moulton safari bike

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New Moulton NS Safari is first disc-brake specific bike from British maker

The bike has front and rear suspension alongside a Campagnolo Ekar groupset

Stan Portus / Our Media

Stan Portus

Moulton is a niche but much-loved British bike brand, which produces small-wheeled bikes with suspension that stand out thanks to their lattice frames.

At Eurobike 2023, the brand displayed the Moulton NS Safari, the first of its bikes to feature disc brakes on the front and rear wheels.

The small-wheeled bike is said to be suitable for “all kinds of terrain”, ranging from tarmac to gravel.

The bike packs intriguing suspension technology and is built with a Campagnolo Ekar groupset.

Space-frame design

The NS Safari’s frame is what Moulton calls a ‘space-frame design’.

This design was first released in 1983 after Alex Moulton, the originator of the Moulton, conceptualised the idea six years prior to achieving a lightweight frame that also provided lateral stiffness and torsional rigidity.

The frame has a fillet-brazed construction and uses Columbus Spirit, Kaisei NiCrMo and Reynolds steel.

The frame can be split into halves to make it easy to transport. Unlike folding bikes , which are hinged, Moulton bikes can be divided into halves to make them easy to transport.

Moulton suspension

Alex Moulton was an engineer and inventor renowned for his suspension designs, notably rubber suspension systems for cars, including the Mini.

He began using rubber suspension systems on bicycles and the NS Safari features this technology.

Moulton’s international sales executive, Steven Harvey, explained to BikeRadar that rubber suspension relies on shear rather than compression.

Harvey provided the analogy of twisting the muscle on your arm, where resistance increases as you twist.

The fork of the NS Safari features Moulton’s Flexitor suspension, which uses rubber. This design does not have bearings or friction and doesn’t need servicing, according to Moulton.

The NS Safari features Moulton’s Hydroelastic suspension with a sealed rear-fork pivot.

The Moulton NS Safari spec

The Moulton NS Safari features a titanium seatpost and handlebar stem.

With its eyes on gravel riding , the bike has a 13-speed Campagnolo Ekar groupset. The groupset has a 44t front chainring and a 9-36t cassette.

The 20in Moulton DTR20 wheels are held in the frame with 12mm thru-axles and shod with Schwalbe G-One Speed tyres.

The NS Safari can fit a front pannier rack, rear platform carrier and a rear day bag carrier.

The bike has a claimed weight of 10kg.

When will the bike be available?

Harvey said the brand hopes to have the NS Safari available for purchase before Christmas.

Moulton builds its own jigs for production in-house and is still refining some of the bike's features. So producing the bikes by the end of the year is dependent on the brand finalising its production line.

The Moulton NS Safari will retail for £10,950.

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The Classic Moulton F-Frame Bicycle

The first bare Moulton prototypes had two upright tubes connected by a larger diameter horizontal round tube, the classic ‘F’ frame. It is so simple that we can easily overlook the cleverness of this solution. Moulton had consciously thrown away the conventional thinking of triangular structure in order to achieve his aim of creating an easy-to-mount open frame. This was a huge creative leap.

As the new bicycle did not have the triangular architecture of the diamond frame, it had to derive most of its strength and torsional rigidity from the single horizontal main tube. When we consider that eighty years of development, aimed at refining the size of tubing to reduce weight to the minimum, had gone into bicycle architecture, Moulton’s debut really sparkles with brilliance.

What's so great about old Moultons?

At the back of a series 1 or 2, the fork pivots to squeeze and deform a rubber block. The more weight you put on the bike, the stiffer the rear suspension becomes, which is known as "rising rate".

Apart from being the obvious solution to the problem, front and rear rubber suspension was, in the 1960's, an entirely new departure for bicycle design which promised to marry high efficiency with higher levels of comfort. Importantly, it was this dual improvement that allowed the Moulton to be a superb sports bicycle and a comfortable utility bicycle.

