Alex Moulton and the MBC experts called for examples of each model from the first Standard to the present day from which they judged the best example of each - usually the most original and well maintained. They scrutinised each model in such detail, that they ran out of time at the AM-GT.
Below are a few shots that took my fancy.
The need for speed...
Paul Grogan's Speedsix skips into view...
These gorgeous Speedsixes lost out because their mudguards weren't original...
This one had the original alloy guards...
A lovely blue Moulton S Safari...
And an S Stowaway...
But winner of the S-class was this immaculate chrome S Safari, owned by Ken Butterfield
Lovely rear end...
The crowed oohed and ahhed at the sight of shiny chrome...
Mike Woolf's completely original Moulton S Deluxe was not eligible, due to being a Moulton Preservation bike...
Alex Moulton told some of the history of the S-Works, and the work of Jack Lauterwasser...
Can't read the decals from here, but I think this was a Series 2 Deluxe...
Mike Woolf described the Raleigh era of this Mark 3 as a "mixed blessing...
On to the Alex Moulton era and the AM 7...
Alex Moulton described how the F-frame evolved into the Y-frame prototype, which eventually led to the X-frame - the basic shape of the spaceframe AM.
He recounted feeling distraught when some French club racers told him the Y-frame was wonderful, but too heavy. This led him to develop a frame structure that was entirely different to anything that went before.
Here is a lovely AM2...
Checking a serial number on an AM Speed...
Finally, the AM-GT... the first stainless steel model. Alex Moulton talked about how wonderful a material stainless steel was, and alluded to the skill of the silver brazers at Bradford on Avon. He told the owner of this AM-GT that stainless steel lasts forever, and he would pass the bike on to his great grandchildren.
hi robert fron edinburgh i was wondering if you can tell me if raleigh/moulton ever produced the moulton mk 3 bicycle without front suspension, as i have been offered a mk 3 moulton, and been told it doesnt have front suspension which i find hard to believe, i also have a restored moulton deluxe k 65 2042 in polycromatic holly green which it took me well over a year to restore although not all original parts but still very nice to look at, it never lost its looks or style maybe you could throw some light on the mk 3 suspension
best regards robert easton
No, the MK3 has an almost identical front suspension to the earlier Series 1 and Series 2.
After the buyout, Raleigh produced a few of the smaller 7/8th scale models (Mini and Midi) without a front suspension, despite Dr Moulton’s protests. As Dr Moulton suggested, these models were prone to cracking and an ugly re-inforcement clamp was issued later. Best to avoid these!
You can see an example of this here…
http://www.moultoneers.info/assets/images/not-a-moulton/starkersand-krutch-jpg/