Comments on: Paratrooper Elite

By: Alicia

Alicia — Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:20:46 +0000

Nice

By: Marc Lee

Marc Lee — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 15:37:06 +0000

I knocked off a star because the bike wasn’t quite as easy to pack in a format suitable for commercial airline travel as I would have liked, but I didn’t care that much because I was looking for a 27.5 hardtail anyway. And as a mountain bike it’s awesome! In that regard I don’t need to repeat what others have already said in other reviews, but I did want to add kudos to whoever set it up and packed it. The setup (brakes and shifting) was as good as I’d expect from a local bike shop and it was really easy to pop a few things on, like a pump, water bottle cage, seat bag, etc., and start riding. It helped that I’d bought those ahead of time, though.

By: PCT

PCT — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 23:32:32 +0000

Purchasing and Assembly
I called an placed an order with Montague by phone as I like to talk to someone when possible instead of doing it online. They were friendly and got the order shipped the same day. I was expecting more assembly than I had to do but there were a few tools included for the pedals and stem bolts. Directions were clear.

Quality
The quality of the frame itself looks great, just as good as other aluminum bikes I’ve inspected. Welds look good, the paint looks good. It arrived with no scratches or visible defects. The parts are sort of a known quantity as they’re all Shimano, Rockhsox, and Mavic. Good stuff you know you can count on because lots of other mountain bike use them. I’ve had a warranty claim with a Rockshox fork in the past and they were helpful so I can be confident on these too.

Ride
Hands down the best ride I’ve felt from a folding bike and I can compare it to the Dahon Matrix which is another large wheel folder (26″ in that case). I had an old coworker with one and I tested it extensively in my quest to find a folding bike. In the end I wanted better components than that and I’m happy with the Elite in that regard.

Fold
Every folding bike company wants to tell you that it’s easy to use their system but after familiarizing yourself with it, the Montague system really is easy. There’s only two levers and no spinning or tightening / loosening screws. The only downside is having the front wheel separate but with the carrying case it works out fine.

Value
It’s seems a little expensive when you compare it to other mountain bikes with similar parts but not by much. The added folding feature you get for the extra dough seems worthwhile if you need the function. I personally have my bike with my a lot and can’t risk leaving it on a bike rack when I park my car places. If you’re comparing it to the other Montague bikes, this is the only one in my opinion that has a set up truly capable of riding really hard off road. You’d spend about this on a serious mountain bike anyway so to get a serious bike and the folding is a pretty good deal.

By: Breanna M

Breanna M — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 23:25:31 +0000

I’ve ridden a lot of Montague bikes over the years; the early Bi-Frames, hummer bikes, and paratroopers. I also had one of ther tandem bikes at one time. This Elite is by far the best feeling ride of any of them. I don’t think montague has had this quality of components on any bike before. I only give 5 stars if something is absolutely perfect and I felt the handlebars were a bit narrow for a trail bike like this. 4 stars but I really love it…

By: Tim F

Tim F — Sat, 09 Dec 2017 22:58:52 +0000

I wasn’t planning on spending this much initially but I fell in love with the black and red frame (much flashier than montague’s other paratroopers) and after some research on the components on this bike I didn’t want to be later wishing I got the better one. If its in your budget I’d say it’s worth it to go for the best. It feels like a legit mountain bike not anything like what you would think a folding bike is. And it turns heads on the trail. People are always asking me about it. It took me a little while to get used to the front wheel quick release as its different than any one I’ve used but the folding is pretty easy

By: Chip Winger

Chip Winger — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 02:11:19 +0000

This bike opens the doors of opportunity. As a pilot I enjoy riding singletrack while on layovers. This bike allows me to pack it in the airplane’s baggage compartment and get it to the trailhead without the need of a bike rack. The Paratrooper Elite performs well in climbs and descends just as sweet wether it be on technical or flow trail descents!

By: Tsarzar76

Tsarzar76 — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 23:49:50 +0000

I was looking at S&S coupler bikes for traveling with but couldn’t find any that were really mountain bikes just road and touring rigs. I saw a few full custom ones from artisan frame builders but those are a couple grand for just a frame. When I came across Montague I did a lot of research to figure out if I could fit it in a 62 linear inch case for flights. Montague helped me with some measurements and I pulled the trigger. Just like an S&S bike you need to do a bit of disassembly for what I do but it is possible. If you’re willing to wrench a bit you can fly without oversize fees with a real mountain bike. Awesome investment.

By: Marco G.

Marco G. — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 21:14:47 +0000

I have a 2009 Paratrooper that I love but some things needed replacing and I decided to bite the bullet and get the Elite with the new folding mechanism. I was surprised that the 650b wheels don’t make the folded size much bigger than my old 26″ trooper. It’s A LOT lighter too which makes it easier to handle. The parts on this bike are really pro level but my only comlaint is with the saddle and the grips which I’ve since replaced. I’m picky when it comes to saddles though. Still five stars.

By: Andres

Andres — Wed, 05 Jul 2017 21:49:46 +0000

Purchased the Elite for the convenience of folding and storing the bike. Very good, high quality components. I test rode a Paratrooper Pro locally to check the frame size before I got this and the Elite feels and shifts much better and is much lighter. Recommended!

By: Lee C

Lee C — Sat, 27 May 2017 22:13:09 +0000

Ordering process was smooth and the bike arrived with me by fedex in about 4 days. The box was a little banged up but the bike turned out to be fine. The packing was thorough. Assembly was easy too but I didn’t realize this bike didn’t come with pedals. I guess this is normal for high end mountain bikes. This is my first bike with hydraulic disc brakes and they are amazing. You can get very strong braking with just one finger on the lever. I have a Mazda 3 (sedan not hatchback) and the bike fits in the trunk no problem.