Moultonbuzz

Moulton AM Esprit Separable frame

One small detail of the new Alex Moulton AM Esprit has thus far escaped my attention.

The trend in Moulton frame design in recent years has seemed to be move to a straight bottom tube, instead of the older style "knuckle shaped" bottom tube, as seen on the old AM and many other models. In recent years, the non-separable versions of the APB (fx8), New Series (pylon, speed) and the new Pashley Moulton TSR have had this straight bottom tube. More recently, separable Moultons (including the New Series Double Pylon and the Pashley Moulton TSR) have also had a straight bottom tube.

I expected that the new Moulton AM Esprit would also have this feature in the separable version, but as the photo below (from Dynavector) shows, the separable version looks very like the old AM.

Contrast this with the more elegant design of the non-separable frame shown below (again from Dynavector)

More details on the new Moulton AM Esprit

More details on the new bicycle from Alex Moulton, which has not yet been announced at home. It is being called the AM Esprit in Japan

Tapered front forks, kasei tubing and the narrow tubes wrapping around the head tube and seat tube in the style of the APB/TSR, instead of brazed into them as with the old AM.

More information (translated from Japanese) see here

Esprit: Is this the new AM??

Just hours after the rumours of a new Moulton model seemed to be too frequent to ignore, it seems that this model has been publicised in Japan earlier this month. It's called the Moulton AM Esprit.

Very similar to an AM except:
- lighter
- straight bottom tube
- solid rubber rear suspension, no fluid damped hydrolastic. Presumably, no flexitor rear pivot either.
- wider, more rigid frame.
- larger diameter tubes in the chainstay
- 31.6mm diameter seat post

It also looks like there's no Unified Rear Triangle unlike the TSR. It will be cheaper than the current AM, but more expensive than the TSR.

It's not clear whether this is seen as a new model, or simply an updating of the existing AM range. Questions about whether existing racks and luggage will fit remain to be answered. In any case, it seems the strategy is to bring the AM slightly down market to make clear space between it and the New Series, and bringing it into competition with the Pashley built TSR 30.

Watch this space!!

New Alex Moulton bicycle from BOA??

Rumours have begun circulating that a new model in the Moulton range is due to be announced.

Details are very sketchy at this point, but it seems that this new bicycle will be of spaceframe construction and with ETRTRO 369 /
17 inch wheels. It is to be built at the Moulton factory in Bradford on Avon.

All the signs are that this new model is designed to replace the AM. The AM is the classic spaceframe Moulton. In continuous production since 1982, the AM is a high-end high-performance bicycle and over the years it has benefited from technology trickle down from the New Series. For example, the flexitor in the rear pivot, the hydrolastic, and the adjustable wishbone stem are features that first appeared in the New Series, but were later introduced to the AM.

However, since the introduction of the TSR, many have questioned the AM's right to exist. The buyer with lots of money can spend a little more and get a New Series, or spend a little less and get a similar specification and weight with the TSR. Plus the AM hasn't really been pushed (at least outside of Japan) in recent years. The framesets have been available to dealers for custom building.

Furthermore, the geometry of the AM is a little outdated. It is the only spaceframe moulton in production without a unified rear triangle. It is also the only Moulton in production with the old style "knuckle shaped" bottom tube, which looked naff on the (separable) APBs and separable New Series', but look rather charming on the AM.

I would be very sorry to see the AM go out of production, especially before I can afford to purchase one! However, I can see the wisdom in updating and evolving the AM concept. I would welcome a straight bottom tube and unified rear triangle at a more affordable price.

Finally, it has been suggested that this new model will be priced below the TSR range. Now this is intriguing, especially as the new bicycle is to be produced at BOA. One has always paid a premium for a Bradford built bicycle. One wonders if they can produce a high quality bicycle in low numbers at a mass production price, but in low quantity. Seems unlikely!

As with many previous models, the new model may be unveiled at the annual Moulton Bicycle Club event at The Hall in Bradford on Avon in September.

Moulton, Dyson and the new Stowaway

What have vacuum cleaners and bicycles got in common? More than you might think, when it comes to the Moulton bicycle.

The word Stowaway will be a familiar one to Moultoneers - it was the name that Alex Moulton gave to the collapsible or separable version of his original Moulton bicycle. Not a folding mechanism, but one that allowed the bicycle to be split into two for transportation and storage. Moultons have never folded, but it could be claimed that the original stowaway was at least part of the inspiration for the folding revolution that followed.

While the Stowaway disappeared around the time of the Raleigh takeover of Moulton in the 1960s, the concept reappeared with the launch of the AM in 1983. Most Moulton models since then have had the option of a separable frame, although the "Stowaway" name has not been used.

Well, the Stowaway name has reappeared, not on a bicycle but on a Dyson DC20 Stowaway as shown below

James Dyson, inventor of the acclaimed Dyson vacuum cleaners is apparently a big fan of the Moulton Bicycles.

He is quoted as saying "Looking at his intriguing bicycles you can see that Alex Moulton questions every part of the design. His aim is clear: to make lighter, safer and more comfortable bikes whilst improving speed. Good design is about how something works, not just how it looks, which is why I like the Moulton bike so much."

Speaking of how things look, I think Alex Moulton Bicycles web designers could learn a lot from Dyson's