Tricks & Gadgets
- Tricks, hacks, alterations, additions, ideas

If the Strida is carried un-folded, this little bag doubles as a shoulder protector, and it is said it works well.

The lock-chain doubles as a perfect handle, if I carry my bike un-folded.

Folded and placed this way, the back-frame make a great handle and the balance is perfect, but:

As I carry my bike "up-side down" when folded, I need a strap to keep the button-frame in place. It loops around the frame, when not in use.

FOLDING:
I find this to be the most compact way to fold my bike. Rear rack have gone long time ago, and the saddle-stick have to be shifted to the front-frame. The belt holds it together. The balance and "handle" for caring it, is great.

I have heard, some have a problem getting the wheels apart, when unfolding their bike.
The magnet can be adjusted, or you can use another way:
While holding the rim with my fingers, I push the other wheel with my thumb.
 

Or; you can hold the button-frame with right hand, and turn the handlebar with the left, while all three frames are almost parallel in an upright position.

Issac Lee got the cool leather frame protectors made in Hong Kong.

After I saw those, I had to make my own. I got the leather from a second-hand handbag, and an hour later, I had my own set.

See how to adjust them here.
 

If I don't use the handbrakes for the brakes, they are real good at keeping the handlebars tight, when the bike is folded. 




 

LIGHTS & CAT-EYES:
Markku Salonan found this great looking Australian Knog front-light, a perfect match for a Strida!





 

Issac Lee have found the perfect headlight for his retro-style, racing green/leather Strida.

My own, rather tiny lights, stored away under the saddle, when not in use. €4 no-names.
They are surprisingly bright!

I eventually went for a retro-headlight too, and it not only looks retro; it is just as shitty to light! Well, a new interior can easily be incorporated.

It sits perfect, when the bike is folded. Protected and out of the way.

As I embrace the Retro-Racing-style, I wanted a small cateye, with a chromed encasing.
I ended up making my own from a stainless napkin-ring, a square reflex, some of a foam-floater and a stainless bolt and nut, along with some glue.

LOCKS::
I use a rather thin chain with code-lock. I twist the chain around the back- or upper frame, or the button frame between the back-wheel and chain-wheel, to make it tight. It is stored under the saddle (and might look like a tail). 

Other great ideas?

LUGGAGE STORAGE:
There are so many cool looking bags and alike: Lets have some photos!
I went for the small Wild Man MK2 bag for the handlebar. Great for the essential tools and my GPS, sitting soft and safe.

There are many fancy mug-holders, but I only had some skin left from the bag, supplying frame-protectors.

I ended up cutting a corner - literally. That solved that problem, and it is hardly seen.

See how to pull them off here.

Folded, upright.

Unfolded.                         

 

Unfolded.

I ended up designing my own, made in 8 mm plywood for a folded bike. The bike stands surprisingly stabile, and the stand is foldable, and can easily be stored away. Folded: 41*29*2 cm.

My next idea was a stand, made in sticks, which can be folded to 50*29*4 centimetres. Made in 4 millimetre aluminium, it would be 50*2,5*4 centimetres.
This is a prototype, and have no finish at all! But it works great.

Then I tried with steel. They actually work real well, and fold even better: 43*4*4 centimetres. The feet are dices, connected by a cord with nuts within the dices. The wood is polished oak with leather, the legs stainless steel.
The sticks measures 44 centimetres, it covers 24*24 centimetres on the floor and the weight is 500 grams. It fits both 16" and 18" wheeled Stridas perfectly.

Realising someone might want a even smaller and lighter bike-hang, I developed this BikeHang.
It can't be moved around that easily, but you can vacuumclean underneath it, and the weight is only 23 grams with one meter of cord!
Stainless steel, nylon cord, rubber for protection and a stainless hook in the sealing with a rawplug.

PEDALS:
Ernani Garcia have found these MKS detachable pedals model Panamax EZY Superior. They are wider than the original ones, and provide better grip.

I went for the ultralight Promend pedals with extra holders. When the bike is folded, the pedals sit under the saddle. 

See how to change them here.
 

I started placing them at the springs, but that collided with my mug-holder, and I shifted them to the saddle bolt, changing it to one centimetre longer and unbrako.

PUMPS:
I have found this 10 centimetre long PCycling Mini Bicycle Pump made in aluminium, which can be placed under the saddle. Neat, but not that efficient.

You just have to remove it real fast - or start all over....

Read about fixing a flat tire here.

SADDLE-STICKS:
Where the rest of the bike is a great design, I think the saddle-stick could do with an upgrade. This is unfortunately only my idea on the drawing-board.
It should be able to alter the height and to shift it to the front frame for folding, without tools.
Looking forward to see someone's finished design.
Remember; the saddle-stick is part of the suspension.

I sure like the carbon-saddle-stick!

The quick-fix turned up to be a leather-cover. It still looks clumsy, but now, the plastic don't collide with the retro-racing style. Just wished I had lighter leather.

Read about the adjustment of the saddle here.

TOOLS:
You don't need much tool for normal maintains. 2, 2,5, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 mm unbrakos, a 10 mm and two 13 mm spanners (or one, if you have a unbrako for the saddle, like I have) and a x-screwdriver (unless you change the three x-screws to unbrakos, like I did).
You might add a narrow 15 mm spanner for the pedals and the special tools for the freewheel and the spider. Removing

This is my toolkit for the road. It is not enough to fix everything, but most. 2-8 mm unbrakos and a tube-patch-kit along with a 4" universal spanner, a narrow 15 mm spanner- and folding reading glasses!

Realising, the toolbox might be a tough neighbourhood for the vulcaniser, I inserted it into a hard plastic-tube.

Find Mark Sanders' manuals here:
Tips for mainly MK3, Manual MK1, Manual MK3 and Manual MK5.
And my manuals on Repair.

WHEELS:
This is Jimmy Wai's great looking, home-made disc wheels.