montague paratrooper folding bike

[nighthawk]

Thought this was pretty cool, and worth sharing:

http://www.militarybikes.com/products.html

[palincss]

Saw one of these at Bike Virginia last year.

[gdw]

Marketing. The last thing I'd want to jump and ride in a combat zone is a bike.

[Cinci Jim]

If your lowering line malfunctioned I would not want to ride that thing in! too many pointy parts near my tender parts.

I know someone who years ago in 1st PSYOPS rode in a loudspeaker and ended up perforated bowel. Went on sick call and did not come back for 2 months.

[Germany_chris]

Marketing. The last thing I'd want to jump and ride in a combat zone is a bike.

I don't wat to ride anything into a comat zone..I like being quiet and observant.

[Kontact]

I think I'd rather ride a mountain bike than march 20 miles from a quiet drop zone to a target, especially if you're carrying all your own ammo, water and gear. Having a bunch of bikes would allow planners to drop the paras in safer areas and still make it to the target on time. Bikes are quiet, don't throw up smoke or dust and don't run out of gas.


I don't think the idea is to fight on one of these. No one drives a Jeep around in combat, either.

Nice, simple looking design.

[Germany_chris]

I think I'd rather ride a mountain bike than march 20 miles from a quiet drop zone to a target, especially if you're carrying all your own ammo, water and gear. Having a bunch of bikes would allow planners to drop the paras in safer areas and still make it to the target on time. Bikes are quiet, don't throw up smoke or dust and don't run out of gas.


I don't think the idea is to fight on one of these. No one drives a Jeep around in combat, either.

Nice, simple looking design.

No one drives jeeps around anymore either..

Trust me though walking 20 miles in a nice wedge with 360 security is better than riding 20 with no security.

[fogrider]

I think I'd rather ride a mountain bike than march 20 miles from a quiet drop zone to a target, especially if you're carrying all your own ammo, water and gear. Having a bunch of bikes would allow planners to drop the paras in safer areas and still make it to the target on time. Bikes are quiet, don't throw up smoke or dust and don't run out of gas.


I don't think the idea is to fight on one of these. No one drives a Jeep around in combat, either.
Nice, simple looking design.
I'm pretty sure these are NOT used by paratroopers. its kind of odd that it would need to fold to fit through the doors of military transports...one would think that military transports can handle things larger than a bike. paratroopers drop behind enemy lines and go stealth which is not riding a mountain bike on trails. they don't drop in and hike to motorized vehicles, paratroopers need to silent and invisible; not a sitting target on a bike.

[Kontact]

No one drives jeeps around anymore either..

Trust me though walking 20 miles in a nice wedge with 360 security is better than riding 20 with no security.
I don't think there has been the type of airborne drop we're discussing since WWII, so it is kinda hard to say what doctrine now is. In WWII large airborne divisions were dropped miles away from action and had to make their way there to support a motorized or amphibious assault coming from the opposite direction. That was the reason for non-special operations airborne infantry, and why gliders were used to drop jeeps and other specialty vehicles with no combat effectiveness - just transportation.

In the modern age airborne infantrymen have been used a handful of times, but usually to drop directly into a strategic civilian target, like an airfield, and secure it. That's a bit different than what was more common in the airborne heyday.

Military planning for different parts of world vary quite a bit. What works in pastoral Europe is disastrous in the dessert or jungle. But if there was fighting in somewhere like France or Poland, having airborne travel large distances with little support might make some sense.

[Germany_chris]

I don't think there has been the type of airborne drop we're discussing since WWII, so it is kinda hard to say what doctrine now is. In WWII large airborne divisions were dropped miles away from action and had to make their way there to support a motorized or amphibious assault coming from the opposite direction. That was the reason for non-special operations airborne infantry, and why gliders were used to drop jeeps and other specialty vehicles with no combat effectiveness - just transportation.

In the modern age airborne infantrymen have been used a handful of times, but usually to drop directly into a strategic civilian target, like an airfield, and secure it. That's a bit different than what was more common in the airborne heyday.

Military planning for different parts of world vary quite a bit. What works in pastoral Europe is disastrous in the dessert or jungle. But if there was fighting in somewhere like France or Poland, having airborne travel large distances with little support might make some sense.

I was an airborne infantryman from 2000 to 2005 got modern airborne infantry tactics, along traditional light infantry tactics down pretty well now. I work next door to Army SF and down the road from a couple NSWU's (300m) so I can still keep up.

[sg8357]

Paratroop bike from the Hitler War.
Being British there are no derailleurs.

http://oldbike.wordpress.com/1939-1945-ww2-bsa-airborne-folding-paratroopers-bike/

[maximus]

My neighbor has one of these that he keeps int he basement of our apt building. The thing is a tank. I always assumed it was something that got issued to him (hes army). It must weigh 1/4 of his body weight.

His has a road suspension though - rigid fork and what look like 32c tires.

[estuche]

Wow that looks like a tough frame!

[Louis]

Wow that looks like a tough frame!

Welcome to the forum, and thanks for your quality contributions.

[Lanterne Rouge]

Paratroop bike from the Hitler War.
Being British there are no derailleurs.

http://oldbike.wordpress.com/1939-1945-ww2-bsa-airborne-folding-paratroopers-bike/

I didn't know the British were the original fixed gear-ers!

[Kirk Pacenti]

They've been selling these things for 20 years or more (I think)... Almost as clever as selling $800.00 hammers to the government.