But I'm making the suspension sound like a technical thing to stroke your beard over as you examine the graphs of reduced amplitude vibration. This isn't the point. It's the sensation of riding the bike that is of most worth. They really are great fun. Going up and down ramps in the street and over speed humps puts a grin on your face when you are new to Moultons. And they really take the sting out of rough surfaces.

The next great feature must be that the wheels, at first sight, seem so incredibly dinky. But with the huge success of Brompton folding bicycles (45,000 bicycles built each year, 2020) 16 inch diameter wheels are surely now beyond serious criticism. Small wheels give the Moulton quick steering and a real feeling of nimble handling. There's no huge wheel swinging around in front or splattering mud up your back.

After deciding upon small diameter wheels, Alex Moulton looked at both 14” and 16” diameter tyres, and had high quality tyres constructed by Dunlop. Immediately, it became obvious that tyre pressure was the most important influence on rolling resistance. Provided that the pressure was above 70psi, a small wheel would roll just as efficiently as a large 26” diameter conventional wheel. If pressure was around 100psi, the small wheel would roll better than the large wheel at 70psi.

Moulton's frame was the really revolutionary thing about it. Aircraft construction techniques were used in place of traditional lugs, it had a flatted main beam and a pierced seat tube and there was only one small triangle in the mainframe. This latter feature was a really audacious move. But more importantly, the Moulton design looks right and even now, it looks modern and stylish.

Another absolutely great thing about Moultons is the fascinating story of their manufacture. They began to be made in volume in the spring of 1963 and orders were tailing off by the end of 1965 when the Raleigh RSW was launched. By 1970, Raleigh were trying to revive the flagging fortunes with a new design, the Mk3 Moulton, but sales were very low. So, the Moulton boom, although it was very significant, really only lasted for a few years, at a time when Britain was a design hothouse. You can go back to the sales literature and immerse yourself in a sixties afterglow. Here is a great piece of film from the Pathe archives that captures the mood of the times.

Series one? Mark 3? What's that all about?

One thing that you may have noticed is that all the Moultons on this page have different designs of rear forks. That is the general way in which the bikes are separated into their types. In fact, the yellow forks with the deralleur are a special type known as "Speedsix" forks, of which not many were made. They are based upon the Series two forks of the time but are wider, have different dropouts and a brazed-on derailleur mounting point. Also, they have a friction damping system to combat pedalling resonance.

All of the Moulton models are described in detail in Paul Grogan's superb books, "The Classic Moulton" and "The Marvellous Moulton Mini". These books are stuffed full of rare photographs and brochure copy, and loads of archive material. They are well worth buying for somebody who really catches the Moulton bug. His website is here . What I will do is to give you a quick guide to the main types, not all the different models.

All Moultons came with a rear carrier but a front carrier could also be fitted as an accessory. The bike shown has additions of front and rear bags made by "Arrowsmith", which are now highly collectable. The rear lamp bracket was always fitted to sixties Moultons and Pifco or Starlite lights with cardboard batteries could be bought for it.

This saddle is not original. It would have had a Middlemores mattress saddle as original equipment, often in a revolting orangey-brown and with a central seam that always splits, exposing a distasteful horsehair layer.

At first, all wheels were built with 36 spokes front and rear, but as Moulton gained more control of specification he was able to have 28 hole hubs made specially.

The first "deluxe" series one's had a very elegant "billard cue" paintwork design and expensive alloy equipment. The frames were aligned with pop-rivets before brazing, an aircraft building technique cleverly adapted by Moulton. These bikes are very highly prized and extra effort should be made to save them. On the right is a deluxe model made in 1963. It has a Dynohub and Sturmey Archer lighting as a special option. The back of the front carrier is a large triangle which is only true of early bikes. The nicest of all early deluxes are the metallic red and white frames of which very few now exist.

Gradually, more features were modified such as the seat tube of the frame, which was squashed across the base, and a move away from welding to edge brazing. Also, the rear carrier became a plug-in unit like the export model and the front forks lost their brazed in dropout plates. To simplify things, Moulton fans generally just look at the rear forks and if they are straight rather than curved, the bike is a series two. Eventually the Moulton was taken over by Raleigh, who re-named it the "Major". This was really a true series two.

