Author: Moultonbuzz

New SON Dynohub

The unrivalled SON dynamo hub (or Schmidt Original Nabendynamo, to give it it's full title) has a new model available this month.

The 20R is a lighter version of the SON 20, which is designed for bicycle wheels of 16" to 20" in diameter.

The SON 20R has the following specification:

  • Power: 6V/3W
  • Efficiency: 60% at 15km/h in a 20" wheel. 65% at 15km/h in a 28" wheel.
  • Power consumption (under load): 0.7 W at 15 km / h (in a 20" wheel)
  • Power consumption (under no lighting load): 0.4 W at 15 km / h in a 20" wheel)
  • 26 pole magnet.
  • Hub Sleeve: aluminum 6082 T6 polished or black anodized
  • Spoke holes: 36, 32, 28, 24, 20 (radial spoking allowed)
  • Two 4.8mm electrical contacts
  • Weight: 390g (compared to 580g for the existing models)
  • 5 year warranty

A model for disk brakes is under development and should be available in February 2008, and the 28" model should be available in October 2008.

There seem to be no plans to update the SON XS, which is a narrow version of the dynamo hub, designed to fit the narrow front forks of a Brompton and New Series Moulton.

Small Wheel Folding Bikes on TreeHugger

Treehugger, which claims to have 4 million page views per month, tried to educate it's readers on the subtleties of the small wheel bicycle today.

Many think that any small wheeled bike is a folder, but it ain’t necessarily so. But it is true that small wheels do help a bicycle collapse into a neater package. That’s not to say these are toy bikes. Some ride theirs everyday to work (for years), others tour whole continents, while yet others have set world records for upright bicycles.

And in the list of featured "folders":
Pashley Moulton TSR 8

What: Pashley-Moulton TSR8
Where: Pashley; in the US, try Angle Lake Cyclery or North Road Bicycles
Why: From the original designer of front and rear suspension small wheel bikes, this eight speed hub geared, British-made spaceframe swiftly separates into two halves.
How much: $2,595
Nice touch: Front and rear carriers carry low, and have very stable centre of gravity.
More: Pashley-Moulton and TreeHugger.

Video of the Cyclists Touring Club (CTC) from 1955

Not much in the way of Moulton content here, but I thought this might be of interest to some readers.

It's a little portrait of cycling heaven. Of course cycling heaven will contain many Moultons, and this video does not. The reason being that the film dates from 1955, less than a year before Alex Moulton bought his Hetchins bicycle, which prompted him to begin his life long quest to improve on the classic bicycle.

It's a wonderful look back into what seems like a different planet. Rail carriages dedicated to carrying bikes, few cars on the roads, lugged steel frames, and a total absence of lycra.

Part One

Part Two

Original Post by Brian Arner