IN THE NEWS

I folded up the Paratrooper, stuck in my car and drove to the Schaefer Farms mountain bike trail system in Germantown, here I put the bike through the paces on about 15 miles of trails.

The experience> So why would any civilian want a fold-up bicycle? Storage and transport are two reasons. Remove the quick release front wheel and the Paratrooper folds—at a point in the frame just below the seat—from 70 by 37 inches (length by height, both wheels on) to 32 by 27, a nice reduction. Removing the quick- release back wheel brings the compressed frame down to 32 by 25. And folding is simple, quick (about 25 seconds) and clean (no need to touch the bike’s greasy parts).

If you have a small car or home, the creasing bike may be just the ticket. I was able to fit the condensed Paratrooper into the trunk of my roommate’s Subaru—an impossibility with a fully extended bike. In addition, folding makes the aluminum Paratrooper easier to put in a box, which airlines demand if you ever want to fly with your bike or otherwise ship it.And tooling around on a folding bicycle is just dang cool. Everywhere I went I had am audience—the gym, grocery store, Army recruitment bazaar. I felt compelled to reduce the Paratrooper before locking it up, even though the folded version offered no extra security (I could squeeze a Kryptonite lock around the frame and the wheel, but I can do that with my regular bike, too).

Performance-wise, the craft has little to distinguish it from other midrange mountain bikes. The ride is fairly smooth and efficient on the road, but a little bit bouncy on the trail, probably due to its compact geometry. (The 18-inch frame on the bike I tested gave me 26 inches from handlebars to seat; I prefer a little more room than that for balancing my weight, especially at high speeds).
And when the demo bike arrived at my house, the front chain rings had already been bent by a previous tester, indicating that the Paratrooper’s stock components are nothing special (good chain rings are tough to bend, even in moderately rough mountain biking).

Dave Moskovitz, a bike mechanic at Hudson Trail Outfitters in Tenleytown, said the components (Shimano Deore derailleur and chain rings, Cyclone pedalcranks, front disc brake and rear V-brake and EZ-Fire Plus shifters, RST 281RC front suspension) are “ on the lower end“ for a mountain bike. Moskovitz valued the Paratrooper at “about $400 to $500,” though he said the intrinsic value of its foldability may make it worth more to individual users. Montague’s price $650. Bt the bike handled some pretty rough riding—stream crossings, log hopping, roots and rocks—without visible signs of strain in its unfolded position throughout numerous turbulent rides at Schaefer Farms and along the Cabin John trail.

And contrary to a rumor circulating among the Schaefer Farms deer herd, that wasn’t me humming “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” as I banked the Paratrooper through turn after muddy turn, my steady gaze on the enemy line, enshrouded in the mist of warfare, my uniform tattered and my devoted troops following lockstep in my wake…okay, I admit it: I was me.

Results: The 29-pound Paratrooper was not as smooth, fast or responsive as my bike—a 23-pound, $1500 Rocky Mountain Blizzard—but for the $650 asking price, the Green Warrior fought admirably to be all it could be. And you can’t discount the fact that the Paratrooper draws double takes and gear-head inquiries, a plus for the attention-starved rider.

-John Briley

For more information, contact Montague USA, 800-736-5348; www.militarybikes.com.