“The more I rode this bike the more I began to enjoy myself. The tyres handled the conditions confidently, subject to the usual rules of staying off wet roots, not pushing your luck on greasy timber boardwalks, and avoiding the mud wherever possible.

At speed, the descending was stable and confident. The narrow bars compensated somewhat for the relaxed geometry so the bike was far more flickable than expected from the slack steering angle. It also meant fitting into the gaps between the trees and bridge handrails was easier. The short top tube was actually an asset when the trail pointed down, giving the bike great technical descending ability over the tricky roll-downs on my local trail. The Montague really seemed to carve on the turns, and the bike felt really sound, firm, and well planted. At no time did I notice that I was riding a “folding” bike – it seemed every bit as solid as my regular hardtail.

Braking was excellent, requiring only the index finger to pull up my 90kg riding weight with ease. Shifting was reliable and smooth despite being sprayed with mud and wet Sydney sand for the entire duration of test riding. The wheels felt strong and stiff, easily handling the beating I gave them over rough rock gardens despite the relatively low volume rubber. The suspension seat post was welcome on these trail sections! Folding this bike and reassembling it is really simple, and folding can be completed in about 20 seconds, less with practice. A neat nylon carry bag is available, and it has a separate pocket for the front wheel to avoid rubbing on the paint.

This bike is no toy. It has many admirable qualities, not least of which is its confident descending ability. With wider handlebars it will be an excellent all round hardtail. It easily folds up and is opened out again just as quickly. It is refreshing to find a full-size bike with this capability, negating the need to make the handling, performance and safety sacrifices normally associated with smaller wheels. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by the Montague – it certainly exceeded my expectations.”