Montague Corporation is known for their line of full-sized folding bicycles, such as the Montague Paratrooper bike, well it looks like they come out with another first. Their Boston line of full-sized folding bikes is the first single-speed (a.k.a. fixie) folding bike on the market. The 700c Boston is powered by a single-speed drivetrain with a flip-flop hub. This hub will allow riders to change between a fixed-gear and a free-wheel setup with minimal effort. The gearing is at 42×16t and is perfect for city riding. The Boston from Montague will go for $699.99 and should be available in January or 2010.

[Source: Montague]

The new YikeBike is pretty different than all the other foldable bikes out there. It can fold in less than 15 seconds and is aimed at solving the age old urban mobility problems that have plagued big cities. Made of carbon fiber, it weights 22 pounds, or 10kg, and takes up 6×23.6×23.6 inches in space. It can be easily carried around town when you’re not able to ride it. It has pneumatic wheels that are in an odd configuration, but the designers claim it is a very easy folding bike to ride and manuever. Also included are an advanced electronic brake and anti-skid system, it’s kinda like ABS and traction control but for a bike. The YikeBike carbon fiber folding bike is definitely a game changer in the world of folding bikes.

Folding bikes are different than the rest of the bikes out there.  And it’s not just because they’re smaller, folding bikes. They’re a whole new breed of bicycles, they’re all new from the ground up. They haven’t been around as long as the mountain bike or road bike, or even as long as the BMX. And because of this new concept, the folding bike, many artists and designers have created their own styles. Well Robert Dumaresq was the Gold Winner of the 2009 Australian Design-James Dyson Award. His “Switch” folding bike commuter folds in one smooth motion  and is one of the fastest folding bikes on the market.

There is no lock of an sort, instead it uses the weight of the rider to keep the frame rigid and in place. A spring loaded ball bearing stops the rear section from unfolding while riding the bike. The bike not only looks good, but it is made of high quality components as well. It is constructed of carbon fiber ahd aluminum.

[Source: The Folding Cyclist]

Electronics maker Sanyo has ventured into the folding bikes market in an attempt to save space in the crowded city of Tokyo. Called the CYSPJ220, the small bike sports 20-inch tires and folds in half to fit in elevators and stores easy under desks and in small compact apartments. The folding bike weights just 18.5kg and is a full electric hybrid bike. The three-speed bike has a electric gear in the middle of the frame and features a two-wheel drive system that powers the front wheels with the electric motor and rear wheels with the pedals. The new Sanyo folding bike will hit the streets on September 21st for about $1000.

Have you always wanted a Montague Paratrooper Folding Bike? Well now is your chance to win one! Military Times is giving away one Montague Paratrooper Folding Bike to a lucky reader, just go over to www.militarytimes.com to sign up, no purchase is necessary. The Montague Paratrooper Folding Bikes was made for the U.S. Special Forces for covert operations, so you know it’s good enough for your commute!

Win a Montague
Paratrooper®
Mountain Bike!
This is one a bad machine! Originally crafted for the U.S. Special Forces on covert operations across hostile territory, this baby folds down—without tools—for easy transport in and out of rugged terrain.

Only 29 lbs Bear Trap Pedals
Double-Butted 7005 Series Aluminum 18” Frame
Folds to 36” x 28” x 12”
RST Front Suspension
Front Disk Brakes
26” x 1.95” Knobby Front
and Rear Tires on Alloy Rims

Looks like there are a good amount of recalls in the folding bike segment of the cycling industry, we reported a while back that Dahon recalled their folding bikes, now it looks like Merida Industry Co, is doing the same. Merida recently recalled their first generation Freeway CT03 and their R3.0 folding bikes. Merida is cautioning any customers who bought either model folding bike to return it to the store they purchased them from to get the problematic part replaced. The part in question is a patented safety folding button from Merida, they were implemented between June and July 2008. The button can be damaged relatively easily when user use too much force while folding the bicycles. Merida has since replaced the parts with an improved version.

[Source: charter jet]

Montague Corporation, the world leader in full size folding bikes, announces its partnership with Zipcar in launching their Low-Car Diet. Zipcar’s Low-Car Diet gives people the opportunity to experience a healthier and less expensive lifestyle. By handing in their car keys for one month, participants will incorporate biking, walking and the use of public transportation into their everyday lives. This month-long program has great personal, environmental, and economic benefits.

Montague will be supporting the low-car lifestyle by giving away a SwissBike TX folding commuter bike to a lucky participant in each of the 13 major Zipcar cities worldwide. These bikes will play an integral role in demonstrating the full potential of the Low-Car Diet. By using a Montague SwissBike in conjunction with Zipcar, participants have yet another car-less mode of transportation, easily able to bridge the gap between public transit and driving. Montague’s folding bicycles can quickly compact to fit in the trunk of a Zipcar, allowing participants to drive part way, park, and pull out their folding bike for the rest of the journey. This new “Park & Ride” concept makes multi-mode transportation practical and convenient.

“This partnership is essentially an extension of our personal philosophy,” said David Montague, president of Montague Corporation. “It’s based around the idea of giving people the ability to choose to the moment how they would like to move, be it by bike, walking, public transportation or Zipcar. The Low-Car Diet easily demonstrates how various modes of transportation are not mutually exclusive, but can work as compliments providing users with different options allowing them to choose the most efficient means of moving.”

All Montague bikes quickly fold down to 36” x 28” x 12” without the use of tools. The entire package weighs about 30 lbs making it easy to transport while folded. The bikes come standard with 26” wheels and eyelets for racks and fenders, and are also serviceable at any local bike shop. The SwissBike TX has an MSRP of $699.00 and is available through www.swissbike.com.