by Larry Lagarde

It's official. Strida will be offering their iconic folding bikes with the awesome Schlumpf Speed Drive, the drivetrain with the gears INSIDE the crank rather than the hub.

I was on the phone today with AreaWare (Strida's North & South American distributor) and they confirmed that the bike will be available for delivery as soon as January 2009. The model is known as the Sport Duo and will retail for $1200.

Prototypes of the Sport Duo and the MAS Special (the Mark Sanders signature series limited edition which will retail at $1400) will be on display next week at InterBike in Las Vegas.

While a dual speed Strida may sound ho hum to some, Strida riders will love this development. The dual speed increases the top cruising speed to 18 mph; yet, the bike retains it's clean looks because no derailleur is required to switch gears with the Schlumpf.

I'm going to Vegas for InterBike and AreaWare has offered to loan the Sport Duo after hours. Sounds like fun. I wonder what reception I'll get when I roll the folded bike on the casino floor. Mark Sanders will be there too; perhaps we can whip up a group of Strida riders to hit the casinos together. Now that would be cool.

Labels: Strida MAS Special, Strida-Duo