# Montague Paratrooper- rigid fork advise needed



## CabezaShok (Oct 15, 2007)

Hi,
I need to convert my Montague Paratrooper folding MTB into a commuter/urban MTB and I need advice on selecting a sub-$100 rigid fork....headsize 1"-1/8". 

Suspension-corrected is a must as this frame was designed for a suspension fork

Any help would be much appreciated!


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Dimension makes basic, inexpensive rigid forks. They're boat anchors, but they work fine. You could also get a Tange. Both are available in rim or disc brake versions.

Try to find out the axle-to-crown height of the fork you're replacing (via measuring or Google), so you can compare them properly. "Suspension-corrected" can mean a lot of things -- best to look at the actual numbers.

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/index.php?category=703


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## CabezaShok (Oct 15, 2007)

Thanks! .....BTW, do i measure from the base of the crown or the top of the crown where the frame touches the crown?


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

Looks like the Paratrooper is now specced with:
SR Suntour. Suspension XCT V2. 80mm

Usually 80 mm forks are replaced with about 420 mm rigids, but I am not quite sure how tall your fork really is.


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## CabezaShok (Oct 15, 2007)

thanks i was wondering what sus fork that was. its weird the generic susp. fork measurement on my 03' paratrooper is 18"/ 457mm......i measured from the base of the crown to axle's center with no load on shocks. 

I emailed Montague, they dont know either. Frame geometry of the new one looks identical
Hoping to hear from any Montague people out there.


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## perttime (Aug 26, 2005)

How much sag do you get when you are on the bike in riding position? You can tie a rubber band or somethin around the fork stanchion to see the amount of movement.


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## ong (Jun 26, 2006)

Here's the method recommended in Dirt Rag, and quoted in some other discussions on this forum:

Take a pencil, a piece of string and a tape measure. Tie a length of string to the middle of the pencil. With the pencil placed in the fork dropouts, stretch the string taught to the surface of the fork where the headset crown race sites. Mark that point on the string with a pen and measure the distance from the center of the pencil to the mark in millimeters. This is your axle-to-crown length (L). If measuring a suspension fork, subtract roughly 10% of the overall travel form the overal lengtrh to account for suspension sag.

You really do need to measure to the crown race, since that's the measurement that actually affects the geometry. Measuring to the bottom of the crown just lets you know how much tire clearance you'll have.


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## martinsillo (Jul 31, 2009)

perttime said:


> Looks like the Paratrooper is now specced with:
> SR Suntour. Suspension XCT V2. 80mm
> 
> Usually 80 mm forks are replaced with about 420 mm rigids, but I am not quite sure how tall your fork really is.


that's why!!! 

I changed the 100mm travel fork on my mtb with a Surly 1x1 (Axle-To-Crown: 413mm)

If i had to do it again I would go for an Instigator (Axle-To-Crown: 447mm), or something between that and the Big Dummy (Axle-To-Crown: 425mm).

My leaning while pedaling on turns was affected a lot....once I went off road with it and it was a "hitting rock ride" with my pedals all the way....on several of them my foot "unclipped"..... probably the BD is enough for you as pert said.

good you are asking now....I did it at the LBS while ordering :skep:...still learning


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## CabezaShok (Oct 15, 2007)

Frigging awesome tips, all. I dont want to drag pedals as Martinsillo said so ill error on the side of being taller......the Surly Instigator 447mm sounds perfect.

BTW, the 2010 Swissbike XO's fork is a "Rockshox Recon 351 Suspension U-Turn with 85-130 travel".......hummmmm.


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## codwater (Jan 20, 2009)

martinsillo said:


> that's why!!!
> 
> I changed the 100mm travel fork on my mtb with a Surly 1x1 (Axle-To-Crown: 413mm)
> 
> ...


I just replaced my 100 mm with the instigator. I almost did what you did by ordering the 1x1, and I am glad I checked first. Took the bike offorad and it handled like a dream.

