Strida C1, a 5000 Dollar Foldable Bike Small Enough to Fit into Your Hand Basket

She is called the C1. Simple, short, elegant. C1. Say that out loud and hear how the sound rolls off the tongue. That sound is nowhere near what she actually presents. If you’ve never heard of Strida, you really need to get with the program. They are currently one of the groups that have come up with a worthy collapsible bike design.

I personally feel that it even surpasses the Brompton style mechanism. Don’t believe me? Let's do a quick price comparison. A fully decked out Brompton comes in at around $3,600 (3,040 Euro). A stock C1 comes in at over $5000 (4,237 Euro). The stock version! But why so much? Let’s find out, shall we?

Let's start off with aspect number on of this bike. Almost all of it is friggin 3K carbon fiber. Frame, wheels, chain ring, seat post, and even the handlebars, all of it is carbon fiber. Only some wiring and disc brakes seem to be the only components not touched by carbon.

Aspect two. It’s all handmade and in such a high demand, that If you happen to order one from the boys, it will take five to seven months for you to get your product.

Because of its carbon fiber construction, the entire bike comes in with a total weight of just 18.5 lbs. (8.4kg), and with aspect number three we learn that the bike can be folded and unfolded in just three seconds. It does this through the application of a magnetic component. All you have to do is unlock the magnet, separate the wheels, and lock the frame in place. In its folded position, the C1 occupies a space of  45x20x9 inches.

Unfolded the frame forms a triangular shape with a seat simply hovering on top and two handlebars to the sides. As I pointed pout earlier, the wheels are 18-inch (45cm) with three spoke racing design. What I loved about the wheel setup is that each one is supported by lefty forks. This is one of the reasons the bike can be folded to such small dimensions.

If we look closely at the gears, you’ll notice there aren't any extra. Only a single speed. This allows for the bike to be stripped of any bulky equipment, helping with both space-saving and weight. If you look at the chain, you’ll notice it’s unlike other chains. That’s because the entire design is rather built upon a belt drive. It’s a Kevlar Smart Belt and rated up to 49,700 miles (80,000 km) with no oiling or greasing involved.

Even though the bike is mostly carbon and other lightweight components, the disc brakes are not.

Now, the benefits of such a bike are endless. Imagine you’re going to work, and it starts raining. If so, then just hop on the next bus you see. You’ll fit no problem. You then get to work and fit the bike neatly under your office table or in the corner of the room. By the time you get out of work, it’s stopped raining outside and enjoy the ride home as the sun sets in front of you. On a $5000 pocket bike.