holden west

I spotted this dusty and neglected bike at an auction and had to have it. I couldn't believe it was completely original and in good basic shape and knew it would clean up nicely.

Nothing has been replaced. It has the original tubes and tires (Dunlop Roadster) and John Bull brakepads. A lot of the cable guides have broken and I understand this is common. I had the headset overhauled as it was not very smooth but no other work was required.

I had never ridden one before and it is a hoot to ride. It's easy to mount and rides more like a regular bike. The dual suspension and relatively narrow tires provide a surprisingly smooth ride. The drawbacks are the contact points: the seat is not comfortable for long rides and the handgrips are hard, gloves are required. And as you can imagine those half-century old brake pads are not ideal on steel rims. Applying the brakes in wet weather merely suggests the concept of stopping. But I believe there are modern compound pads that look vintage. It's always a dilemma with bikes like this because with some updating it would be an awesome daily commuter but it looks so cute as is.

clubman 

So much original awesome! They are special bikes. Try a B17 on it.
You can keep the original parts and slim the bike down with all alloy components with no real aesthetic downside. I love my 64.

Salamandrine 

Great find! I've been a Moulton fan for decades. That's a really nice all original one.

All rubber components are subject to decay and drying out. Feel no guilt about replacing them. Yes, vintage style brake pads are available. Perhaps koolstop makes insert for the holders you have, not sure.

AFA your dilemma about updates, I'd probably rebuild the rims to alloy, put on some new rubber, and leave it at that. Store the originals in a box. That will get you 90% of any potential performance improvement, and will look bone stock from 3 feet away. I'd probably even keep the saddle, at least for a short commute. Those 70s mattress saddles were pretty bad, but you get used to them... You could put a Brooks on there but then it becomes a theft magnet. If you've got a secure storage location that wouldn't matter.

holden west

Thanks for the nice comments. One dilemma I had was with the saddle. It looked very yellow and worn-looking and when the bike was polished the saddle really stuck out in a bad way. I decided to spray paint it with a paint designed for leather and vinyl. Then it looked a little too pristine. I then got some Testors metallic copper paint and carefully painted the saddle rivets. After a few weeks of normal wear and tear the saddle had a more natural look that's perfect to me. But yes, those are very good suggestions for updating the other parts.

I don't think I've ever ridden a bike that's generated so many smiles and thumb's ups. It's a real head-turner.

steve sumner

those John Bull flimsy steel calipers have to go in the trash bin!
a set of Weinmann sidepulls with Kool Stop pads will stop well
and still be vintage and look as if they were OEM

Velo Mule

Don't throw away the steel brake calipers. Save them for some time when for some crazy reason, you want to sell it or something. But if you are going to ride, upgrading the calipers would make sense at some point.

I've kept an eye out for a Moulton in my price range. The problem for me is that everyone with a computer looks them up and thinks they are worth a fortune, even in unfortunate condition.

Nice find. And it looks like the new owner is the right person for this bike. Have fun with it.

noglider 

What a great score. I test rode a similar Moulton a few years ago and was impressed. It does feel like a big wheel bike because of the brilliant suspension.

Those brake calipers work fine for me. I can't stand the Weinmann brakes of that type. If you don't like the steel ones, get some dual pivot calipers.

cudak888 

Looks fantastic - and I second noglider. Those calipers aren't the greatest, but some grippy John Bull replacement pads by Kool-Stop (they make the right size for these now, in both compounds) will do much more to improve braking than flexy Weinmann sidepulls.

I've also found Tektro 900A's to work nicely for this reach, if you wish to go modern.

-Kurt

steve sumner

if you think Weinmann sidepulls are flexy then you haven't felt thin steel sidepulls
especially in the wet with steel rims they only give the impression of stopping.

holden west

Good advice, I will change out the brake pads, especially since they won't affect the vintage look. The original John Bulls give only slightly better performance than a pair of ice cubes. I think now they're like anti-wrinkle cream: if used immediately they may be effective eventually.

oneclick 

You have a Mini variant - everything is 7/8 the size of the original F-frame.

I already posted this elsewhere, but have a look:




Mini with an extended & widened rear fork, sturmey front drum and nexus 8 rear with roller brake on alloy erto 305 rims, Nervar/TA crank, lots of other tweaks.

Salamandrine 

That's a very nice hot rodded Moulton!

Right, 7/8 model, good catch. I had to go find my Moulton book on the shelf. The Minx was one of the 14" wheel models. The orginal tire size is now pretty obscure but not extinct.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tyres/ra...37298/?geoc=US

I don't see why you guys are afraid of some old steel brake calipers. I spent my youth riding those down steep hills. Just plan ahead a little... New pads for sure though.

oneclick 

You also have (it seems) the version of the Mini that takes normal headset parts. I have two Minis, and only one is like that - the other has formed ends of the head tube that take inserts.

clubman 

OP, please go to the SJS link and look closely. They're stated that this is the final production of this tyre so treat yourself, buy 4 of them and capture the market! (I'd do it)

holden west

Those are Dunlop Roadster tires. It's amazing they are a half-century old and only have minor sidewall hairline cracking.
The Schwalbe website says they stock 14" x 1 3/8" tires.

cudak888 

Oh, I've felt crappy thin steel sidepulls before, but the steel TI/Raleigh calipers - if adjusted tight enough - can do a tad better than "speed modulation when paired with grabby pads.

More importantly, they're less likely to permanently bend from hard braking with really grabby pads, which is a real possibility with the long-reach Weinmann sidepulls.

-Kurt

Salamandrine 

Careful there, I believe those Schwalbe are ISO 288, not ISO 298. Both are nominally 14" x 1 3/8". Since yours is a later model I suppose there some chance that could be what you have, but I suspect not. I'm certainly no expert in various European 14" sizes though. 26" is bad enough.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/rim-sizing.html

oneclick 

My Minis both had 298. One had white (well they had been white once) tyres.

Germany_chris

Moulton, as in Dave Moulton?

oneclick 

As far as I know, no kin to Dr. Alex Moulton CBE.

Salamandrine 

That's what I would expect. It seems highly unlikely they'd switch from 298 to a tire size 10mm smaller but with the same name. That would have been a crazy mean thing to do to Moulton owners.

It's always good to measure and verify, but it's a pretty safe assumption the Dunlops are the same ISO 298 size as the tires I linked to that SJS is selling.

If you wanted to hot rod this, going to 305 like you did would be the most logical approach.

noglider 

Not all steel side-pulls are crappy. The ones on my 1962 Rudge work like champs and leave me wanting nothing. The ones on this Moulton look like they might be just as good.