Strange Looking Bikes!
 

I stumbled across this. I haven't checked it out yet, but of course I thought of the people on BF first..so have fun! Looks pretty wierd. Anyone heard of these before?

http://www.alexmoulton.co.uk/

Yea this is a very famous folding bike invented by Moulton.
You can fold em real small to put in your car boot or hand luggage etc.
They fetch a high price and earlier models are much sought after.
He produced a lightweight race cycle too as I recall.

Of course he's completely nuts like most Brit inventors:D

I've also heard of them. Apparently he invented them waaaay back, then at one point sold the design to Raleigh, who proceeded to bugger it up so badly that he took it back again!

They are supposed to be exceptionally well designed, I believe, and with farings I understand they rival 'bents for speed and efficiency.

Anyone ride one?

Ellie

Alex Moulton is a suspension engineer who designed systems for the Mini car. He is radical, but not nuts.
His bikes have a cult following and are highly respected, and he was building dual suspension bikes when the MTB originators were riding tricycles. In my small town there are 2 Moulton users.

He uses a space-frame construction which is very light and stiff. They dont fold down, but do split in half for transportation.
They are effective racing and time trial bikes , excellent touring bikes, even for tough expedition style riding and make excellent commuting and utility bikes, with a good load-carrying ability. The suspension system is well proven and very reliable.

I went to the cycle show in London last weekend. The Moulton stand had the usual fold-aways they are noted for, and some others that caught my eye. There was a tandem, can you believe. And another used a kind of cross frame structure. The usual tubes were replaced with a lattice of what looked like 1cm beams. Very interesting to look at, but it was a working bike all the same, not just a concept for the show.

The owner of my lbs is a big fan of Moulton and buys them in scrap condition and rebuilds them to former glory. There not for everyone though.

Cool!

I've seen many in Europe and there is an adapter kit to change one into a recumbent style. It's neat to see people approach train a station in Europe, hop off the moulton and than pick it up by a central handle , it folds up and than they walk into the station and catch their train. Once folder it's not much bigger than some small carry on luggage bags.

Unfortunately the wheels are too tiny for most North American roads and they wouldn't last long.

http://www.moultoneers.net/
has reports of Moultons used on continental tours in Asia, Uk to Australia, and across Mongolia. Im sure they can cope with US conditions.

I made a recumbent conversion of Moulton back in 1991. Brought back to New Zealand and has travelled over unsealed back country roads. The suspension means the small wheels cope just fine. In fact being small makes them more robust.

A friend of mine has a sixties vintage Moulton in her bike collection. A three speed, It's not geared well for the hills we have around here. For tooling around the city it's perfect. Derailleur geared versions give much better performance. In the older bike the front elastmomer suspension fork is not unlike a Cannondale "Head Shock" in appearance. The rear suspension is a simple elastomer (still springy after three plus decades). I've ridden it. The suspension is effective and doesn't pogo. It's an ingenious design that deserves the cult status it's achieved.

Any relation to david moulton..?

Bentrider.On the contrary a well built small wheel is much sturdier than a large one. :eek: