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Pashley- Moulton TSR30 350 mile report

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Pashley- Moulton TSR30 350 mile report

Old 10-05-07, 12:20 PM
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Pashley- Moulton TSR30 350 mile report

Pashley-Moulton TSR30 Early Experience and Review


I’d been looking at Moulton space frame bikes since I saw a thread here about Alex Moulton and a link to a video. There was something about the space frame and the claimed road holding of the small wheeled full suspension bike. Of course it was the extraordinarily expensive ‘New Series’ featured in the video. At £4000 to £7000, that was a non-starter, but the TSR series, designed by Moulton and hand built by Pashleys under license were less insanely out of reach. They range from about £900 to £1450. A hub geared version at the lower end to the campag veloce equipped TSR30 (it has 30 gears) at the top. It was still too much – I mean, I have the Merc, an unused mountain bike and an old roadie, not to mention three bikes in various states of dilapidation belonging to my sons. It was then that I typed ‘Pashley Moulton’ into ebay and up popped something I could not miss. An unfortunate tale of woe beginning,

“I bought this bike a week ago and for personal reasons, I can not keep it. Who will offer me a thousand pounds?”

“I will,’ I typed, glancing sideways at She Who Must Be Obeyed, ‘As long as you can provide me with the original receipt that shows you own it.’

So that’s how I came to be the owner of the beauty you see before you.



So – how does it perform.

Well it’s fast – very speedy in comparison to the Merc or the mountain bike and I can easily keep up with my 23 year old son riding his road bike. This is true even though I swapped out the stelvio racer tyres for marathons almost as soon as I got it. I had three punctures in quick succession, partly because of thorns on the road and partly because I was running them at 90 psi which I now know is too soft and not the best way to go. The marathons are detectably slower, but only a little, and they give less frisky handling too. I’m running them at 100psi and on a damp road, I can see that the contact patch is only on a centimetre wide track down the centre. So far, I’ve had 345 trouble free miles since I put them on.

Whereas I’d average about twelve miles an hour on the Merc on a twenty mile ride, I’m quite easily managing an average of 17.8 on a forty mile ride on the TSR. It invites effort and is a rewarding ride. Of course we're talking about an entirely different kind of animal to the Brompton lookalike, but isn’t that much bigger. It rides just like a full sized racer, except the steering is much more rapid. The gear range is 22 – 95 inches – easily enough to cover any riding I’d be likely to get up to.



The bike weighs in at 24 pounds, the steel frame a combination of cro-mo and Reynolds 531. The space frame construction is stiff as the average road bridge and the structure wouldn’t be out of place on one either with a criss cross pattern of thin tubes and what I’d call thick steel wire. It is very unusual, and gets some puzzled looks when it it isn’t zipping along. The ride is a delight, thanks to the novel suspension system, which gives really confident road holding while travelling at speed on broken road surfaces. I now purposely ride a fast, busy, downhill route that has been badly dig up by utilities companies whereas, on the Merc, I avoided it, because the bouncing felt dangerous. Now I just sail over the lot.



The front suspension is adjustable by tightening four small nuts on the leading links (damping) and turning a knurled ring to preload the spring under the head tube. I’ve set the system on hard spring with firm damping. The rear works well too, absorbing bumps much more freely than the hard rubber bung on the rear of the Merc. The contrast in ride between the two is remarkable. The rear suspension is not adjustable, but it does have a grease nipple so that bronze bushes and the hard steel pivot bolt won’t wear out unnecessarily. The design has the rear suspension pivot bolt forward of the bottom bracket, so no amount of leg power will be wasted in compressing the suspension.





The stem is fully adjustable and can be rotated from being fully horizontal for those who need more reach, to vertical, for short-arses like me, who don’t want to be stretched on the rack. Like the rest of the components, the adjustable stem oozes quality. The bike will fit people between 27 and 36 inside leg (inseam).




Overall, the machine is beautifully made, with high quality brazing on neat frame joints, and classy, deep burgundy stove enamel paintwork. The quality of the componentry is high, but I was very disappointed on an early ride when the left-hand crank on the Sugino crankset began to loosen. There was no detail in the manual supplied to explain how to secure the crank which is held by pinch-bolts, so I emailed Sugino and Pashleys. Pashley sent me a new manual which covers the torque and tightening instructions, but Kozo Sugino himself emailed me by return and sent me a brand new left hand crank, lest the original one had suffered any damage in becoming loose in the middle of a ride. It arrived five days later from Japan with full instructions and the kind of apology only the Japanese can manage. I was very impressed with Sugino’s response, since the fault was in assembly, and not in manufacture by their company. All is fine now, as was the original, since I realised what was happening long before any damage could be done, and worked out how to correct the problem while on the road.



So – at 345 miles ridden, it’s early days, but I love the bike and am only fearful of finding the thing stolen. It’s a great bike I’m sure and I’m riding further and faster than in a good long while.