In 1967, Alex Moulton sold out to Raleigh and all production was moved to their Nottingham factory. Raleigh renamed the Standard the "Major", which always makes me think of the erstwhile Conservative Prime Minister. Also they made all kinds of different versions of the Mini and added a Dynohub to the Major Deluxe. Most importantly, they kept Alex on as a consultant and in 1970, the fruit of this partnership ripened. In the autumn, the Mk3 was launched to a largely disinterested public.

If you are lucky enough to come across a Mk3 you should definitely try to save it. Raleigh certainly knew how to braze up a frame. Keep the original equipment if you like, but a bit of weight saved here and there and certain mechanical substitutions can give you a much improved machine. The frame itself is surprisingly light in weight. Seems a shame to weigh it down with cheap steel stuff.

One thing to note: as Raleigh made all their own components in-house, they had no need of other people's thread sizes. You can't take bottom bracket and headset parts from other bikes and substitute them on a Mk3. I will describe ways of upgrading a Mk3 bottom bracket with a cartridge unit on a special page.

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In 1975, Alex Moulton developed an improvement to his F-Frame, the lighter, stiffer Y-Frame. It became his particular favorite, riding it regularly till the advent of the Spaceframe machines in the 1980's. Due to the space frame development, the Y-Frame was never put into production, until now. This bike model utilizes Moulton's acclaimed front and rear suspension providing this bike makers signature silky ride.

Frame - Moulton Y-Frame design, fillet-brazed in Columbus Spirit and Reynolds CrMo steels. Rear fork in Columbus, front fork in Reynolds 853. Stainless steel dropouts.

Transmission - 22-speed, Shimano 105 53/39 crankset with Shimano 105 flat-bar shifters, Shimano 105 front derailleur and rear derailleur, 11-speed Moulton 10-32t cassette, Connex 11sX chain. Gear range 23"-98".

Brakes - Tektro R539 DP57 caliper with Tektro FL750 brake levers.

Wheelset - Miche RG2 Racing, smooth cartridge bearing Italian hubs, Sapim Laser/Force butted stainless steel spokes, Moulton MT20 rims with CNC brake track and Schwalbe ONE 28-406 folding tires.

Weight - 23.7 lbs. without pedals Comes complete with color matched removable, Front and Rear Platform racks and Selle Italia Flite quilted leather saddle. Pedals not included; see our selection MKS Quick Release pedals here .

Shipping fee - $225

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A Capsule in Time: The Wonderful World of Moulton bicycles

We take a look behind the scenes at the historic British brand's factory-cum-stately home

As I sit on a slightly rattly, two-carriage train, the steel, glass, and concrete of Bristol quickly give way to brown-green dappled fields, many still flooded from a tremendously wet February. The March sun is doing its level best to burn through the heavy clouds, but it's still a little too anaemic, despite what the daffodils would have you believe. 

I've passed through many postcard-named stations on my way to Bradford on Avon, a stone's throw in relative terms from the Cyclingnews office. Here is where Moulton bikes are still produced, and though you may well have never laid eyes on one either in person or digitally, the brand has a storied history.

I’m met at the station by Steve, the company’s head of sales, armed with two Moultons, and we immediately glide through town and onto the Kennet and Avon canal path. If, in your mind’s eye, you picture ‘English postcard town’ you’ve got a fair idea of what Bradford on Avon and its attendant canal is like; extremely pretty, despite the fact it was, until rather recently, underwater. 

Glide is the operative word, as the Moulton betwixt my legs, is blessed with both front and rear suspension. It’s far more pillowy than similarly travelled modern suspension forks, the likes of which you’d find on a YT Szepter for example. The ride over a rutted canal towpath is slightly lolloping, reminiscent of the train carriage I had only recently alighted. 

They say a picture tells a thousand words (though my editor still refuses to pay a word rate on this basis...), and so below I'll walk through my journey into Moulton's factory, and the endearing history of a cult British cycling brand, in images.

