Cycling news & info with a special focus
on notable bike tours, bike trails, bikeways,
lanes and bicycle routes as well as innovative
bicycling products like space saving & easy
to transport folding bikes.
Monday, September 29, 2008
InterBike 2008 - Montague Folding Bikes
by Larry Lagarde
Note: This is one of a series of posts concerning products at InterBike 2008...
There's good reason for Montague to be so well known for their Paratrooper full size folding mountain bike (it's been used by the military for years in hot spots all over the globe and is reasonably priced) but the engineers at Montague haven't been sitting on their hands. As proof, I offer the CLIX and the Octagon, 2 major improvements on bike components that have been around forever.
CLIX Bicycle Wheel Release System For those of you that haven't bought a Montague folding bike this year, the CLIX is an innovative quick release system that makes it faster and simpler to install or remove your bike's front wheel. Even someone that has never used a quick release can use the CLIX safely (it's pre-tensioned at the factory so just click the CLIX onto the fork, close the lever & you're done).
The CLIX has made such an impression that major bike manufacturers Trek & Pacific (makers of Schwinn, GT‚ and Mongoose and other bicycle brands) have latched onto the product, offering it on the 2008 models. Still, the CLIX is new to many (including folks at many local bike shops). To change that, Montague held a competition at InterBike - whoever changed a CLIX wheel in the shortest time would win $500.
The competition went on for 3 days and the line of participants was sometimes quite long. Sadly, I was not the winner. That title goes to Edward Klomp of Chicago; he removed and mounted a CLIX wheel in under 5 seconds! I'm sure that working at Cycling & Fitness (a big Trek dealer in Chicago) didn't hurt Ed's performance.
Coming Soon - Octagon Quick Adjust Handlebar Stems Montague was showing another product at InterBike 2008 - the Octagon. Though there was no contest hyping this product, it's even more of a no-brainer/why-didn't-I-think-of-that type item.
Simply put, the Octagon is an adjustable height handlebar stem that requires no tools to adjust. Yes, quick release adjustable stems are already around (the CarryMe and several other folding bikes use 'em) but here's what makes the Octagon so much better - it allows the user to adjust the height quickly and precisely.
Once the Octagon quick release is opened, the rider pushes a button to adjust the height of the handlebars. With 120 mm of vertical travel and hash marks & digits to mark the way, cyclists can easily get the height adjusted right the first time. Plus, the stem's octagon shape prevents the stem from traveling side to side when unlocked, preventing the tedious task of realigning the stem every time it's tightened (Amen to that). Locking/unlocking the Octagon stem does not affect the headset adjustment either AND a button prevents the Octagon from adjusting beyond the important "minimum insertion" line.
The first bike to feature the Octagon will be the Montague CX (they'll be on the CX in time for Christmas and you can pre-order them here); however, I have no doubt that we'll be seeing much more of the Octagon in the cycling world - perhaps even on seat posts (that would be cool).
If you're looking at getting a quality mountain bike, take a look at these interactive photos of the new SWISSBIKE LX full size, aluminum, folding mountain bike from Montague Corporation. The $700 SWISSBIKE LX folds so you can place it in your car instead of on a roof rack; it also fits in a carry bag you can sling over your shoulder (see photos) or even a large suitcase for travel.
Beginning on Monday, the SWISSBIKE LX will be available from RideTHISbike.com for $699 including free shipping (within the lower 48 US states). Complete specs and details will be available at that time.
Video - How to Fold A SwissBike LX Full Size Folding Mountain Bike
Here's a video I shot this afternoon of the $699 SwissBike LX full size folding mountain bike. Designed to take the punishment of menacing city streets or rough single track, the SwissBike LX has a suspended front fork and a folding bike frame, making it convenient to take in the car when driving to your favorite bike trail (no more bike racks) as well as to store in tight places. Besides the great looks of the SwissBike LX and the high quality of its components, two innovative features place these folding bikes in a league of their own: the X Frame folding frame system and the ingenious CLIX quick release wheel levers.
The X Frame is a unique folding frame design whereby the mono horizontal tube that connects the front and rear wheels swings 180 degrees from hinges below the seatpost, allowing the bike to fold upon itself. The folding mechanism is actuated by opening a quick release, spinning the release loose, pushing down on the release (as if pushing a button) and swinging the frame. Even if the quick release somehow came open while riding, the frame is designed to remain unfolded.
