Hi all, new user and strida owner here.
Excited to get my strida up and running!
I bought a strida evo which was never used and new in the box, but originally bought new in 2020 from a dealer.
I’m trying to assemble it now, read the manual and watched the installation video on the canadian site.
However, I have run into a problem. I’m simply not able to fit the pin for the seat mount in the higher position. I’ve tried for a couple of hours, and to no avail. I’m afraid that if I continue trying I’ll destroy the pin.
Could there be a production error on this particular bike? The hole on the back of the frame where the pin goes through was actually way too tight. On the lower hole I could easily press the pin in from the back, but couldn’t do that on the top. So I used a drill to make it just a little big bigger (only on the back, of course, in order not to destroy the threads on the front side). This made me think that there may be a problem here. It seems to me that the threads are actually too small or something. I have no problem screwing it in and out on the lower position, it’s only a problem in the higher position. I tried lubing the pin and the threads with MD-40 oil, but didn’t help.
Should I just continue very carefully back and forth and hope that it will work?
Oh noes, hope I didn’t destroy the thread… I hope I did it it right though, maybe we mean opposite sides when we use the words back and front.
When you mean the front, do you mean the side where the pin enters first? Or the side where it goes out? I drilled a bit on the side where the pin eventually goes out, not where it enters. Given where thread is located on the pin it didn’t make sense to me that there it could be threaded on the side where the pin goes out.
Ok, good news
But ok, so you think I still need to re-cut the thread with a thread drill? No point trying to remove the paint in the thread with white spirit, paint remover or similar stuff? Never tried using a thread drill before…
Well, I’ve never tried a solvent for this…I’d be scared for the surrounding paint.
Oh…then I’d really recommend professional help for this task.
I’m used to cut threads, but this one is delicate.
You need a very good feeling to find the first thread with the drill, if you don’t find it with the first try you’re in big trouble, there is mostly no second chance.
I mean, I’ve used a drill a lot, but never for such a delicate task. Hm. Will see if figure something out.
I’ll be starting an interrail trip tomorrow with Copenhagen as the first stop (was planning on taking my strida with me), and I see that there is a strida dealer there. Might stop by them and see if they are able to solve it!
I’m from Norway though, so don’t know how active they are.
Update on the pin: took my chances on using a paint thinner, and it did the trick! No marks on the paint on the frame, luckily. I used a little bit of a paint thinner called “Lynol” here in Norway, which contains a chemical solution called toluene. Poured a little bit inside the hole, and also put some on the threads on the pin. After 10 more minutes with back and forth, I was finally able to get it all the way through. But now there’s no way I’m ever taking that pin out again, lol, out of fear of not getting it back in…
I just got a secondhand SX and the previous owner was 6’4". I’m only 5’7" and had to move the seat pin to the lower hole.
Thankfully the later pins have a hex key hole instead of the awful screwdriver slot.
. Good idea using the thinner for the paint 