In at the deep end; straight off the train and onto a Moulton, and along a mucky canal towpath.

We waited here a while, talked about a pub that sady wasn't open, and watched a train go by. Extremely bucolic.

Into the estate/factory, which made me feel a bit like I was breaking and entering.

The signage has had very few updates over the years; if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Parked up outside one of the workshops are our two bikes from the test fleet. More basic models to give riders and would-be purchasers a flavour, without getting the really fancy bikes filthy.

I challenge you to find a bike factory anywhere else with buildings like this.

The intricate trusses of the bikes mirror the architectural details to some degree.

To understand Moulton you need to understand Alex Moulton, the brand’s founder. A designer/engineer worthy of being mentioned amongst other such British designers/engineers like James Dyson, Barnes Wallace, and Colin Chapman. Before turning his hand to bicycle manufacturer, Alex Moulton designed the suspension for the original Mini. This suspension was in effect miniaturised and built into early models, though these had a far more boxy appearance than today at their inception in the ‘60’s. 

Down the line the designs were updated to the space frame models in production to this day; all narrow tubes, trusses, and triangles. The models proliferated from the original, utilitarian around-town models to include ever lighter and more purposeful options, and the eventual introduction of rear suspension, which in conjunction with wider tyres in effect creating the world's first full suspension mountain bike, though it’s a far cry modern mountain bikes and is perhaps more akin to a lightly suspended gravel bike.

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Lovingly leant up in the office to await its re-polishing treatment.

Outside the main office I'm shown a lovely polished stainless model, built up with a classic 5-arm Campagnolo Super Record groupset, that had been sent back to the factory for a polish.

Even as a relatively competent bicycle mechanic, I feel like I'd be out of my depth if I had to put one of these together.

Cross Iceland on 20" wheels? No problem!

Some stainless racks on the office floor catch the sunlight.

I'm not entirely sure what the sprocket is from. There's every chance it's from a truck rather than a bicycle, given the automotive paraphernalia in the office alongside the bicycle bits.

I suspect this cover of Japanese GQ was a little less faded in 2009.

Alex Moulton, the estate, and the Moulton models.

Steve shows me the suspension units from the Mini, effectively downsized to fit the Moultons of today.

Some old prototype handlebars - Rarely is wood ever used in the industry anymore, even here, though I have once seen a wooden-rimmed Moulton.

Now the factory, as much as a production unit within the grounds of what, by rights, could very well be a National Trust property can be called a ‘factory’, produces models that range from the entry-level TSR, pitched at leisure cyclists and canal towpath botherers, through to the fully stainless NS Double Pylon, where even the head tube and seat tube are trussed space frames rather than whole tubes. 

My entry to the factory was charmingly low-key. Given the fact the factory is within a walled estate I was ushered through a gate in a wall up a side road, which made me feel more like I’d accidentally kicked my ball into a neighbour's garden than a visitor to a production plant. We then rode through the grounds on an entirely moss-covered ribbon of tarmac, rutted by time and corrugated by endless tree roots - certainly a test for the suspension - into the lower half of the estate. Here, a series of low buildings house the offices, paint shop, and factory floor. 

The office, where I’m treated to an instant coffee and an extremely large slice of millionaire shortbread, is brimming with accumulated trinkets, trophies, design snippets, photographs and memorabilia. Frames covers of Japanese GQ lie next to bisected models of pneumatic suspension units, and dominating one wall is a giant monochrome portrait of Alex Moulton himself, flanked on either side by framed photos of Moulton models. 

In the main workshop the men braze, file, and fit up various sub-assemblies.

There's a sense that everything has its place, even if to the untrained eye finding something specific looks near impossible.

Compared to a standard brazed steel frame there are a fair few more brazes to complete here to create an entire bicycle.

The jigs are made in-house too, and have clearly been in use for some years.

Unlike welding, which is noisy and flickering, brazing is serene, like slowly moving honey with a torch in near silence.

Here a bottom bracket assembly is being completed.

This sign won't stop me because I can't read.

