So you want a Terra and can't find one. Or, you want a Terra with ABS, and it isn't sold in the US. Or, you've found a Strada cheaper than a Terra, and now you are confused. Either way, there is a solution. There has been a lot of talk about this for a while, so I figured it deserved a dedicated thread. This is the how-to on creating your own Terra-fied Strada. You start with this, a stock Strada. First, you remove the decals, because they suck. The Terra and the Strada are the same bike underneath. Outside of the ABS, everything else is bolt on. So you'll need to order a series of parts. I will update this list with part numbers once I get it all sorted out. A few of the part numbers we used were incorrect, and had to be rectified. I don't want anyone else to make the same mistake. Even when I get them up, please verify them before ordering. 21" Spoke Wheel Assembly 21" Front Tube and Tire 17"/18" Spoke Wheel Assembly (Both are available. I went 17" for tire selection) 17"/18" Rear tube and tire High front fender Fork guard assemblies And that is all you really need. This is assuming you'll be recycling your brake discs onto the new spoke wheels. If you want a true convertible bike, you'll need to order a spare set of discs and ABS sensor rings. However, bolting the discs up only takes a few minutes, and most people aren't likely switch wheels frequently, if ever at all. You could skip the fork guard assemblies, but they hold the cables in place, as seen below. Zip ties work too, but the guards are only $7. This was an oversight, and my guards are now on order. I'm currently using the zip tie method. This is what right looks like, on a Terra. When it is all said and done, you'll end up with something like this. Now you'll probably want to add some accessories. The Strada is compatible with almost everything that you can get for the Terra. In the photos, I have SW-Motech crash bars and skid plate attached with no issues. There is one notable exception to compatibility: handguards. I prefer Barkbusters. They are strong and aerodynamically stable at speed. However, the ABS system gets in the way of a Barkbuster install. It fits, but barely, and in the event of a crash, the mount could take out your brakes if it flexed. My work around was a mount from Moose Racing that is designed to go under cable assemblies. This is the part number: And here it is mounted. So that is a Terra-fied Strada in a nutshell. I welcome input from anyone else. There are many ways to skin a cat, and this is just the way I chose. So post up what you've done to your Strada!
Actually, I have a spare set of black plastics for this one. I was going to vinyl wrap it. Somehow though, I find myself strangely attracted to just plain black. I might just keep it this way.
Great write up RidingDonkeys, thanks for taking the time to do it. Do you know how much the wheels work approximately? Are they OEM?
I used Heidenau K60 Scouts. The wheels are OEM. I actually ordered the 18" rear OEM wheel, but what showed up was a 17" wheel with a 18" parts sticker on it. Woops. However, I didn't want them to send it back because the 17" gives you countless more tire options. So we went with it.
Why would you want to use tubed tires when you can get the seam tubeless on the Strada wheels, your not crossing logs etc on a road bias machine
It's not about the tires, it is about the wheels. Spoke wheels can take a lot more off-road abuse than cast wheels. I've seen more than my fair share of cast wheels cracked while riding off-road on a 400lb beast. While you may not be jumping stumps, you've got a lot more weight riding on those wheels, which means a lot more impact absorbed by the wheels when hitting ruts and such.
Bike looks great Donkey! Almost as good as it did when I saw it in person Those spoked wheels are the bees knees--please let us know if you notice any significant difference in handling on/off road. Someday I will crack my cast wheels and be able to justify the spokes to the wife!
Wow! Nice looking bike RD.. Anyone wanna trade their black strada plastics for my red Terras ? Ha... Gonna go price the black... Thanks for posting this...
No issues as far as handling goes. The Barkbusters seem to be a much more solid solution than the Touratechs. The Touratech hand guards have been blamed for some high speed weave. I didn't notice any when running it up to 90-95 the other day. The K60s do handle differently than the stock Tourances, but that is to be expected.
Being away from your bikes is never a good thing. It gives you time to think, which normally leads to the Good Idea Fairy infiltrating your thoughts. I really like the black, but I don't like the white up front. And if I change that, I might as well get that piece in the back. And if I get that, will I be able to match the plastics? Doubtful. So now I'm seriously considering plasti dipping the whole thing. I have a spare set of plastics for experimentation, and the stuff peels off when you get tired of it. I guess it is time to do a little color shopping.
I was going to go the vinyl route, but spraying is easier than wrapping. I'm kitted up with a HVLP system at the house, but I know nothing about vinyl. Plasti dip gives me the same peel-off benefits, but I can simply spray it on. Seems like a no-brainer to me.
Plastics stripped. I think I will leave the big panels gloss to keep some contrast with the flat that is going to cover the white bits. I can always go back and plasti dip those later. In the meantime, I wonder if I can finish this before we have to go stroller shopping.