The LX is one of the first bikes outfitted with the latest in quick release skewers - the patented CLIX quick wheel releases. Even if the CLIX is open, a cam on the skewer just next to the release lever retains pressure on the frame, keeping the wheel fixed to the frame. Another benefit of the CLIX system is that no spinning of the quick release is needed for tightening. In other words, no more over or under tightened quick releases!
Though my wife is not a big bicycling fan, even she thinks this bike is cool. I think her exact words were "wow, that really IS nice."
Last month, I was asked to help obtain Paratrooper full-size folding mountain bikes for US service personnel stationed in Japan. Out of curiosity, I looked into the history of bike use in the military and here's a brief overview. (Photo: Paratrooper all terrain folding bike.)
Bicycles have played a military role for over a century. In the USA, the Buffalo Soldiers bicycled on journeys of hundreds of miles. British use of bicycles in the Second Boer War led to later bike use by Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and Switzerland.
In WWII, the Japanese captured Singapore because of their bicycle infantry and British airborne commandos secured a German radar station by sneaking up on folding bikes. (Photo: WWII airborne folding bicycle.)
The Viet Cong were famous for there use of bicycles along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Even when the trail was carpet bombed, cyclists could ride between the bome craters. Until 2003, the Swiss had a folding bike parachute brigade that could be on the move within 60 seconds of making an air drop. (Photo: Montague folding bike attached to US Army Airborne soldier preparing for air drop.)
The Montague Paratrooper was developed at DARPA's request to bridge an important gap between walking infantry and heavy military vehicles. It is manufactured by a company in the USA (Montague Corporation) and has been used internationally as an all terrain military bicycle as well as by the US Special Forces in Afghanistan.
Today, the high-performance, rust resistant (aluminum), suspended fork, 24 speed Paratrooper folding bike is available to soldiers and civilians alike, typically selling in the USA for @ $695. I sell Paratroopers within the continental US for $649.95 including shipping and I DO ship to APO/FPO's. (Photo: Paratrooper folding bicycle being loaded folded into Humvee.)
Reference Links About Folding Bikes: - Full details & specs on the Paratooper folding bike. http://ridethisbike.com/products/Montague_Paratrooper-folding_bike.htm
When it comes to touring on a folding bike, the undisputed leaders are the Bike Friday and Brompton folding bicycles; however, another great folding bike is the Giatex which uses a patented, telescoping frame concept rather than hinging frame members. The result is like having a custom made bike sized to your specific frame that also rolls when folded. Giatex makes an aluminum framed folder with 20" alloy wheels that weighs 24 lbs. and a 16" wheeled folder weighing 22 lbs but stock in the USA is completely sold out until 2007.
By the way, either the Brompton or the Giatex will fit in a suitcase that conforms to commercial aircraft baggage size limitations. One last thought: if you're going to remote areas with rough road surfaces, consider a full size mountain bike that folds like the 29lb $650 Montague Paratrooper (it accepts standard panniers & is military tuff).
Respectfully, Larry Lagarde RideTHISbike.com Urging bicycling for recreation, commuting, health and a better future.
The other day, I was asked if there were videos online demonstrating how to fold or unfold a Montague folding bike. Since I wasn't aware of one, I created a video to show the folding method for all Montague's full size folding mountain bikes. While I was at it, I decided to do the same for the Giatex series of bikes and the new, ultralite magnesium bike I'm offering for $169 (I ran out of decent light before I could demo Mobiky's folding method).
In the event that my readers would find this info useful, I decided to post the videos here first. Let me know what you think or if you'd like to see more videos.
For those of you that haven't bought a Montague folding bike this year, the CLIX is an innovative quick release system that makes it faster and simpler to install or remove your bike's front wheel. Even someone that has never used a quick release can use the CLIX safely (it's pre-tensioned at the factory so just click the CLIX onto the fork, close the lever & you're done).
The competition went on for 3 days and the line of participants was sometimes quite long. Sadly, I was not the winner. That title goes to Edward Klomp of Chicago; he removed and mounted a CLIX wheel in under 5 seconds! I'm sure that working at Cycling & Fitness (a big Trek dealer in Chicago) didn't hurt Ed's performance.
Once the Octagon quick release is opened, the rider pushes a button to adjust the height of the handlebars. With 120 mm of vertical travel and hash marks & digits to mark the way, cyclists can easily get the height adjusted right the first time. Plus, the stem's octagon shape prevents the stem from traveling side to side when unlocked, preventing the tedious task of realigning the stem every time it's tightened (Amen to that). Locking/unlocking the Octagon stem does not affect the headset adjustment either AND a button prevents the Octagon from adjusting beyond the important "minimum insertion" line.