To the OP, I am by no means an expert, but what I was told was measure cround to axle and subtract the sag which, as previous posters said, would probably put you on the smaller fork size, e.g. surly 1x1. Check nashbar, they have the same forks that surly for a lot cheaper. they do not say surly and it isn't as shiny, but it will work. I actually bought the nashbar one, and my bike mechanic cut the steerer too short. So he ended up getting me the surly version. I scraped the surly decals off the fork and the bike looks sick now. I will try and post a picture tonight.


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## JRSR (Oct 16, 2012)

How did this turn out? Got any pictures of the reconfigured bike?


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## UtilityParaSpeed (Aug 16, 2013)

*Paratrooper Made Compatible With 29"/700c?*

Hello all, this is my first post - and may be out of custom by not introducing myself in the general forum, new members introduction area - but I was searching Google and came upon this thread, I think it might be relevant to something I have in mind.

I own a Montague Paratrooper X5 Tora, for which I would like to get a 29" wheel and CLIX Quick Release skewer-compatible fork so that I can mount a 29"/700c front wheel (currently the only wheel size that is Revolights-compatible).

I was thinking of going RockShox, since my current fork is a RockShox Tora but I would really appreciate your advice. I do not have much technical knowledge when it comes to bikes - if I see something I like, I tend to do a fair bit of research on its pros and cons and buy it/ignore it based on that.

I would also like to be able to fit the rear Revolights red lights but I don't know what I would need to do in order to fit a 29"/700c rear wheel... Again, any advice here would be much appreciated.

Many thanks in advance!


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

UtilityParaSpeed said:


> I own a Montague Paratrooper X5 Tora, for which I would like to get a 29" wheel and CLIX Quick Release skewer-compatible fork so that I can mount a 29"/700c front wheel (currently the only wheel size that is Revolights-compatible).


were you planning to put a 700c wheel in front and rear? it would be awkward to put 700c wheels on your 26" bike but putting a different sized wheel just on the front would be even weirder. if you want to put a different fork on your bike, i would not put a "29 inch fork" on that bike because it will raise the front end, rake out the head tube angle, screw up the handling, and possible compromise the strength of the frame.

firstly, your bike seems to have a 26" tire, so you need to stick to a 26" wheels. a 700c wheel with a skinny tire MIGHT fit, but it's going to screw up the handling. it might make an interesting mod and could work if you have disc brakes front and rear, but it would be awkward. they are fine on beach cruisers and hybrids that don't have disc brakes and will not be ridden aggressively but not on a mountain bike.

second, so some research on CLIX skewers. they are AWFUL! I had one for a moment because it seemed like a cool design but they cannot torque down tight enough on a fork to keep the axle from vibrating from the force of a disc brake.

unfortunately, if Revolight does not make a 26" version of that light, you can't just shove a 700c wheel in there to make it work. however, there are tons of other, equally cool wheel light systems that should work, so check those out.


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## UtilityParaSpeed (Aug 16, 2013)

Thanks for such a quick reply! Appreciate it 

Yeah lol that was the idea (front and back), so it really wouldn't work then. Ok no Revolights it is! Now I just need to find an alternative front and rear running light system that lights up BOTH front and rear lights at the same time with a single flick of a switch... Any ideas on that?

With regard to CLIX, I did do a little bit of research and found that they weren't entirely popular but mine came with my bike and actually I've found them to be pretty good! I haven't heard any squeal at all from the axle, they lock down perfectly tight enough to keep the wheel (very) secure and the only problem I have with vibrations from the disc brake is because the front caliper is slightly misaligned at the moment - before there was no issue whatsoever!

Quick update: spoke to Kent Frankovich from Revolights and he said that they're waiting for certain tooling to arrive but they hope to have a mountain bike version of Revolights ready by the end of the year, if not early next year (depends on the tooling delivery schedule...) !


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