Andrew with his Montague Swissbike

With our current frame design having been originally developed for the US military, our bikes have a long history of service. They’re work horses that don’t mind putting in the long hours. And while the Paratrooper is doing government work, our Swissbike is helping out one private ambulance company in the UK. Andrew Bevan, a medic with First Aid Cover Ltd in North London works as a first responder and depends on his Montague Bike to get him to the scene.

Andrew works alongside Paramedics and EMT’s to provide event medical cover at concerts, fairs, street festivals, cross country races and just about any gathering of people who might need medical assistance. First Aids Cover has ambulances and response cars at their disposal but their movement can often be limited by rough terrain, narrow streets and crowds of people. In the case of a medical emergency, their Cycle Response Unit is often the fastest.

Andrew's custom Montague ambulance bike fully loaded for action

Andrew has customized his Montague folding bike for performance and practicality. He’s upgraded the fork, drivetrain and disc brakes and also added high visibility graphics and a rear rack with medical panniers. Those panniers allow him to carry an Automated External Defibrillator, an oxygen cylinder, a blood pressure cuff, a blood sugar tester,  airways and a first aid kit – everything needed to deal with common emergencies. His bike is even equipped with flashing blue lights and a siren for public safety. Andrew says his bike provides a reassuring, highly visible presence that makes him more approachable than his ambulance colleagues (even if it’s only for directions to the nearest Tube station).

He says he chose a Montague because he needed a reliable, full sized mountain bike that could fold easily. When an event is far away, he takes his bike on the train or Underground and can even stash it in the back of the ambulance or a colleague’s car trunk. Andrew also uses his Swissbike for commuting and recreation. On the weekends, he takes off his medical gear and goes for regular rides along the Thames.

Here at Montague we’re honored that one of our folding bikes would be chosen and relied upon time and time again for such important work. Andrew says, “I love my bike, it’s makes my job more interesting and fun, it keeps me fit AND I get to wear shorts to work!” Now how many of you wish we had a job where we could ride a bike at work and wear shorts? Oh, and save lives too!

If you have an interesting story about how you use your Montague and want to be featured on the folding bike blog send us an email here.