Moulton is unique in the history of cycling.Dr Alex Moulton’s suspended small wheeler kick started the small wheel revolution,made cycling fashionable in ‘60s Britain,and over 40 years later,the basic concept is still in production.

It’s the great survivor:built first by Dr Moulton after Raleigh refused to do a deal;then by Raleigh when they saw how successful it was;sidelined in the 1970s (Dr Moulton says after Raleigh’s corporate head was turned by the success of the high barred Chopper – see page 42); reinvented in the ‘80s as the space frame Moulton,built both in the tiny factory at Bradford on Avon,and in cheaper APB form by Pashley.And 20-odd years later, the space frame Moulton is still with us,with those small wheels and full suspension that have underpinned every single bike with the Moulton badge. Hop over to this web-site for more details.

There’s just one hurdle to owning one of these iconic bikes today.The space frame Moultons are built in tiny numbers by a small team of skilled craftsmen, and they cost a few thousand pounds apiece.There are plenty of wealthy enthusiasts around the world willing to pay that,and for those who can’t or won’t,Pashley offers the TSR range from £895, but that still leaves a gap between the two,and in any case some ‘Moultoneers’ still prefer the simplicity of the original ‘60s Fframe Moulton.

Enter Bridgestone of Japan, which has been building a replicais much more faithful than that.It looks like an exact replica of the original,with the advantage of modern componentry,but there are some key differences.The frame is of aluminium,not steel;the front suspension uses an external hinge rather than internal splines;the rear frame pivot is in a different place;the wheels are 17-inch (369mm) Moulton specials,not the original (349mm) 16s;and no ‘60s Moulton offered an 18-speed derailleur,let alone one made in Japan.Prices start at £975, and the quality looks spot-on.

For some,the thought of a 100% Japanese Moulton might still be too much to swallow,in which case there’s the Custom,and that’s what we test here.The standard Bridgestone bike is wheeled into an annexe of the little factory in Bradford on Avon and treated to upgraded components,plus a whole array of options.So the Custom Separable comes with a polished and lacquered frame,double chainring and adjustable dropbars with STI shifters.The front suspension medium – polymer only in the standard Bridgestone – has a steel spring added,and they claim reduced stiction as a result.Options fitted to the test bike included front rack,large rear rack,bags for both and MSK quick-release pedals.The basic Custom Separable costs £2,175,so even before you add any of these,it’s not cheap.

Just like the original Moulton Stowaway (plus many Moultons since),this one splits in half,though they do a rigid frame version as well.But it’s not intended to compete with modern small-wheeled folders.Instead,say Moulton,just like the ‘60s pioneer,this is a genuine alternative to a big-wheeled bike of the same spec,with the added advantage of a split-in-half frame.Are they right?

On the Road

If you’re particularly big or small,do take a test ride before buying,as there’s only one frame size,and at 5’ 6”,with arms to match,I felt quite stretched out.Thanks to a swivelling stem,there is some adjustment in the drop bars, at 97-100.5cm off the ground,but even with the Brooks saddle slid right forward,the bike still felt big.Still,that’s no problem for taller riders,and there’s also lots of saddle height adjustment,from 101cm to as low as you like.

Some bikes reveal their sporty character within the first few metres,and the Moulton is one of those.Even pedalling away from a dark,wet railway station,it had that get up and go feel that encourages you to push that bit harder and head for the horizon.It’s got fizz and zing,a bit like a Mini Cooper in fact – and that’s a real Mini Cooper,not the bloated pastiche made by BMW.

The Bridgestone is quite closely modelled on the 1960s machine,but in alloy,with some minor frame alterations

…it was great to slip into that 113-inch top gear, allowing 20mph cruising…

This efficient energy transfer comes from a stiff,strong frame that is uncompromised by the fact that it splits in half.Plus the Shimano bits Ultegra and Capreo are near the top of Shimano’s componentry pecking order,which shows in clean,precise gearchanging.The STI shifters will change down two,three or four cogs at a time,which is especially useful on steep hills,and also allow one to trim the big chainwheel.As the Custom is built to order,there’s a choice of ratios,and the test bike’s 928 tooth rear cogs came with 46 and 58-tooth chainwheels,giving 29-89 inches on the small chainwheel,and 40-112 on the big one.There’s also a monster 62-tooth chainwheel, which would deliver 119 inches.

Either way,there’s a cog for all occasions,and while the bottom 29inch isn’t a genuine granny gear,it climbed every hill we tried.There’s a whole folklore about climbing hills on Moultons,with some riders convinced that the front suspension will bob up and down,wasting valuable effort.If you stand on the pedals,pull on the bars and ride aggressively,it will,but sit back and pedal smoothly,and it won’t – simple. At the other end of the scale,it was great to slip into the 113-inch top, allowing (given athletic legs or a following wind) 20mph cruising.Like pedalling with seven league boots on.