Last edited by EvilV; 10-07-07 at 07:18 AM.
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Old 10-05-07, 12:53 PM
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Green with envy am I.
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Old 10-05-07, 01:51 PM
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Yeah I want one too
Looks and sounds great
May it give you many 1000"s of miles of fun riding
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Old 10-05-07, 03:57 PM
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EV, congratulations on a fine addition, and thanks for a succint, well-structured, engaging review.

Now the BIG problem. Since you can't fold and carry, will you new PM become an ABUS display when you're out of sight?

Last edited by maunakea; 10-06-07 at 12:12 AM.
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Old 10-05-07, 04:16 PM
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EvilV:

That Moulton was a true find! I'm happy that it went to such an appreciative and deserving owner.

Thanks for the detailed report. Only thing is now you've got me lusting for one too .

So many bikes, so little time...
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Old 10-05-07, 04:25 PM
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Originally Posted by maunakea
EV, congratulations on a fine addition, and thanks for a succint, well-stuctured, engaging review.

Now the BIG problem. Since you can't fold and carry, will you new PM become an ABUS display when you're out of sight?
I wouldn't leave it for long on the kinds of cable lock I own at the moment. I have double chained it outside the local shop while I ran in for a box of eggs, but literally, only for a minute. I need a steelochain I think, or maybe one of those giant motorcycle locks, which rather defeats the search for lightweight steels in manufacture and the expensive components.

It does break in half though, did I say that? It comes in half in about a minute. You take the king pin out and split the cables which have wierd screwed ferule things in the middle. It isn't as compact as the Merc though, but shrinks by a significant amount. I only did it once to see how it would work.


Last edited by EvilV; 10-06-07 at 06:57 AM.
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Old 10-05-07, 05:17 PM
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Those Moultons are beautiful. Too bad the U.S. dollar makes this bike expensive. Does anyone know if Parshley will sell the frame?
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Old 10-05-07, 05:22 PM
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I think there was some talk on the Moulton email list about frame sets being sold. Not certain, but you could phone them up aand ask.

You will find contact details here:

https://www.tsr.uk.com/bikes/tsr30.php
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Old 10-05-07, 07:04 PM
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EvilV,

I'LL SWAP ya the Wasp for the Moulton.......yes??
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Old 10-05-07, 08:42 PM
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In November 1984 I bought an Alex Moulton AM7. Twenty-three years and ten of thousands of miles later, and I've never ridden anything else that compares.

TCS
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Old 10-06-07, 12:17 AM
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Originally Posted by EvilV
... It does break in half though, did I say that? It comes in half in about a minute. You take the king pin out and split the cables which have wierd screwed ferule things in the middle. ...
Yes, you've got to keep an eye on the cable couplers. Most (all?) use set screws to bind the coupler to the cable end. Don't want to grab a handful of brake, as I once did on a test ride of a Dahon Allegro, and feel the coupler strip off the cable.
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Old 10-06-07, 02:34 AM
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Congratulations EvilV - what a beautiful bike. Great report.
How do you find the stopping power of those caliper brakes?
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Old 10-06-07, 04:35 AM
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Originally Posted by stevegor
EvilV,

I'LL SWAP ya the Wasp for the Moulton.......yes??
NO!!!



I like the wasp though. Just think of the shipping costs Steve.

The wasp is a great bike. I'm sure you enjoy it - AND you made it yourself. That is a priceless feature.
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Old 10-06-07, 04:44 AM
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Originally Posted by tcs
In November 1984 I bought an Alex Moulton AM7. Twenty-three years and ten of thousands of miles later, and I've never ridden anything else that compares.

TCS
This is very like the AM series. I suspect the components are all that differ. The frame is very similar I think, but I'd need to examine them side by side. Is the swinging arm pivot forward of the bottom bracket on the AM? That may be one difference.



Originally Posted by maunakea
Yes, you've got to keep an eye on the cable couplers. Most (all?) use set screws to bind the coupler to the cable end. Don't want to grab a handful of brake, as I once did on a test ride of a Dahon Allegro, and feel the coupler strip off the cable.
I'll put my reading glasses on and carefully examine them this afternoon. They look robust, but I didn't bother to check how the cables are retained. Thanks.


Originally Posted by maranen
Congratulations EvilV - what a beautiful bike. Great report.
How do you find the stopping power of those caliper brakes?
They are pretty good. They have the double pivot design that increases the power. They look like standard road bike calipers do. These ones are by Tektro. I usually ride with my hands on the hoods and even from there I can stop pretty quickly. Maximum squeeze would be achieved from the drops. I could probably lock up the back wheel from there - not that that would be good.

One of the biggest differences between this bike and earlier road bikes I have ridden is the ride. Even on rock hard tyres it's quite silky over really horrible surfaces.

Also, the gear change systems have really come on. I know the gear levers being behind the brake levers is standard now, but its very convenient. What a contrast to having to take your hand down to the top tube like I used to do in the 1970s. I fell off more than once doing that back then.

