Issue 28 of Velovision magazine has a Moulton Esprit on the cover and contains a 4 page review inside.
This review was done by editor Peter Eland. This contrasts with the review of the TSR 8 in Issue 21, which was done by a Moultoneer. Now I'm certainly not saying that the TSR 8 review wasn't a very fine review, but it's always interesting to read about the experiences of a non-Moultoneer on our favourite machines. I also think the reader is likely to be less skeptical of such a review.
The bike reviewed was a separable 9 speed (Capreo rear block and single chainring) with adjustable stem (not a wishbone stem) and Mosquito bars, which Peter described as his favourite position for a town bike.
Non-moultoneers are often unnerved at first by the handling, but Peter describes this well thus
It's a bike which reflects your inputs; ride it with a calm upper body and it'll track straight and true: twitch around and it'll twitch right back.
Some comments were slightly disappointing such as
This isn't the bike to choose for a hilly camping tour.
which is an astonishing comment to make considering some of the epic tours that have been undertaken on essentially the same bike. Maybe the comment was directed more at the gearing of the test bike (33" - 100" with a single chainring).
There were also some slightly negative comments on the position of the gear shifter and the lack of ability to shift and brake at the same time.
Perhaps the factory would have been better supplying the double chainring model with drop bars and STI shifters.
There was also the usual comment about climbing hills out of the saddle, and getting left behind by "roadies". People seem to forget that a certain American multiple Tour de France winner climbed many a col while sitting in the saddle.
In conclusion, the review comments that the Esprit was "light, rigid and responsive"... "like riding a finely-tuned musical instrument", and that it seemed to be a "hedonist's bike".
Elsewhere in issue 28, the Esprit was used to demonstrate the pitlock system, and Alex Moulton bicycles have taken a quarter page advert.
If you're not already a Velovision reader, I thoroughly recommend it. Annual subscriptions cost from £20 from www.velovision.com. Alternatively you can just purchase the current issue.