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Moulton Esprit

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Old 01-23-08, 10:43 AM
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Moulton Esprit

Does anyone have one or are they even available in the U.S? Saw the review in Velo Vision and am very interested. Was looking at the various Moultons last year but didn't buy one. Just couldn't wrap my brain around the high performance small wheeled bike at that time. Still like my vintage Raleighs of which I have an R20. But...... there's something about the Moultons that grab my interest which I can't explain. PG.
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Old 01-23-08, 11:22 AM
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The Moulton provides wonderful riding comfort with its tunable suspension and surprising speed on ther road. I have been riding Moultons for over 25 years and even the 1965 Stowaway astonishes me with its handling and comfort with relatively primitive suspension compared to my 1973 Mark III and the 1989 ATB and even the 1995 Pashley/Moulton. The newest models feel like spaceships that you can pack up in a small box and take with you anywhere. You will not be disappointed if you buy any model.
Don't forget the Bridgestone/Moulton model either as it is the least expensive model.
https://www.jitensha.com/eng/moulton_e.html

If you want to read about touring around the world on a Moulton see the following link:
https://www.greenbicycle.com/moulton-why.htm
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Old 01-23-08, 05:16 PM
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Originally Posted by PolishGuy
...there's something about the Moultons that grab my interest which I can't explain. PG.
Me too. I would really like to try one at some point.
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Old 01-23-08, 09:23 PM
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I do not believe anyone in the US is importing them now. I have seen at least one in NYC though. I gotta tell you, I'm sure it's superb but it was just about the ugliest bikes I've ever seen....
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Old 01-23-08, 10:13 PM
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A Moulton Importer: https://www.northroadbicycle.com/ Located in North Carolina.
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Old 01-24-08, 08:30 AM
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I bought a Pashley Moulton TSR30 last September. It is a splendid ride and is fast and nippy even after I changed the tyres for Marathons, which are a wee bit too large for the brake clearance - they just work with about 2 mm to spare. The bike however is a dream, and I'm EXTREMELY frustrated that I've ruptured my calf muscle and can't ride for a while.

I'm half thinking about selling it, since it's too expensive a bike to have lying around and I don't know when I'll be able to ride again.





https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...t=#post5400928
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Old 01-24-08, 08:54 AM
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Sorry to hear about your calf muscle Evil V - I'd just polish, lube and regrease the TSR until the fibres have healed.

When the Marathons expire, I'd heartily recommend the new Schwalbe Kojacks. They're pricey, but light and fast rolling. No punctures after 50 miles (worthless puncture comments are obligatory)!
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Old 01-24-08, 03:30 PM
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EvilV,

My wife and daughter will be in the UK in the next few days....seeing I've been so nice to you, maybe you could please, please, please give it to them to bring home.....I'm happy to pay the freight costs
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Old 01-25-08, 03:55 PM
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Originally Posted by Fear&Trembling
Sorry to hear about your calf muscle Evil V - I'd just polish, lube and regrease the TSR until the fibres have healed.

When the Marathons expire, I'd heartily recommend the new Schwalbe Kojacks. They're pricey, but light and fast rolling. No punctures after 50 miles (worthless puncture comments are obligatory)!


Yes - I'll probably just do that. I can't eevn walk without lurching around like a total cripple.

Believe it or not, I was trying to start an old Royal Enfield 500cc single cylinder motorbike. I gave it a mighty kick - everything I had, unfortunately without taking the precaution of making sure the kickstart lever was back to the top of its travel. Since it was far from that, and I only had maybe three inches of travel on the lever, when I put my all into slamming it down, something had to give and it wasn't going to be a three quarter inch thick steel lever.

I'm hobbling about in semi agony and will be for the foreseeable.

Here's the answer to your PM john.
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Old 01-25-08, 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by EvilV
Yes - I'll probably just do that. I can't eevn walk without lurching around like a total cripple.

Believe it or not, I was trying to start an old Royal Enfield 500cc single cylinder motorbike. I gave it a mighty kick - everything I had, unfortunately without taking the precaution of making sure the kickstart lever was back to the top of its travel. Since it was far from that, and I only had maybe three inches of travel on the lever, when I put my all into slamming it down, something had to give and it wasn't going to be a three quarter inch thick steel lever.

I'm hobbling about in semi agony and will be for the foreseeable.

Here's the answer to your PM john.
Jeeze, what a bad break.

A buddy did the same a year ago with a Triumph Trophy. Shattered his ankle and he's still hobbling about. A few pints were involved if I remember correctly.

There was a reason they invented the electric start.

Hope you're on the mend soon.
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Old 01-27-08, 11:34 AM
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Your mate sounds like he had a worse accident. I've learned my lesson now, and won't be prodding any more half litre engines over with parts of my anatomy.
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Old 01-29-08, 10:07 PM
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man i want one of these too. there's one available near me, and i passed on it this weekend, but i'm still thinking about it... yeah, they're oddballs, but so am i...
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Old 01-29-08, 11:59 PM
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Trophy Bikes in Philadelphia and BFold in NYC are both importers of newer Moultons.

They occasionally appear on eBay too.
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Old 01-30-08, 01:47 PM
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Ive got a motorbike, I moved it to my yard and tried to start it. Kicked and the stoopid lever went up my overalls leg...3 times in a row...nearly fell over trying to waggle free of it.