The brazers start on racks, and it can be six months before they graduate to frames.

The British have a wonderful obsession with the success of men in sheds. Passionate, dogged individuals making marvels by the light of oil lamps in cramped spaces that smell of a mix of lubricating oil and an undercurrent of metal and damp. Moulton, I’m very happy to say, fits my expectations. 

While the Colnago paint shop in the outskirts of Pisa felt like going back to the 70’s, if I was told that the men beavering away with files and torches, brass and silver and flux, still operated in imperial measurements and were paid in shillings I’d be at least some way to believing. Only their headphones, cabled units snaking out of boiler suits, nodded to the modern age. 

The brazers all start on racks, where there is a little more margin for error, before graduating to sub-assemblies of entire bicycles. Given the fact the bikes do not use the standard arrangement of head tube, down tube, seat tube etc, Moulton has had to make all its own jigs too, and as such each new model is created ‘in the air’, so to speak, before a jig is designed retrospectively to create subsequent models. In a smaller building - a little uphill next to the paint booth - a new jig is being designed for the new Moulton Safari model.

This British heritage, and slight misty-eyed nostalgia for the good old days, may be waning here, but it’s certainly popular in Asia. Moulton sells very few models domestically, with the overwhelming majority shipping to Asia. I’m told the markets fluctuate, with perhaps Japan dominating for some years before waning, and the slack picked up by Thailand, Indonesia, or Korea. Nations with a far greater love of minivelo, or the small wheeled bicycles than we have here in the UK. 

I have a feeling the success of the brand in Asia is in no small part down to Steve.

He’s clearly a man who has bought into the brand wholeheartedly and clearly loves his trips to visit his dealers in the East. As I mull over the day with a sad meal deal sandwich beneath a columned awning, Steve eats some spicy noodles from a mug. He tells me the lengths he goes to make sure his customers are happy, including flying to Brisbane to rescue a stuck seatpost. 

As he finishes his lunch he tells me that he is so fond of this particular brand of noodles (MAMA, if you’re curious), that he often buys them in bulk in Thailand and uses them as packing material to ship bikes back to the UK. I’m afraid I hadn’t the heart to tell him that I can get the same ones in my local supermarket, especially as I was sent home with a pack by way of a souvenir. 

• Don't miss: Behind the scenes at the Colnago factory

In a smaller workshop a new jig is being developed for the Moulton Safari, here leant against a surface plate used to check frame alignment.

Most steel frames stick the tubeset badges on the seat tube, under the down tube, but Moultons have them on the fork legs.

'Willow green', I'm told, is the colour of this Safari model.

Given the number of things made in-house, a metal lathe is a must.

Considering I cannot keep a set of drill bits in order for more than a fortnight, this is astonishing.

A vertical milling machine from Bridgeport is one of the newer machines in the workshop.

On the surface table, dials show if a frame is out of alignment

Here's a closer look at the rear suspension unit.

This is the first bike i've seen in the flesh that's running Campagnolo Potenza.

Given the unusual frame proportions a large stack of spacers and a positive rise stem are par for the course.

This central part of the spaceframe is usually where a Moulton would separate, but on this model it's fixed in place.

In the paint booth a rear end awaits a first coating.

Paint booths are usually spotless, but paint prep areas, like this one, are often the opposite.

At the top of the estate there are the newer buildings, far more modern affairs with roofs that aren't sagging. Packing, polishing, building, and palletisation for shipping to Asia are all taken care of up here. It feels a world away from the brazing room below, though there are brazing stations up here too where less prestigious models are joined up. 

In the lobby, awaiting a museum at some unspecified point in the future, is an agglomeration of historic models. There are the original shopping bikes through to models used in the Race Across America. Dura Ace downtube shifters mounted to handlebars butt up against rusty Sturmy Archer 3-speed levers.

In the newer buildings at the top of the estate painted or polished frames are ready for assembly.

In the lobby a stack of old but significant models awaits a museum at an undetermined point in the future.

