Montague Corp. was developed by an MIT student and is rightly headquartered in the Massachusetts state. It aims to develop revolutionary technology for bikes and wants to head as the leader of next-gen two wheel machines.
The Paratrooper is one of the many folding mountain bikes produced by the Montague Corp. It was initially designed for the US marines to be used in wars and operation, but the company has also introduced a civilian version having the same military grade quality.
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Rating:
4.00 / 5.00
Price:
$$$ on Amazon (September 2 2015)
Warranty
You get a manufacturer’s warranty with the purchase of one year for repair and replacement of parts.
Pros and Cons:
Quick Folding A Little Heavy In Weight
Very Strong Body Handle Bar Hard To Adjust
Awesome Design
First Impression:
The bike is draped in olive colour and looks super macho.
Detailed Review:
When buying the Paratrooper, you will have to decide between an 18 inch version and a 20 inch frame depending on your body size. You can find both online and can order it via Amazon or any licensed vendor.
The package should arrive to your address within a week of ordering. It comes in very extensive packaging, with doubled walls box. The bike needs little assembling. After you remove the packaging material and unfold the bike, you just need to place the front tire, adjust the brake handles for your preference, oil the chain and inflate the tires. If the assembly seems tricky to you, the instruction manual will help you out. A little trick to easily fix the front tire is by putting it with the bike upside down.
The Paratrooper has a solid aluminium frame which is bulletproof. You can imagine that it is an extremely sturdy bike and durable through most of the challenging conditions including mud, rain, ruts, rocks, storms and more!
The bikes design is very well thought of. Instead of the hinge placed right in the centre like most foldables, the Paratroopers design revolves around its seat post which allows the weight and stress to be evenly spread along the body. Plus the sturdiness of the body gives you a very confident feel and a sense of safety. After all the body is made to endure a fall from a plane to the ground.
The bike does not feature the top notch components which can be a bit disappointing to some. However, the parts are still in the moderate-to-great category and work well within the system.
With 24 speed options, you can ride the bike anywhere from flat pavements to steep hills without much of a trouble. The gears shift smoothly and are always easy to control.
However, if you really need better components for the very extreme journeys you can get yourself the Paratrooper Pro which has better gear system and fork.
The disc brakes are great and are able to sustain stopping 230 pounds on a high speed without getting damaged.
The bike needs little or no maintenance at all and will still work flawlessly even if you regularly test it in mud and dust.
The axle comes with an easy and quick release function, but you never really need to do any unscrewing to get it off across the fork. You will also find a spring loaded pinch action which means you never have to put in an effort for reassembly.
Even though the knobby’s the Paratrooper comes with are of top grade military level tires, they are meant for off road and can be a bit of nuisance on smooth asphalt. For a much smoother and quicker riding experience in the city, you can (should) swap the tires with the more commuter friendly street tires such one from the Serfas or Hybrid brand.
The folding ability of this bike is something very special and what truly makes it stand apart from the rest of the large mountain bikes. The Paratrooper comes with patented FIT technology which is based around structural design of the machine and truly takes out the need to break the body to turn it into a compact shape. With no welds and unnecessary joints, the bike also becomes extremely strong and maintains its strength even when folded. Coupled with the patented CLIX technology, you can get the foldable wrapped and in your arms under twenty seconds without using any tools or asking another individual for help. All you need to do is perform two lever flips – first to fold the body and second to remove the front tire. When folded, the bike takes very little space and can easily be stored in a closet, car trunk or on a boat.
If you are searching to spice up your bike more with accessories, you can find compatible kick stand, folding pedals and carrying case on the official Montague store. Amazon also has a great number of accessories for the bike, however you need to make sure the specs are compatible since Montague has a trend of introducing unannounced changes to its bikes.
One annoying thing in the bike is the handlebar which can be low for tall people. Even if you purchase the twenty inch model the handle bar is still low and gives you an awkward feeling while riding. This can be solved by buying an extension which is roughly around 20 to 50 US Dollars.
Specifications:
- Speeds: 24.
- Folding Time: 20 sec.
- Folded Size: 36″ x 28″ x 12″
- Weight: 29 lbs
- Custom drawn 7005 Series Aluminium with FIT System frame.
- Wheel Size: 26″
- Bike Sizing:
18″ Frame: 5’3″ – 5’10”, stand over height 30″
20″ Frame: 5’11” – 6’4″, Stand over height 31″
Conclusion:
The bike is a great contender to be your favourite mountain bike. It will perform no matter where you take it, be it the Rockies or Alps, America or Europe, summer or winter. You can call it the BMW of folding bicycles. It is a serious machine and if you don’t a little bit of weight for its size, then you should definitely have a go at it.
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