DOH!!

I saw in a car magazine...the writer got a Lotus Esprit for £500. You know wedge sports car that was in a Bond movie
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Old 02-12-08, 05:24 PM
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I am pretty sure that these are the best guys to contact....production has just started!

Dealer Name: Angle Lake Cyclery Dealer Address: Seatle
WA
Contact Name: Dale Clark Telephone: 001 206-878 7457 Fax: 001 206-824 3038
Dealer Name: Doug Milliken Dealer Address: Buffalo
NY
Contact Name: Doug Milliken Telephone: 001 716-632 6710 Fax: 001 716-633 9283 Email: Doug.Milliken@gmail.com Comment: Moultoneer and good friend of Dr Moulton. Responsible for speed record fairing and wind tunnel testing.
Dealer Name: Hed Cycling Products Dealer Address: White Bear
MN
Contact Name: Steve & Anne Hed Telephone: 001 651 653 0202 Fax: 001 651 653 0275 Email: hed@iswest.com Website: https://www.hedcycling.com
Dealer Name: North Road Bicycle Company Dealer Address: PO Box 840
166 Court Square
Yanceyville
NC 27379
Contact Name: Gilbert Anderson Telephone: +336-421-4054 Email: cyclestore@aol.com Website: https://www.northroadbicycle.com Comment: Toll Free Triangle, NC area 919-828-8999
Toll free Nationwide 800-321-5511
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Old 02-13-08, 05:55 AM
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Originally Posted by alecw35
I saw in a car magazine...the writer got a Lotus Esprit for £500. You know wedge sports car that was in a Bond movie
An Esprit for £500 must be a total dog. A guy near me bought one and completely restored it from being a ruin. He spent £20,000 on it and I doubt if it would fetch £7000. He has much more expensive and stoopid hobbies than I do.

Glad to say my leg is much better and I can now walk and ride, if I do it gently.
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Old 02-15-08, 12:13 PM
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Thank you Arctos and MoultonGuy. I've been e-mailing Gilbert at Northroad bikes and plan on talking to him via phone next week. I'm starting to feel a little guilty spending so much money on a bike like this. Most of my recent buys have been older Raleighs that I've bought and refurbished for around $100.00 each. I do like the old Raleigh Twenty and will probably keep it. The Univega Super Strada, Raleigh Sports and Raleigh Trent Sports will be sold to compensate for the purchase of the Moulton. Kind of a trade-off justification for the purchase. Thx again, PG.
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Old 02-18-08, 02:03 AM
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The Esprit gets a couple of page write up in the new issue of the Moulton Club magazine. Sounds like its a very nice bike, although they were careful not top mention the price, only that it would fall somewhere between the Pashley TSR range and the New Series. Big bucks anyway.
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Old 02-18-08, 03:20 PM
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[QUOTE=Diode100;6185127]The Esprit gets a couple of page write up in the new issue of the Moulton Club magazine. Sounds like its a very nice bike, although they were careful not top mention the price, only that it would fall somewhere between the Pashley TSR range and the New Series. Big bucks anyway.[/QUOA Pashley TSR like mine is £1500 new give or take a few pence and the new series can be £4000. That's the difference between a bike hand built in a factory like Pashley's and one built in the stable block of a stately home like where Alex Moulton lives and works.

[IMG]javascriptpenCurrentImage()[/IMG]
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Old 02-18-08, 03:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Diode100
The Esprit gets a couple of page write up in the new issue of the Moulton Club magazine. Sounds like its a very nice bike, although they were careful not top mention the price, only that it would fall somewhere between the Pashley TSR range and the New Series. Big bucks anyway.
Pashley TSR like mine is £1500 new give or take a few pence and the new series can be £4000. That's the difference between a bike hand built in a factory like Pashley's and one built in the stable block of a stately home like where Alex Moulton lives and works.

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Old 02-19-08, 04:29 AM
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Are Pashley's really ''hand built'' ?
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Old 02-19-08, 04:46 AM
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Here's a photo of the Moulton ''Factory" - don't know if it was the stables, or just an outhouse !
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Old 02-19-08, 04:48 AM
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Another go !
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
Moulton Factory !.JPG (89.3 KB, 16 views)

Last edited by Diode100; 02-19-08 at 05:01 AM.
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Old 02-19-08, 05:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Diode100
Are Pashley's really ''hand built'' ?
Yes. Plenty of jigs and certainly industrial quantities but there are no robots.
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Old 02-19-08, 02:24 PM
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Originally Posted by Diode100
Are Pashley's really ''hand built'' ?
https://www.pashley.co.uk/content/about-us.html

It says so on their website. The guy I bought mine from worked for them for a year as a part of his Production Engineering course. He said so too.

The next link is to a badly narrated film about the Moulton New Series bikes. In spite of the awful narration, I found it quite interesting to hear Moulton himself talk about how he came to the designs of the New Series bikes. I bought my TSR as a poor relation of that design, because I couldn't consider spending £4k on a bicycle.

https://video.google.com/videoplay?do...2343&q=moulton

Last edited by EvilV; 02-19-08 at 04:18 PM.
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