On a local auction site in the small town of Whitianga, New Zealand, vintage bike enthusiast Hakan Nedjat spotted his next project. What looked to be a normal retro style MTB turned out to be a 1990s Montague Bi-Frame ActiveLine, a full-size folding mountain bike produced by Montague for the automaker BMW. Available through BMW dealerships and high-end consumer catalogs, the BMW/Montague folding bike was a hit, and was even named the Official Mountain Bike of the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. The bikes were used by athletes for transportation to and from the Olympic venues and featured prominently in the closing ceremonies. Click here to see a video of the bikes in the closing ceremony!
Hoping to restore the bike to its former glory, Hakan got to work.
When he received the bike, it wasn’t in the best shape – with deep gouges in the seat tube and some repairs that required welding. However, despite being over 30 years old, the folding mechanism was still intact and rock solid. Hakan noted that he knew it had potential, it just needed a little TLC.
After the repairs were finished it was time for a fresh coat of paint and some new decals. Hakan decided to go for a new, more exciting color, selecting a beautiful and retro-appropriate shade of seafoam green powdercoat . In order to create replacement decals, detailed photos of the originals were digitally retraced, and the final color scheme came to life with bright new accents.
“The decals turned out awesome and really tied the whole build together.”
Luckily, all of the parts of the folding mechanism, including the top latch and spring, were intact, “though they were a bit rusty,” Hakan noted. But, nothing that couldn’t be fixed. The rubber O-rings did need replacing and there was a missing stopper at the bottom of the frame, which typically protects it when folded. Hakan told us that finding a “suitable replacement took some effort” but it paid off when he found the perfect fit.
Hakan also added a number of custom components to bring his own style to the build, including a Kashimax Handler saddle, Nitto handlebars, vintage Sakae SX cranks, and matching silver wheels, seatpost, and stem. After a few final touches like colorful anodized bolts, the bike was ready to ride.
The bike rides beautifully, and the fact it also folds down is the cherry on top. You’d never guess it’s a folding bike at first glance, which is exactly what I love about the design.
Hakan is always working on a new bike restoration, and sharing his work on Instagram. To see more, follow him at @electric_hakan.
While the BiFrame models are no longer in production, Montague has continue to iterate and improve the full-size folding bike frame to make it easier to use, stronger, and lighter. You can explore our latest collection of bikes here on our website, which offers the best performance and portability in the industry… and they’ll last you a life time.