This is Steve. Cut him and he'd bleed Moulton. Here he's proudly showing off an absolutely top of the line NS (New Series) Double Pylon.

On the Double Pylon model even the head tube and seat tube assemblies are space frames.

To save the brazers in the warehouse having to constantly strike their torches alight, a pilot light is constantly burning at each station.

The off-road oriented XTB models are easily differentiated by the concertina rear suspension shrouds.

Mudguard mounts are a must for a machine with designs on mucky pathways.

I've never seen a Dura-Ace shifter in this configuration I must say!

Here's the front suspension linkage, common across the majority of models.

It takes some time to get your eye in with a Moulton frame. This is a rear end, though the front if the bike is facing into the image. The large socket on the seat tube houses the rear suspension.

Here's another Double Pylon, highly polished, and running Campagnolo Super Record.

Veiled by well used PVC dust strips, an enormous polishing station stands in readiness for its next visitor.

While often mentioned in the same breath given that both use small wheels and both are packable, the Moulton models aren’t what you’d think of as folding bikes. They are far more akin to a breakaway frame, designed for ease of transport, but not regular disassembly for commuting. Also unlike a Brompton, Moulton bikes can accept standard components. I saw a couple of extremely handsome, highly polished numbers running cable-actuated Campagnolo Super Record. 

Bicycles do tend to reflect their place of manufacturer, in a similar way to the phenomenon of dog owners resembling their pets. So Colnago is prim, fettled, and a little haughty, the Moultons I saw were full of English sensibilities. Nuts and bolts on show, engineering first, looks second; the sort of bike that would marvel at a suspension bridge, and turn its nose up at showy footwear.

Is there anything we've missed? Let us know in the comments below, and stay tuned to Cyclingnews for all the race results, news and features from our team on the ground throughout the classics season.

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Will joined the Cyclingnews team as a reviews writer in 2022, having previously written for Cyclist, BikeRadar and Advntr. There are very few types of cycling he's not dabbled in, and he has a particular affection for older bikes and long lasting components. Road riding was his first love, before graduating to racing CX in Yorkshire. He's been touring on a vintage tandem all the way through to fixed gear gravel riding and MTB too. When he's not out riding one of his many bikes he can usually be found in the garage tinkering with another of them, or getting obsessive about tyres. Also, as he doesn't use Zwift, he's our go-to guy for bad weather testing... bless him.

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Moulton Bicycle - NS Models

$ 24,500.00.

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Since 1962 Moulton Bicycles

Moulton Bicycles are custom ordered through the shop from the Moulton factories.   Delivery times vary by model.  Prices  are the UK RETAIL (UK £) converted to US dollars at time of shipment from England.  No further markup.  Shipping from 2||Fold paid by customer.

Moulton NS - The Ultimate ‘New Series’ (NS) Moultons feature the finest stainless steel Space-frame architecture, coupled with Moulton’s exceptional Flexitor ® anti-dive front suspension (unique to this series) for supreme ride comfort and breathtaking looks.

NS DOUBLE PYLON  - The ultimate Moulton takes space-frame construction to a new level. Stainless steel 'pylons' replace head and seat tubes to further increase stiffness. Sublime ride comfort and breathtaking looks.  From £19,950

NS SPEED  - For those who love to ride... FAST. The NS SPEED is the lightest in the New Series range. Advanced Moulton Flexitor® and Hydrolastic® suspension systems keep the tyres on the tarmac and absorb shock, increasing comfort and speed.  From £15,000

NS MARATHON  - The next generation of comfort and speed, the NS MARATHON features advanced Flexitor® front suspension, Hydrolastic® rear suspension, and a lighter, stiffer, stainless steel frame. From   £9,950

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icon-objects Moulton Safari M3 bicycle

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Moulton Safari M3 bicycle, 1962 Science Museum Group Collection © The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Moulton Safari M3 bicycle, 1962. Its introduction represented the first significant departure from convential bike design in over 60 years and led to a new generation of small wheeled cycles. Advantages included ease of control, low centre of gravity and improved stability.

