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Pros | Lightweight, pedals, tires, easily foldable |
Cons | Caliper brakes |
Summary | If you need a simple, fast, lightweight folding road bike, look no further than the Boston. |
Our Rating | 85/100 |
Manufacturer | Montague |
With all the attention that goes into the various components for road and urban bikes, sometimes it’s better to opt for a more simple setup, avoiding all of the complications and added weight of intricate drivetrains and gears.
Fixed gear and single speed bikes have experienced a resurgence of popularity over the last decade, as more riders are discovering just how efficient and easy these stripped down bikes can be. They have become a favorite for those that like to use a bike to get around in the city, or even just a leisurely ride.
While these bikes are great for city riding, commuting, and general transportation, they are still limited in some ways due to their size.
Montague’s Boston Folding Bike is the solution, offering an impressive single speed/fixed gear bike that can compact down in a matter of seconds. Equally suited for weaving through traffic in urban areas as it is for cruising the streets around your neighborhood, the Boston makes the most out of very little.
INTRODUCING THE MONTAGUE BOSTON FOLDING BIKE
FRAME: Aluminum frame
BREAKSET: Dual pivot caliper brakes
SHIFTERS: 1 speed
MEASUREMENTS: 36 x 28 x 12 inches
WEIGHT: 24 pounds
EXTRA FEATURES: Lifetime warranty
Bikes such as the Boston offer a reprieve from the complicated gearing setups and constant troubleshooting that can sometimes plague other bikes. When you only have one gear, there is far less to go wrong, and a more organic riding experience that is actually more versatile in many ways.
In order for everything to work however, all the details need to be right. The frame, tires, pedals, and certainly the simplified drivetrain need to be high-quality, and fine-tuned for optimal performance.
The Montague Boston doesn’t miss on anything, offering a very refined ride that ensures efficiency and control, while still retaining the ability to compact into a much smaller size for easy transport.
The Boston is a full size bike in every way, right down to the 700c wheelset. Everything starts with the aluminum frame that forms the foundation of the bike.
Custom drawn 7000 series aluminum gives the bike plenty of added strength and stability, and still weighs only 25 pounds total when fully equipped.
You can certainly feel it in the ride, and even more so when you are transporting the Boston when it’s folded up. The light weight gives the bike a quick and nimble feel, which carries over to the carrying aspect when you’ve compacted it down to a smaller size.
The Boston’s folding mechanism is just under the seatpost, and is operated using an easy-lock, quick-release lever that allows the rear stay to rotate inwards. After doing so, the front wheel can be taken off using a separate quick-release lever, effectively breaking the bike down in around 20 seconds.
Comfort is also an emphasis with the Boston. The included sport gel saddle offers a very plush and soft sitting surface that you won’t mind being on for extended rides. The rider handlebars give you a comfortable position when steering, without taking away maneuverability.
The drivetrain is really where the Boston shines. The bike uses single speed gearing that is very fast and efficient. Quick bursts of acceleration and sustained cruising are both easily attained with the alloy 42T chainwheel and 170mm Suntour crankarms.
Single speed gearing isn’t the only thing the Boston offers, however. The rear wheel can quickly be flipped to turn the bike into a fixed gear rider. This is a small feature that actually transforms the ride of the Boston into an entirely different bike. Fixie fans will love it, and novice fixed gear riders will learn to.
The Boston’s wheelset features durable 32-spoke alloy rims, along with Kenda semi-slick tires that offer an ideal width that’s just a little bigger than standard road tires. A slight tread design gives the Boston better grip on the pavement, while deflecting water away in wet conditions.
Braking is provided by Dual Pivot Caliper brakes with locking quick releases. No, these aren’t disc brakes, but they offer a surprising amount of control and stopping power in an instant, and also keep the price down a little.
Overall, the Montague Boston gives riders a simple road bike that is built to take on the demands of urban riding, commuting, and recreational rides with ease. The folding capability and quick conversion to a fixed gear make this a truly unique bike that offers an incredible value.
WHAT WE LIKE
As we said, if you’re going to make a single speed bike you need to make sure everything is perfect, and the Boston largely succeeds.
The 25 pound weight feels incredibly light when you are riding, but not to where you feel like you’re on a weak, flimsy bike. The pedal efficient offered from the drivetrain is exactly where it should be for what the bike is mostly intended for.
The tire width was a great choice as well. Although not quite as skinny as a road bike, the Kenda tires are not far off, while also adding a small measure of ruggedness for city streets.
We are big fans of Montague’s go-to folding mechanism, which is utilized on the Boston. It’s fast and easy, just as it should be.
WHAT WE DON’T LIKE
The caliper brakes are totally fine, but we wouldn’t hate it if future versions of the Boston had disc brakes to really push the bike over the top.
BUYING ADVICE
The bike comes halfway assembled when ordered online, so make sure you have some extra money put aside to have a professional assemble it if you aren’t privy to doing it on your own. Amazon offers full assembly for an extra price, if you’d like to hit the street the day your bike arrives.
CONCLUSION
The Montague Boston defines what a simple road-style bike should be. The quality of the bike’s ride is apparent as soon as you get on the saddle, and it never lets up, regardless of what you encounter.
The versatility of the Boston’s gear setup is the perfect compliment to its folding ability, and the price is very affordable as well. If you need a simple, fast, lightweight folding road bike, look no further than the Boston.
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Last update on 2024-11-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API