Last edited by EvilV; 10-06-07 at 04:54 AM.
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Old 10-06-07, 05:21 AM
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Amazing bike! Congrats!
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Old 10-06-07, 05:46 AM
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Everything I would have said has been said. So, +1.
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Old 10-06-07, 05:50 AM
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Keep an eye on the front brake pads. They run very close to the tyre and are at the limit of adjustment, the same as Mrs LWaB's TSR30 (I rode PBP on it and toured Normandy for 2 weeks afterwards).
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Old 10-06-07, 05:59 AM
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Originally Posted by EvilV
NO!!!



I like the wasp though. Just think of the shipping costs Steve.

The wasp is a great bike. I'm sure you enjoy it - AND you made it yourself. That is a priceless feature.

Yeah, but I still want your Moulton.........please?
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Old 10-06-07, 07:01 AM
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Originally Posted by stevegor
Yeah, but I still want your Moulton.........please?
As my mother used to say - "I want gets nothing."

I've seen the odd Moulton AM go on ebay for around the £350 mark. The last one was about ten years old, but didn't look likeit had seen a lot of use. You'd pay all of that for a second hand Brompton here these days.
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Old 10-06-07, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by LWaB
Keep an eye on the front brake pads. They run very close to the tyre and are at the limit of adjustment, the same as Mrs LWaB's TSR30 (I rode PBP on it and toured Normandy for 2 weeks afterwards).
Thanks for the tip. Are you saying that as they wear they will foul the tyre? I did notice they couldn't really be lowered in the caliper any further.

A more pressing problem I have is that the bike was designed for 28x406 tyres. I've fitted 40x406 marathons. This puts the lower arc of the caliper pretty near the tyre - especially on the back wheel. The odd time on rough tracks, small pebbles have scraped their way through this narrow gap. I could hear them going through. Maybe I should have bought marathon racers, since they are narrower. I'm not sure if they have the same degree of puncture protection.

You can see by comparing these two photos. The top one is mine obviously -



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Old 10-06-07, 04:52 PM
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I might recommend Conti GPs 406x28 more clearance, and robust. Light too, so it leaves room for a slime liner which would result in better punture resistance than a purpose-designed tyre.
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Old 10-07-07, 12:31 AM
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As dual-pivot brakes wear, one pad goes up and the other goes down. There is just sufficient clearance as built (giving maximum tyre clearance) although the pads have to be correctly aligned but at least one of your brake pads is crooked.
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Old 10-07-07, 05:49 AM
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Originally Posted by jur
I might recommend Conti GPs 406x28 more clearance, and robust. Light too, so it leaves room for a slime liner which would result in better punture resistance than a purpose-designed tyre.
I'm going to do some research into the tyres and slime liners Jur. Thanks. These marathons are brand new and I'm not over eager to retire them at 360 miles. They aren't that cheap, and they are pretty good, handling roughish surfaces or fastish road work with equal ease. If I end up with brake caliper problems, which I might, I'll need to take steps. If i can get around them another way, I'll wear these out and buy more carefully next time.

Originally Posted by LWaB
As dual-pivot brakes wear, one pad goes up and the other goes down. There is just sufficient clearance as built (giving maximum tyre clearance) although the pads have to be correctly aligned but at least one of your brake pads is crooked.
Yeh - I checked them out and adjusted things - thanks. What I thought was the problem isn't. I thought as the brake wore, the mid arc of the rear caliper would get nearer the tyre and start touching it in the centre of the tread. It doesn't. That problem actually improves as I adjust up the cable length to move the blocks nearer to the rims. However - the clearance between the bulging side of the marathon tyres and the holder of a worn brake block is slim. I found there was some adjustment and I could move the blocks down a touch. I think I'll get away with this for a good while without problems.

Thanks for the warning though - it will need watching.
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Old 10-07-07, 01:58 PM
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My old AM is all 531, uses 17" wheels/tires, does not use "hairpin" frame construction and the BB is part of the main frame, not the swing arm. Compared to regular bikes, all these differences are just tiny details.

The AM is still in production (next June will mark 25 years!), and has outlived many of the companies that provided the original OEM components: GB bars and stem, CLB brakes, SunTour derailleur, Stronglight crank, Wobler tires, Zeus hubs, Bluemels fenders, Lyotard pedals, Regina freewheel...

Best,
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Old 10-07-07, 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by EvilV
A more pressing problem I have is that the bike was designed for 28x406 tyres. I've fitted 40x406 marathons. ... Maybe I should have bought marathon racers, since they are narrower. I'm not sure if they have the same degree of puncture protection.
I am trying to remember a quick comparison between 1.5" Marathon Racers and 1.5" Marathons I did with a bud. I don't remember them being any narrower. You might be interested in 1.35" Marathons. It might give you a bit extra clearance.
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