Tag: models

The Spaceframe Moultons

If "The Moulton Bicycle" by Tony Hadland is the bible for F-frame Moultons, then "The Spaceframe Moultons" by the same author is the bible for spaceframes.

The book outlines in great detail, how the Moulton concept evolved from the original F-frame into the spaceframe, and contains lots of detail on the design process, and the various prototypes developed along the way. The numerous reproductions of sketches used by Alex Moulton as he refined the concept are fascinating.

Also covered are details of the launch of the AM in 1983, reaction in the media, and detailed specifications of the various models.

The Spaceframe Moultons covers the models produced in the period from 1983 to 1994, and covers the AM, ATB and APB/Pashley ranges, including the AM models produced in stainless steel. There are also chapters on the racing and touring achievements of AM bicycles.

Unfortunately, this book is now out of print, and it's becoming quite difficult to obtain - at least at a reasonable price.

A copy can be bought through Amazon.co.uk, for example, at a cost of £125.92. Copies do appear from time to time through sources like Amazon.co.uk and AbeBooks.co.uk. I bought my copy from Don Swift Books, via AbeBooks for £20.

The best bet may be to order a copy through your local bookshop, who might be able to get a copy through Gardners or another wholesaler.

Happy Hunting!

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.

BoA 2007: Demo bikes

After the meeting, members could try out any of the Moulton models.

There were three samples of the Esprit, a Bridgestone, a Double Pylon and an older New Series...

The test track was just too small for the Metro...

This NS had nice narrow flat bars and indexed trigger shifters...

The Double Pylon looks even more exquisite in real life than in any photo you've ever seen...

Two Double Pylons in a corner...

New Style Flexitor unit of the Double Pylon. Having the forks outside the Flexitor unit (instead of inside as with earlier New Series models) gives more steering rake for a more stable ride.

The Demo bike had the softest of the available rubber compounds, so the soft lockout was engaged for demo riders...

BOA 2007: Esprit details and demo

The new Esprit was finally unveiled to the MBC, and there were no major surprises.

Photo: Flickr user Group51uk

Most of it was reported previously here on Moultonbuzz, so much of the following is a recap:

  • It is lighter than previous AM models, due to the lighter Kasei tubing. It has the narrowest tubing of any non-stainless steel AM.
  • It is stiffer than older AM models due to a slightly wider construction.
  • Hairpin construction (as on the ATB and APB), where the narrow tubes wrap around the headtube and seattube.
  • The Esprit will be available in a variety of headtube lengths and seat tube lengths, and a choice of either standard (27.2mm) seat post diameter, or the larger diameter Moulton 31.4mm seat post.
  • Choice of headsets - threaded for quill stems, threadless / Ahead or the Moulton wishbone as per the New Series.
  • The separable model looks quite familiar, but the fixed frame model has a straight bottom tube, similar to the TSR / FX8 / Pylon, etc. Shaun indicated to me that the separable model is more torsionally stiff (due to the angled bottom tube).
  • The wishbone stem is now available in black.
  • Frame skins are available, so you can dress your bike, and change it's dress if you don't like it! Alex Moulton's words, not mine!
  • The HED wheels weigh only 2 ozs (which is about 50g) more than a standard wheel.
  • The Esprit will be available as a frameset at around £1200.
  • Three grades of front suspension are available: soft, medium and hard. The hard is equivalent to a New Series with the soft lockout engaged.
  • A number of racks will be available - if I remember correctly a large platform rack, a day rack and a front rack. The existing AM racks will not fit due to the hairpin construction.
  • The "standard" colour is a the commonly photographed grey, but a choice of colours will be available.
  • Orders are being taken now, and they expect to deliver in around 2-3 months. New manufacturing capacity has been added to facilitate the Esprit, so that Esprit production won't impact on New Series production.

Alex Moulton said that he was pleased that the availability of HED wheels and frame skins would improve the aerodynamics of the bike.

Photo: Dynavector

Shaun mentioned that the reason for the revamped AM was a request from several overseas Moulton distributors. I can guess that these are Japan, Germany and possibly Switzerland. This seems to indicate that the AM is still very popular in these areas, perhaps more so than in Britain.

Three demo bikes were available for testing, and I had a go on all three around the new test track.One demo had the wishbone stem and Mosquito bars. Shifting was via a Shimano Dura-Ace 9 speed bar end-shifter down-tube shifer used as a thumb shifter on the flat of the mosquito bar. I really like this setup. The friction option of bar end shifters is an excellent feature to have when indexing becomes less than perfect on the road. Incidentally, the indexing on one of the New Series demo bikes was terrible!The drop bar models were both equipped with Shimano 105 Sti shifters, double chainrings and Capreo cassette hub.All three models seemed fast, comfortable and light. The suspension was extremely smooth, but plenty firm. Logic was telling me that I should like the New Series more, but the Esprit always felt better. The Double Pylon demo bike was using the softest of the available rubber compounds, so it felt spongier and bouncier than the Esprit, and perhaps with a harder compound I might feel differently.I rode a TSR 27 just afterwards and it felt heavy and sluggish by comparison to the Esprit, though I think it's perhaps an unfair comparison. The TSR was on Marathon Plus tyres, while the Esprit was on Stelvios, and tyres have a huge effect on how fast a bike feels.Also, the flat bars were wider on the TSR, and made it feel less stable. Alex Moulton believes that narrower bars are better on Moultons and I tend to agree.

One of the New Series demo bikes was set up with flat bars, but with a slight angle backwards and felt like a perfect setup for town. Though in what town could you lock up a New Series!

The test track is quite lovely - every garden should have one. There are a number of short sharp inclines and declines, and tight corners. Though a bike cannot be fully evaluated on a short test track, it does give plenty of opportunity to see how a bike feels climbing, descending and handling in tight spaces.

Bradford on Avon 2007

I have seen well over a thousand pictures of the BoA event in previous years, and studied them in great detail. So when I arrived for the first time on Saturday, it looked somewhat familiar. But nothing could have prepared me for the magic of actually being there.

Firstly, the sheer scale of the place is massive. Secondly, how many 17th century mansions will one get to camp outside? Fewer still, where the owner will encourage the campers to move further into the garden!

Photo from BOA 2005, by David Sanders

The weather was fantastic - beautiful sunshine for most of Saturday. And it was great to meet lots of people, all of whom shared a passion for Moultons.

Saturday morning was the bring and buy sale. Lots of bargains to be had, and a few bikes changing hands.

The highlight of the weekend was the Saturday afternoon assembly. The organisers called owners of all the models from the very beginning to line up and show off their bikes. Each model was called individually, and most had 3 or 4 examples for show.

Photo from Flickr user Group51uk

The experts, including Alex Moulton himself scrutinised the bikes in great detail and awarded a certificate for the best example of each model. The parade was cut short due to lack of time, so they never got beyond the AM-GT.

New product announcements followed. Highlights include:
- the new Esprit, the new version of the AM.
- framesets available for the Esprit and the Bridgestone
- frameskins and HED wheels.
- Pashley were showing off a few custom colours and finishes
- The superb new large bag for the TSR.
- Two new Moulton books

There was also a few words from a Moultoneer who had just completed Paris Brest Paris on a Pashley Moulton TSR 30.

I will write in much more detail over the next day or two, and post a few pictures.

Until then, there are lots of pictures on the Moulton Bicycle Pool on Flickr