You probably wouldn’t want to jump out an airplane with your Trek or Cannondale mountain bike, and that’s not a slight at either company. The truth is just that those companies make a very good product for hitting the trails, but it isn’t meant to take this kind of dive. Most commercial mountain bikes can survive a crash, but not to do the airborne soldier thing. That’s where Montague comes in. The company produces a range of high quality folding bikes, and in their off-road fleet is the Paratrooper.
This airborne warrior utilizes the CLIX system, which allows the bike to be folded up in under 20 seconds without the use of any tools. A flip of the quick release turns a full-sized off road machine into a compact package that is ready to travel. While actual folding time is reported to be about 20 seconds, we’d recommend you take your time, but we’re sure you probably have a minute or to spare to do it right.
The Paratrooper isn’t a lightweight ride however, and it comes in at about 29 pounds, so it is a bit heavier than your average carbon fiber or titanium mountain bike, but this one is meant to survive a jump from airplanes or helicopters. If racing is your thing this probably isn’t the ideal bike, but that’s not its purpose – and like a Hummer, it is heavy but it gets the job done.
Most importantly, this bike is compact so you can take it where a full-sized, and even lightweight bike, can’t always go. At the heart of the system is the Folding Integrated Technology (F.I.T.), which is based around frame construction concepts that were designed for full suspension downhill bikes. This ensures that the bike can stand up to serious off-road riding and go the distance. The Paratrooper is available in 18-inch and 20-inch sizes, and retails for around $879. So whether you’re commuting through an urban jungle, or are a frequent business road warrior, this folding bike will let you unfold and go.
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