4 seconds now! (excluding the handle bars)

3) Does your Strida have a name?

Well I got a nickname long ago from my friend, and I think it appropriately describes my Strida as well: the MinkHunk. You know how Minks are small little creatures, and the Hunk part is definitely self-explanatory. So for my Strida, I have nicknamed it "The MinkHunk Express". Heh!

4) Where do you cycle to and how often?

I commute to school using my Strida everyday (it's about 5 km from home), but I do take occasional rides to different destinations, depending on where i need to be of course.

Last weekend, I took my MinkHunk Express down to Tanjong Pagar, Tanjong Katong (yes, it's just a coincidence they're both Tanjong!), and each ride was close to 10 km! Took the ride along Singapore River as well as on the Marina Bay a couple of times too!

5) Any funny stories to share of your cycling rides?

The funniest story thus far has to be when my friends and i were playing with the bike in our school concourse area (it's something like citylink mall, shops along an underground walkway).

So my two friends, each of them about 105 kgs, took their turns to ride my Strida up and down the concourse! I was quite afraid my bike will give way due to their gargantuan sizes, but hey it held up!

And the funniest thing? we took videos of these 2 clowns riding around, through crowds of people and they all staring and giving out 'What the *@&%@#$" comments when the bike went past!

I guess it might not sound that funny, but you definitely have to imagine 2 big guys that look somewhat panda-like riding a small triangular bicycle with wheels small in comparison to them that it looks almost like they could eat the bike for breakfast! A priceless moment, but only on the Strida with your bunch of buddies.

6) Do you have a favourite cycling route? Can you recommend some routes to try out?

My favorite route for now is definitely the Singapore River route.

You start from Kim Seng Road, and the route from both banks of the river will take you down all the way to Raffles place and beyond!

I haven't ventured past boat quay area though, but it can continue down towards Bugis! I would definitely recommend this route to people who just want a relaxing ride and to see some upscale restaurants and people all around the Clarke Quay/ Boat Quay/ Raffles Area.

Just make sure you don't go there on a weekend evening or you'll have a tough time squeezing past the hordes of diners!

Also, I cycle to school everyday through Orchard, along the pavement that stretches from Tangs all the way down to the Istana.

A word of advice - don't ride between 11am and 10pm, unless you have plenty of time to burn and wants to improve your balance at low speeds!

7) What do you think is the most important feature of a folding bike?

Folding bikes are created for the reason to make them easy to bring around, and this rule applies mostly to motorists who can stuff their bikes into the trunk!

However, as a student, I would want a folding bike that is easy to bring around WITHOUT the need of a car! And I'm so glad the Strida fits this description perfectly!

8) What do you have on your Strida? Name your zhng accessories?

Well, front light, back warning light, bell, mini pump, chain lock, saddle pouch, tire patch kit, cyclocomputer, a gel seat and a pair of bar mirrors! and of course, I got them all at the Strida shop!

9) Any other comments that you would like to add about your Strida, of cycling in Singapore and cycling park connectors?

I believe that motorists are rather accommodating to cyclists these days. Had a few times where I would be riding on the road because of the lack of a proper pavement to cycle on, and I haven't had any troubles!

But more importantly, you need to be easily seen by others, so I have my lights ready at all times to blink till the drivers notice me!

And also, don't cycle on the double yellow line if you're on the road, and take up about 1/3 of the lane or the motorists will not just try to squeeze past you haphazardly! (this is a tip from my avid road riding friend!)

As for park connectors, I have yet to have time to try any of them yet, but I am looking forward to riding to Buona Vista and taking the park connector all the way up to Bukit Batok! Will definitely post on the Strida forum on my experience once it's over!

10) Now that you have been cycling for about a month now, do you feel cycling is beneficial for health and general well-being?

I think that it always helps to break a sweat, getting your body to wake up from the sitting-down and the lazing that we all have as typical Singaporeans (doesn't apply to fitness buffs of course!).

By treating this not only as my mode of transport but also my wake-up/healthy lifestyle equipment, I feel more refreshed throughout the day after my 20 minutes of biking to uni, and on my occasional long trips of about an hour or so, with some gentle slopes and tough roads to ride, I really feel my body is having a good workout!

So yes, cycling promotes good blood circulation, and definitely a good excuse to have a heartier lunch or dinner!