By Larry Lagarde

Back around Christmas, I was speaking with Dave Widing of Montague Bicycles. Dave shared with me that they were working on some exciting new products and would soon be launching a new line of full size folding bikes. Known as SwissBike, these are full size folding mountain bikes based on Montague's famous X bike platform.

Earlier this week, I followed up with Dave about the SwissBikes and learned that 2 of the 3 models in the line are now shipping so I'll be getting one to ride and review here. Hopefully, I'll have the bike (a SwissBike LX; click on the photo to enlarge) in time to take with me to Gallup, New Mexico when I do an advance ride of the Tour of the Nations route and the great single track in the mountains above Gallup (a.k.a. the High Desert Trail System) with Matt O'Mara of Adventure Gallup and Beyond.

(Image Right: Map of the High Desert Trails; click to enlarge)

Based on the awesome rides I've experienced with bikes such as Montague's MX & Paratrooper (the Army Recon folding bikes), I look forward to offering the entire SwissBike line in coming months. Meanwhile, here's the press release that Dave sent to me regarding Montague's SwissBike line.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

New SwissBike™ Unfolds To Be The Perfect Mountain Bike

This new mountain bike combines high-performance with a patented folding technology that makes access to, and enjoying cycling easier than ever!

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Spring 2007 - Montague Corporation, the world leader in full-size bikes that fold, announces the launch of a new line of bicycles bearing the SwissBike™ brand. These full-size, high performance bikes fold in half like a Swiss knife for easy storage or transport using a patented technology originally developed for the U.S. Marines.

The SwissBike is perfect for cyclists who demand the performance of a full-size mountain bike, but also need the convenience of folding for travel, commuting and storage. SwissBikes are unique as they combine elegant design and precision engineering to provide cyclists a high level of convenience without sacrificing performance.

There are three models of SwissBike. The SwissBike XO is the flagship model, sporting the Sram XO drive train, and Montague's patent pending CLIX™ wheel retention system, www.clixqr.com this model is made in Switzerland at the foot of the Alps, and can climb any mountain or tackle any trail with ease. The XO has an MSRP of $1,995.00. For those who like the folding feature but are on a budget, the LX (MSRP $795.00) and the TX (MSRP $645.00) offer the same Swiss knife-like folding with Shimano's 21-speed and 24-speed drive trains and Montague's patent pending CLIX™ wheel retention system.

"The SwissBike range of bikes offers a great ride for all levels of riders," said Jonathan Vandenberg, Sales Manager for the SwissBike. "We have incorporated all of our patented technologies into the SwissBike to provide the cyclist with improved performance, convenience and safety. At the same time these bikes are fun, healthy and good for the environment."

The Montague Corporation is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts and is dedicated to advancing cycling through the development of inventive technologies that provide its customers with an unprecedented combination of safety, performance and convenience. Visit www.swissbike.com or call toll free (617) 491-7200 for more information about Montague products and technologies.

Labels: Adventure Gallup and Beyond, army recon folding bike, full size folding mountain bike, Gallup New Mexico, High Desert Trail System, Matt O'Mara, Montague Bicycles, SwissBike, Tour of the Nations

by Larry Lagarde

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

- Video showing how the Paratrooper folds/unfolds (bike in video is the MX, a flashier version of the Paratrooper).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yteDW5MwkA

- A description of the Paratrooper project from Montague (circa 2001).
http://www.militarybikes.com/militaryhome.html

- 1st Tactical Studies Group (Airborne)'s Light Bicycle Infantry Page (w/pics of Paratrooper folding bikes dropped via a C-212).
http://www.combatreform2.com/atb.htm

Labels: army recon folding bike, full size folding mountain bike, Montague, Paratrooper

What a great ride to end 2006 with! I just returned from an excellent 23 mile sunset ride biking along the south shore of Lake Pontchartrain on the full size Montague MX folding mountain bike.

With the Corps of Engineers project to raise the hurricane protection levees plodding along, access to the lake front bike trail is not currently possible from the Beach Club where I start most rides (in fact, access is difficult if not impossible for about 4 miles along the linear trail from Causeway Blvd to beyond the Elmwood Canal). I had to meander through Country Club Estates, cross the Elmwood Canal on the bike/ped bridge at 37th St. and ride another mile or so Northwest to the trail head near David Dr.

When I did hit the trail, the conditions were heavenly. In contrast to yesterday's constant rain and tornado/flood warnings, today was cooler and less humid. With the temperature averaging 60 degrees F, a 5 mph wind from the West and bright sunshine, the number of other riders and walkers on the trail was surprisingly low, allowing me to make excellent time.

Once I made the end of the trail, I had plenty of daylight left so I crossed the levee and followed the Old Hammond Highway into Orleans Parish. At West End, I turned North onto Lakeshore Parkway, passing 2 roadies, one drafting the other.

The Lake front is still in tatters from Katrina. The old picnic shelters were countless New Orleanians have held family cookouts and ate boiled crawfish or shrimp are empty, roped off shells. Although the seawall is intact, the storm surge ate out the ground from behind it so a huge, gaping ditch follows the length of the seawall. Only at the concrete plaza across from the famous but defunct Mardi Gras fountain did I see more than 10 people gathered. Very sad.

I rode as far as the "high bridge" over Bayou St. John. Looking down in the water, I could still see storm debris. I think it will be a long time before it's ever removed. I made it back to the bike trail with sunlight and enjoyed a beautiful sunset from the trail with the Causeway in silhouette. At that point, I hooked up the intensely powerful Quad star LED headlight from Elektrolumens, and rode the trail West to the detour at Lake Villa. I crossed the incomplete and gooey clay levee carrying the bike so it would not be spitting chunks of clay on me the entire ride home.

I rode Folse Dr. all the way to Al Copeland's to catch Big Al's impressive Christmas light display one last time. This year, Big Al's Christmas light theme was "Under The Big Top"; as usual, there were 2 workers out in front of the mansion handing out fresh cotton candy and popcorn for free. With a huge grin, I asked for a stick of cotton candy and rode home, eating it along the way. Sure am glad that cotton candy washes easily out of a beard :)

Labels: Christmas lights, elektrolumens, folding bicycle, folding bike, full size folding bike, full size folding mountain bike, Lake Pontchartrain biking, Montague MX, Quad Star