Author Topic: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?  (Read 5683 times)

Clandy

Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« on: 31 July, 2010, 07:28:59 pm »
Just curious. Had mine for four years now. Great, versatile, full size folding mtb. There are derivatives, the 'Hummer' and Land Rover folding bikes which cost another £150 for the name, or the Swissbikes, same design manufactured on licence I believe.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #1 on: 04 August, 2010, 09:27:46 pm »
I had a Montague folder, but it was their previous design.  It was the Rudge BiFrame.  I bought it from Pedaldog & sold it to Mike IIRC.
Getting there...

Zoidburg

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #2 on: 04 August, 2010, 09:39:23 pm »
The bits were better on the Bi-fold Rudge(or the lack of them).

Cartridge bearing hubs with that took a screw on freewheel. They were like track hubs with a dish, thats a pretty indestructable design as it's all easy to fix on the road.

Clandy

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #3 on: 04 August, 2010, 09:46:14 pm »
I had a Montague folder, but it was their previous design.  It was the Rudge BiFrame.  I bought it from Pedaldog & sold it to Mike IIRC.

A very similar design is still available as the Swissbike TX.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #4 on: 04 August, 2010, 09:56:55 pm »
Getting there...

Clandy

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #5 on: 04 August, 2010, 09:59:34 pm »
Not quite.  This is a BiFrame frame

Surely that's a Rudge and not a Montague?

Clandy

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #6 on: 04 August, 2010, 10:03:41 pm »
I quite like the Montague Boston. Nice lines.

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #7 on: 04 August, 2010, 10:16:08 pm »
Not quite.  This is a BiFrame frame

Surely that's a Rudge and not a Montague?

Yes, it's a Rudge.  The fold is patented, and was licensed to Rudge, by Montague.
Getting there...

Oaky

  • ACME Fire Safety Officer
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Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #8 on: 05 August, 2010, 12:11:14 pm »
Haven't got one, but did consider the Montague Boston before buying the Dahon Cadenza Solo.  The thing that put me off was that the fold looks non-rack reiendly (although I see from your paratrooper picture that you've got round this with a seatpost mounted one).
You are in a maze of twisty flat droves, all alike.

85.4 miles from Marsh Gibbon

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Clandy

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #9 on: 05 August, 2010, 12:38:01 pm »
Haven't got one, but did consider the Montague Boston before buying the Dahon Cadenza Solo.  The thing that put me off was that the fold looks non-rack reiendly (although I see from your paratrooper picture that you've got round this with a seatpost mounted one).

The other bonus of a seatpost mounted rack on this bike is that when unfolding and replacing the saddle it always sets at the correct height.

Re: Anyone else got a Montague Paratrooper?
« Reply #10 on: 10 August, 2010, 11:59:13 am »
I've had my Montague Paratrooper a couple of years now. A nearly new eBay purchase. I've been very pleased with it, both on road, and light off-road, such as the Ridgeway.

It's a great folding bike that doesn't flex noticeably due to the design avoiding hinges mid-tube, unlike some others I have tried. Eg my wife's Dahon Matrix - that's fine for her, but it objects to my considerably higher weight by creaking at the hinges.   

It IS possible to fit a normal rack to a Montague, by replacing the QR seat post clamp with one that has attached rack bosses. Once that was in place I fitted a Topeak Super Tourist, and it's very sturdy, and surprisingly doesn't interfere with the fold at all.

And fitting a Thudbuster engraved with a centimetre scale solved the problem of getting a consistent seat height...