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Vintage Bicycle Feature: Moulton Bicycles

By Mike Barry Sr.

Photography by Walter Lai

Since 1885 when Starley introduced the Rover Safety bike, there have been many efforts to improve on his design. Most of those efforts came to nothing. The one exception is the Moulton bicycle that was introduced in Britain in 1962 and had a significant impression on the bike industry.  It was introduced at a time when interest in bicycles and cycling in general was at an all-time low.  Motor scooters and affordable cars had a devastating effect on the bicycle market.

The new Moulton was a breath of fresh air.  It was suitable for both sexes:  it had a ‘New look’ and was designed to be one size fits all. It had 16” wheels fitted with small section high pressure tires and front and rear suspension, which made for a responsive ride.  The low mounted, high capacity carriers made it an ideal ‘shopper’.  It fit in well with the swinging sixties, mini-skirts and mini cars.

Dr. Alex Moulton, an engineer who had specialized in suspension systems for cars, designed the Moulton. He had been, along with close friend Alec Issigonis, closely associated with design of the first Austin Minis. He turned his interest to bicycles when he purchased a used Hetchins bike and found it uncomfortable to ride. His design work on the mini was reflected in the small wheels and suspension in the bike.

Having had his design turned down by Raleigh, he decided to go into production himself in a factory close to his home.  The Moulton was an immediate success with demand far exceeding the capacity of his factory.  He approached the British Motor Corporation, with whom he had close ties, and production was transferred to one of their factories.

On seeing the success of the small-wheeled Moulton, other bike companies, including Raleigh, introduced small wheel bikes to compete.  However, none of the competition had suspension.  Raleigh introduced the RSW 16, which was similar to the Moulton with 16” wheels but relied on large section tires for its suspension.  The resulting bike was slow and very heavy.   However, the marketing of the world’s largest bicycle company made the RSW 16 a success and its sales cut into the sales of Moultons.  The Moulton Company was sold to Raleigh in 1967 and production continued there until 1974 when it was discontinued.

Before the Moulton Company was sold to Raleigh, there were several models available.  The Moulton certainly should not be considered just a utility bike, or heaven forbid a folding bike.  There was a separable model; the Stowaway but there were models for every type of riding including racing and extensive touring.

In 1962, John Woodburn broke the Cardiff to London Record, 260 kms. at an average speed of 38.4 kph on a Moulton speed model.

A four man Moulton pursuit team caught their opponents in a 4000-metre promotional event.  The small wheels allowed the riders to be closer together affording better aerodynamics.

This Moulton is the top of the line touring model, the S Safari.  It has a six speed Benelux derailleur, a Williams alloy cotter-less crankset and a  Sturmey Archer dynohub lighting.

Following the demise of the Moulton Bicycle, in 1975 Alex Moulton worked on a design of a successor.  Raleigh still owned the Moulton name, so Dr. Moulton formed another company to make the Alex Moulton range.  The range of bicycles consisted of two models.  The AM2 had a two speed Sachs Duomatic hub gear and the AM7 a 7 speed derailleur.  I had left the UK in 1964, but had been interested in Moulton from its introduction.  In 1983, when the AM series was launched, I immediately ordered a number of both models and within a short period of time, our shop was selling more than almost any other shop in the World.  A member of our staff raced a modified version in several local races and won a local criterium.  Soon after the UCI brought in regulations banning the use of wheels smaller than 26″.

The staff at the shop were very enthusiastic about the Moultons and we were, before long, selling modified versions of the AM7 with double chainrings.

During a visit to the Cologne bicycle show, my business partner, Mike Brown and I met up with Alex Moulton at his booth.  We showed photos of the Moultons, onto which we had fitted double chain-wheels and he dismissed the idea saying that they were totally unnecessary.  The fact that we had a significant demand for 14 speed touring versions of the Moulton and that we were one of his foremost dealers didn’t seem to impress him at all.  It was sometime after this that the Ams were available from he factory with double chain-wheels.

