I used to race bikes in the late 60's and l remember Moulton had one professional rider. My god you should have seen the enormous chainwheel to compensate for the small wheels!
I rebuilt a Moulton like those in the 1980's. I built a rear wheel with a 5-speed Sturmey Archer hub gear. It was a pleasure to ride but the only tyres of the correct size were rated for children's bikes and if you inflated them to more than 35 psi, they rapidly failed.
I have one of these old Moultons. My dad bought it when I was a kid and my sister and I would ride around on the luggage racks (mine has front and rear racks). At some point in the last 45 years, it was in a flood up to the hub and the transmission got filled with water and seized up. I took it to a bike shop and they cleaned it, but it sometimes pops out of gear or like goes into neutral (between the gears in a way) when I try to shift. The guy said that's as good as it is going to get because the parts aren't available. Good to know about the tires. Another reason to not actually try to ride the bike. It's cool garage art, but it seems like that's about all it is at this point.
@@tupmankolanks2638 With 35 psi the bike is rideable but inflating to a normal pressure such as 60 psi, the tyres (if made for a kid's bike) will rapidly fail. It should be possible to find a normal bicycle old and in poor condition very cheap with a four speed Sturmey Archer hub gear (if that is what your Moulton has) and then a mechanic who knows SA could swap the innards. I enjoyed riding my Moulton. About 40 years ago I was member of the Moulton club and enjoyed club rides.
Get in touch with the Moulton Bicycle Club and preservations for info on how to restore the bike to former glory. A Sturmey Archer FW hub was used originally. They are not easy to find in great condition but the trigger is likely the component causing you trouble. Tyres aren’t an issue anymore. You can purchase a pair designed for a Brompton folder, they should fit a treat and take necessary pressure for a lively ride. I recommend Schwalbe brand products.
@@richardfranks2831 I built a wheel with a five speed hub for my Moulton. But that was in the 1980's - I lost sight of that bike years ago. I still have the super-long philips screwdriver for replacing the front spring.
@@tupmankolanks2638 There are modern tyres available now that are much better. Things moved on a lot since the other fella had his in the 80s. As for your gear hub, the entire unit is replaceable, but I agree with the person who says it's probably just the shifter.
@@1960malcolm1 David. I aften cycled from B-on-A to Salisbury and back with him pushing me to the limit. Still in touch with his widow - Jackie.. My Dad drove him when he was commentating La Tour one year. When I was 13 David lent me a Pre-production Raleigh MK1 Chopper for three months to get some marketing feedback. I couldn’t cycle for more than half a mile without getting stopped by people in cars and on the street in amazement of its innovation. Still own a Moulton AM7.
