STRiDA MAS Special Folding Bike
by Jorge Chapa, 09/23/08
Here at Inhabitat we love the practicality and ease of mobility that folding bikes offer, so we were ecstatic to hear that folding bike company STRiDA just released its fastest, most advanced cycle to date! We were huge fans of the company’s brilliantly engineered 5.0 Bikes, and it looks like STRiDA has outdone itself again with its sleek new MAS Special Signature. The retooled ride features a Swiss engineered drive system and a rustproof aluminum frame that folds in just 5 seconds flat.
The MAS Special is named after its inventor Mark Sanders. Weighing in at 22 pounds, it features a lightweight collapsible bike constructed from aluminum. Its unique triangular frame allows it for to collapse quickly, while giving it great stability and making it quite comfortable to ride.
Instead of a greasy chain, the STRiDA comes equipped with a clean and quiet Kevlar Belt, while a two-speed drive system allows the rider to seamlessly shift gears with the tap of a heel. Although we’re in love with the bike, we must admit that its $1,400 price tag is a bit intimidating.
The MAS Special Signature will soon launch with two other models (the XT and Sport Duo) at the Interbike Expo in Las Vegas. They will be available next spring.
I don’t know if you’ve covered it before, but the Bike Friday Tikit folds almost as fast as the Strida. It’s bigger when folded (but still rolls on its wheels). Only slightly heavier than the Strida, it also manages to be a much more ergonomic bike with enough gear-inches to ride for extended distances while keeping the number of proprietary parts to a minimum.
Not that I wouldn’t buy a Strida for some last-mile riding – I just find my Tikit to be a much more useable solution for what a city bike needs to do.