Check out this new blog http://hubstripping.wordpress.com/ - only a few posts so far, but it contains some excellent info on stripping a Duomatic hub.
Makes me want to go home and start stripping an old hub gear I've got lying around.
Keep up the good work Marco!
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.
The wider frame and narrower tubing give a frame that's lighter, yet stiffer...
HED aero wheels only 2 ozs heavier than standard wheels...
Shimano 105 chainring and rear mech, Capreo freehub and cassette, Ultegra front mech (except on the model with the Mosquito bars which had a single chainring)...
Mosquito bars, Shimano Dura Ace downtube shifer (used as a thumb shifer), Cane Creek reverse action brake levers and a newly blackened stem...
Tapered forks, but not like the 1980s...
The fixed frame frame was not on show... all three demo bikes were separable...
Lots of colours and finishes for the TSR at BoA. Alex Moulton, who happened to be walking past was very impressed and took some time to study them in detail.
The pink TSR grabbed lots of attention all day. Something for the lady who has everything?
A TSR 30 was shown with chrome forks and rear triangle...
... and some deep section HED aerodynamic wheels...
Also, a turquoise TSR
Pashley were at Bradford on Avon in force showing lots of custom colours and finishes, but more importantly racks and luggage.
The previously unseen large 30 litre bag for the large rear carrier / rack was the highlight.
The bag which has a rigid lightweight frame semi-permanently attached to the outside of the bag, attaches to the rear rack in two stages.
Firstly, the two clips (shown above) attach to the rear of the rack, as shown below.
Next a quick release clip (close to Dan's thumb in the pic below) attaches the rigid frame to the two support struts connected to the seat post.
The quick release mechanism also pulls the rack slightly upwards, building in some tension into the support struts, increasing the amount of weight that the bag can carry, compared to using the rack alone.
The large bag looked fantastic! Excellent quality material (it's made by Carradice), and nicely engineered. It's accompanied in the picture below by some nice pannier racks, and a handlebar bag.
Note also the copper plating on the front forks.
The smaller rear bag for the large rear rack was also on show, as shown below.
