[Angus Fletcher]

Hi,
I’m planning to buy a TSR 27 or TSR 30 and have a few questions. I will be riding around in town and also planning some longer rides this year.

The TSR 27 seems appealing because of it’s gear arrangement in the hub. My guess is that this will be very helpful when in traffic and stopping / starting. The issue is that I would like to have drop handle bars but I’ve been told this will be very difficult to achieve (the relationship between gear shifters and drop handlebars I think). Has anyone achieved this?

I’d also be grateful for general advice on selecting a TSR27 or TSR30 based on my needs.

Many thanks in advance
Angus

[David]

if it helps, after agonising over the same question last year I found it really helpful to look past the 2 obvious factors (handlebars, tyre width capacities) and focus on the real differences that would make a difference to how I hoped to use the bike.

Those differences can be found in looking carefully at each component selected by the designers for each bike. One bike gets you into pretty high end rims, hubs, chain set and expensive “Brifter” territory with associated cables and goodies that should all stay together for a long journey from home and travel at a decent pace with gearing to allow for most challenges of contour. The other has more clearance between its larger tyres and brakes with the handlebars to support riding unmade roads. Has the gearing for dealing with ups and downs too with the associated controls to suit.

Wanting drops with indexed shifting is a major factor in your decision between the two bikes by the look of things but it means giving up on the hub gearing.

[Alexander Johnston]

This is a difficult one but whatever you choose you wouldn’t go far wrong because both are excellent bikes.
I have both which solves the problem.
The dualdrive hub on the TSR 27 is a delight. You never miss a gear, you have 27 usuable gears and when you stop such as at lights you can change mode (uphill, flat and downhill) for easy take-off.
The TSR 27 also has a wider range of gearing that the TSR30 at both ends – about 20 to 108 inches – the widest range of any Moulton.
So if you live in a hilly area or are not as strong or as fit as you used to be, the TSR 27 has a lot going for it.
Also the TSR 27 takes a wider range of tyres than the TSR 30 which basically restricts you to one size of tyre.
Therefore the TSR 27 is the more versatile bike.
The TSR 30 on the other hand looks even better (IMO), is slightly lighter and faster, and of course has drops.
I’ve read about putting drops on a TSR 27 frame but it seemed a right kerfuffle to me and I don’t know how effective it would be. I wouldn’t go down that route.
I would advise trying both.
You pay your money and make your choice!
All success with your purchase.
Alex

[Matthew Dunn]

You could always buy a frameset from Fudges Cycles and build the bike to suit your needs exactly. You can get brifters for hub gears now so that could always be an option.
You can’t really go wrong with either though as Alex said, both great bikes
Matt

[Ian]

I know you can get ‘brifters’ for Shimano Alfine/Nexus hubs, but can you get them for any others?

[Alexander Johnston]

Another suggestion is to contact Paul Villiers of Villiers Velo and see if we could assemble a “TSR 27” with drops.
Paul is a Moulton dealer who does personal customisations and comes highly recommended.
Alex

[Awkward_AL]

I went through the same dilemma; started with a TSR27 then had it rebuilt as something closer to a TSR 30 by Paul Villiers. Both were great but I preferred the racier setup. I’m now selling it: http://www.moultonbuzz.com/classified/145/

Alan

[Author]

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