Not surprisingly,the Moulton proved to be the fastest non-electric bike tested around our standard 10mile course,at 38 minutes.That put it a decisive nose ahead of the Brompton S2LX,at 41 minutes our previous fastest pedal-powered machine.We’ve never tested a conventional fast tourer,but we doubt it would exceed the Moulton’s average 15.7mph by very much. There is of course another side to all this get …suspension has always been part of the concept… combining the benefits of small wheels with big wheel comfort… up and go.Small wheels do take some acclimatisation,especially when allied with narrow drop bars. The Moulton has a flighty,quicksteering feel – it’s not unstable,but certainly needs more concentration than a big-wheeled bike.And the narrow,high pressure tyres (Bridgestone of course) which roll so freely aren’t well suited to loose surfaces riding off tarmac and straight onto a gravelly Sustrans track resulted in a lurid front wheel slide.Fortunately,good brakes are part of the package,Shimano side-pulls that are light, progressive and powerful.

Full suspension has always been part of the Moulton concept – the whole idea was to combine the benefits of small wheels (strength,acceleration,open frame) with big-wheel comfort.The Bridgestone’s suspension isn’t adjustable like that on Bradford-built Moultons, but the Custom does have that steel spring added to the front polymer.And the whole setup works superbly well,floating over manhole covers and speed humps,and giving you the confidence,despite those hard,narrow tyres,to ride straight over undulations.Not only that,but the single-tube suspension,with its scissor linkage,looks a far more elegant solution than the motorcycle-style front forks fitted to many bikes.The rear suspension consists of a non-adjustable lump of elastomer,which proved much too hard for my 10 stone.

Folding

The Moulton doesn’t fold like a Bike Friday,let alone one of the classic small-wheel folders,but then it was never intended as the sort of bike to slip onto a crowded commuter train.Instead,just like the original Moulton Stowaway,the split-in-half frame makes it easy to fit into the boot of the car (Bentley,in the case of some readers). Splitting the bike is a quick operation. Select top gear and split the three cables via the neat little threaded connectors,then unscrew the big allen bolt in the middle of the frame and gently lift the bike in half.After a couple of practice runs, we were doing this in 20 seconds,plus another 7 seconds to remove the saddle stem and quick-release pedals.The latter slip off after pushing down a spring-loaded collar,and very well they work too.The essential allen key is kept in in a slot underneath the rear rack,which is jolly handy…as long as no one nicks it while you’re around the corner sipping a cappuccino.

Anyway,the result is a bike of two halves. The front half measures 103.5cm long,26cm wide and 55.5cm tall (149 litres or 5.2 cu ft);the rear 101.5 x 53 x 43.5 (234 litres or 8.3 cu ft).Not something to have Brompton quaking in its boots,but still more adaptable than a conventional big-wheeler.We had the whole lot back together in 30 seconds,plus 12 for the saddle and pedals – no doubt more practice would bring a faster time.And once the allen bolt is tightened,the whole thing is as rigid as a solid frame.

Together again,the complete bike tipped our scales at 14.4kg with the racks in place but no bags – Moulton claim 12.1kg with the racks off,which sounds about right.Either way,the Bridgestone Moulton is a bit on the tubby side for such a sporty machine,though oddly it doesn’t feel heavy and slothful on the road – quite the reverse in fact.And according to our 10-mile time,it doesn’t perform that way either.

As on the more expensive Moultons,a small rear rack comes as standard,with a front rack and larger rear as extras,plus bags.Our test bike had the lot.They aren’t as capacious as conventional panniers,but big enough for a few days touring.Both bags slip on and off fairly quickly,thanks to velcro fastenings,so there’s no need to leave them outside the pub. They are waterproof,have external pockets and,best of all,little leather ‘Alex Moulton’ zip pulls.The rear bag does get muddy in wet weather though.

Conclusion

Some riders would never consider buying a Moulton;others would consider nothing else. The Bridgestone’s frame badge proclaims ‘The Spirit of Moulton,’ and it is just that.To all intents and purposes,this is the original Stowaway,but with modern components and superior performance.Forty years on,it’s become a fast,sporty tourer with a long pedigree,plus that elegant front suspension.It’s undeniably expensive in Custom form,and the standard Bridgestone (or Pashley’s TSR) looks better value.But the Moulton,wherever it’s made,is still a unique small-wheeler.

Specification

Bridgestone Moulton Custom Separable £2,175 . Weight 14.4kg (32lbs) . Gears 18-spd Shimano Capreo derailleur . Ratios 29″-113″ . Folded size (front) :L103.5cm W26cm H55.5cm (rear) : L101.5cm W53cm H43.5cm . Folded volume 383 litres (28 cu ft) Wheelbase 115cm . 10-mile circuit 38 mins . Manufacturer Bridgestone/Moulton UK Distributor Alex Moulton Ltd  tel 01225 865895 email mail@alexmoulton.co.uk

A to B 58 – Feb 07