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Montague made the original Paratrooper folding mountain bike for the Pentagon as a military bike. It was designed to accompany airborne soldiers jumping out of airplanes.
Such is the pedigree of the Montague Paratrooper Pro, an upgraded version of the original bike.
- Wheel Size: 26”
- Material: 6061 Aluminum
- No of Gears: 27
- Weight: 31 lbs. (14 kg)
- Weight Capacity: 250 lbs. (113 kg)
The Montague Paratrooper Pro and its siblings are the only hardtails you can put into a typical car while retaining use of all seats. You’ll discover its qualities in this review.
Things To Consider Before Buying A Montague Paratrooper Pro
The Montague Paratrooper Pro has few rivals, save for other models in the same series. But it still might not be for you.
If you want a folding bike that fits into a standard-sized suitcase, this isn’t it. You can achieve that via foldable bikes with smaller wheels. The Montague is better suited as a bung-it-in-the-car bike. Halving a bike’s length makes it stowable.
Similarly, if you regularly commute on packed trains and want a folding bike that occupies minimal space, this is unideal. Wheel size is an obvious limiting factor in how small any bike folds up.
Other bikes in the Montague range will suit you better if you ride mostly on the road. Still, Paratrooper MTBs are hardtails, so they’re good on pavement if you envisage riding on diverse terrain.
These bikes are quite light, but small-wheeled folding bikes may be up to 10 lbs. lighter.
The Pro is the “upgraded” version of the original Paratrooper which made our best folding mountain bike list.
Top Features Of The Montague Paratrooper Pro
The Montague Paratrooper Pro isn’t short on commendable features.
A Lightweight Frame
We’ll start with the 6061 aluminum frame. The material is a high-strength, lightweight alloy, ideally suited to welded bike frames. It’s commonly used in bikes, but most folding MTBs are made with cheaper steel.
Montague keeps its Paratrooper range in and around the 30 lbs. mark, with the top two models dipping below that. That’s partly to do with the frame, but not just the material. The design helps, too.
The Frame Join
Study the Paratrooper Pro and you’ll see the crossbar is not split in two. This avoids a potential weak point present in other folding bikes. Instead, it uses Montague’s patented DirectConnect technology.
This technology places a quick-release latch beneath the top tube (crossbar). When undone, the front end of the bike swivels around into a folded position. With this system, your weight does not affect the join other than to reinforce it.
Suspension Fork With Lockout
Most cheap folding MTBs on the market are full-suspension bikes. Paratrooper bikes are hardtails. This helps keep their weight down and makes them good all-rounders.
The front suspension fork has 100mm of travel and lockout, which improves efficiency on pavement and smooth trails. You can adjust suspension to suit the surface.
Sturdy Wheels
The Paratrooper Pro has sturdy double-wall 26” alloy wheels laced with 32 spokes made of 14 gauge (2mm thick) stainless steel. The wheel rims are in black, to match the matte black frame.
The Multi-Purpose Rack
An ingenious feature of the Paratrooper Pro is its award-winning cargo rack. This is no ordinary cargo rack. The “RackStand” also acts as a kickstand (rotating beneath the wheel), a work stand, and a platform for the folded bike.
Video: The Montague RackStand
Gears
There’s no compromise in gear range on the Paratrooper Pro. Three 44/32/22 front chainrings drive an 11-34t cassette. This is a broad enough range to tackle most types of riding. Steep hills will pose no problems.
Mechanical Disc Brakes
Mechanical disc brakes aren’t unusual on today’s bikes. They deliver stronger, more reliable stopping than rim brakes (especially in the wet). As well, they cost less than hydraulic disc brakes, though these are better still.
Pedals
The Montague Paratrooper Pro comes with platform “steel cage” pedals (i.e., serrated design). These are non-foldable.
You can buy foldable pedals separately from Montague, though it would’ve been nice to see those included as standard.
An example of a happy customer comes from Reddit.
Montague Paratrooper Pro Alternatives
There aren’t any comparable alternatives to the Paratrooper Pro outside of the Paratrooper range. Below are three bikes you could look at.
1. Montague Paratrooper Elite Folding 27.5” MTB
To retain or improve on the features of the Paratrooper Pro, you must stay in the Paratrooper range. Enter the Montague Paratrooper Elite! This is the top model with bigger 27.5” wheels.
The Paratrooper Elite comes with a complete Shimano XT drivetrain. Only XTR components are higher in Shimano’s MTB hierarchy.
Other improvements in the Paratrooper Elite include the XT hydraulic disc brakes and a RockShox Reba suspension fork. This trumps the more budget-oriented SR Suntour XCM fork on the Paratrooper Pro.
What We Like
- Shimano XT drivetrain offers better performance and durability.
- Smoother rolling with 27.5” wheels.
- Superior suspension fork.
- Hydraulic disc brakes are more powerful and dependable than mechanical ones.
- Lighter.
What We Don’t Like
- Vastly more expensive.
2. Columba SP26S Folding 26” Road & Light Trail Bike
A bike designed for paved surfaces is the Columba SP26S Folding 26” Road Bike. The SP26S is not unlike early rigid MTBs, since it has an MTB style but lacks suspension. Many people ride it off-road on smoother trails.
Because of its lack of suspension, the Columba SP26S is less versatile than the Paratrooper Pro, and it’s 3 pounds heavier. It’s likely to be equally fast on flat roads.
Various cost-cutting parts make Columba affordable. These include Shimano Tourney gears, a heavier steel frame, and simpler latch technology. But it’s a popular bike.
What We Like
- Much cheaper.
- Steel frames are durable and compliant.
- Comes with folding pedals.
What We Don’t Like
- Heavier.
- No suspension.
- Lower-end Shimano parts.
3. Eurobike G4 26” Folding Full-Suspension Mountain Bike
The Eurobike G4 Full-Suspension MTB is not lightweight at 38 lbs., owing partly to its steel frame. But it is durable and appealingly priced.
Shimano Tourney gears help keep the G4 dependable and affordable. The suspension delivers a smoother ride than you might expect for the price, too.
You won’t want to ride rough or technical trails on this bike, but for easy trails it’s fine. In that regard, it’s not dissimilar to the Paratrooper Pro, except the latter is lighter and better on paved surfaces.
What We Like
- Much cheaper.
- Dual suspension smooths out moderately rough surfaces.
- Durable frame.
What We Don’t Like
- Heavy.
- Slower on paved surfaces than the Paratrooper.
Is The Montague Paratrooper Pro Good?
What We Like
- Frame – lightweight and strong.
- Latch – invulnerable latch with patented design.
- RackStand – ingeniously designed cargo rack.
- Quality – decent componentry, albeit not top-of-the-range.
Want We Don’t Like
- Expensive – you’re paying for its foldability and uniqueness.
- Pedals – foldable pedals not included.
The Paratrooper Pro has a great frame, a well-designed latch, and a brilliantly designed cargo rack (award-winning).
It also solves a particular problem. The Paratrooper is the only hardtail on the market you can fold up and put in your trunk without laying the seats flat.
If a folding hardtail MTB is a bike you’d like, click here to check out the Paratrooper Pro!
