Folding Bikes - MCL Coleshill England "Micro"?

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View Full Version : MCL Coleshill England "Micro"?

Grory
06-20-12, 11:26 AM
Any info on this company would be appreciated.
It has an AW hub from '76; fairly safe bet that everything on it is original to the bike, although the saddle I'm not sure about. 16" x 13/8" wheels.
I bought this today on CL for $125. As one may suspect, it's a little rocket. Squirrelly when sprinting forward; surprisingly stable when seated. It's ride-able as is, save for the being-filthy-and-covered-with-paint-overspray part.

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/snagmarsegg/MCL%20Coleshill%20Micro/1.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/snagmarsegg/MCL%20Coleshill%20Micro/2.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/snagmarsegg/MCL%20Coleshill%20Micro/3.jpg
http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc310/snagmarsegg/MCL%20Coleshill%20Micro/4.jpg

jerrysimon
06-21-12, 12:29 AM
I like it. Design seems to be very similar to the Pashley Fold-IT, though the wheel base seems much shorter.

http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6007/5983784977_03a0029c12_o.jpg


Jerry
Grory
06-25-12, 08:16 AM
They are very similar designs. That's a nice bike.
I've found out that MCL refers to Micro Cycles Limited, a British company that made bikes from approx. 1969-1975. I guess sales didn't take off.
The gearing on the bike is 52t in front, and a 14t cog in back. With an AW hub, that's not exactly the most optimal gearing for me. A 15t cog would bring the 133% gear down to about that of my fixed and single speed bikes, leaving two granny gears, I guess. Sun still makes a 16 x 1 3/8 alloy rim. It might be more fun to ride if I built some single speed wheels for it. It's sort of toy-like. When you really pull on it, the front wheel doesn't want to stay on the ground.
Aside from the certainty of getting an alloy seat post to accomodate an unsprung saddle, there's a lot of weight that could come off this bike. It's weighs 27 pounds as it came.