Over the years I have acquired a number of Moultons of which a few remain in my collection:

1960s Moulton S Safari

This is one of the rarest of all Moulton models – the Safari S. The “S Models” were a luxury line of Moultons, built in extremely small numbers  from 1965 to 1967 at the S works, a separate workshop in the town of Bradford Upon Avon, by a skilled team under the supervision of Olympic cyclist and respected frame builder, Jack Lauterwasser.

This superb Safari S has been in my personal collection for almost 30 years. It is virtually “as new”, having been used very lightly. As the photos show, this bicycle is complete and pristine in every respect and may well be one of the finest remaining examples.

Specifications:

• Serial # 65300211
• Colour: Green, paint is original and in very good condition.
• Front suspension
• Brake Levers: 
• Brakes: Bapilla
• Stem: GB aluminum 10 cm
• Saddle: Unicanitor (Factory Option)
• Pedals: Leotard
• Toe Clips: Christophe
• Generator lights: Sturmey Archer Dynohub
• Rear hub: Airlite
• Rims: Milremo
• Tires: 17 x 1 ¼ 32-369
• Crankset: Williams
• Derailleur: Cyclo P2 Benelux
• Gears: 54 chainring by 11-21 6-speed
• Tape: Cloth
• Includes Tool kit and GB tire levers
• Original Moulton front and rear carriers and Safari Bags

Mid-1960s Moulton Speedsix

This is a fine example of the iconic Moulton Speedsix of which only about 600 were made. The Moulton Speedsix was “arguably the most refined and modern-feeling of the Classic Moultons. It’s specification was entirely under the control of Alex Moulton, unlike the later Raleigh models.”

This Speedsix has been in my personal collection for almost 50 years.  As the photos show, this bicycle is complete, original and pristine in every respect.

Specifciations:

• Serial #: 7126
• Original  Yellow Paint and parts
• Brake levers: GB
• Brakes: Balilla with new pads
• Rims: Milremo 17 x 1-¼ 32-369
• Hubs:  Milremo
• Tires:  Alex Moulton
• Crank: Milremo with Specialites TA 60 tooth chainring
• Freewheel: 6 speed 13-22
• Stem:  GB 9cm
• Bars:  35-39cm
• Saddle: Moulton leather
• Pedals: AFA
• Straps: AFA
• Clips: Christophe Special
• Very good condition, little use.

c1965 Moulton Minx

Built with Sturmey Archer 3 speed, 14 x 1 3/8 wheels with woods valves, a Wittkop saddle.  Original paint and components.  This bicycle is currently offered for sale in our Bicycle_Specialties eBay store at this link. 

Mid-1960s Moulton Stowaway Chrome Take-apart Bike  

One of the rare Moulton “S” models – the Stowaway S. The “S Models” were a luxury line of Moultons, built in extremely small numbers  from 1965 to 1967 at the S works, a separate workshop in the town of Bradford, by a skilled team under the supervision of Olympic cyclist and respected frame builder, Jack Lauterwasser.

This superb Stowaway S, in the optional factory chrome finish,  has been in my collection for almost 50 years. It is virtually “as new”, having been used very lightly. As the photos show, this bicycle is complete, original and pristine in every respect.

• Optional Chrome finish.
• Front Brake: Balilla
• Rear Coaster: Sturmey Archer duomatic coaster brake
• Rims: Milremo 17 x 1 ¼ 32-369
• Stem: GB Steel 7cm
• Chainring: 54
• Rear Cog: 18
• Saddle: Ideal
• Original Moulton carriers

This bicycle is currently offered for sale.   Buy now at this link.

This feature is an excerpt from the book A Life With Bicycles by Mike Barry and Walter Lai.  It will be available for purchase soon.

Dede Barry is a Silver medallist from the 2004 Athens Olympics and multiple medallist of World, National and Pan-American Championships. She is now an owner of Mariposa Bicycles and continues to ride her bike daily in and around Toronto and guides cycling tours internationally.

6 thoughts on “ Vintage Bicycle Feature: Moulton Bicycles ”

I remember Elgar Vaivars turning up at a provincial race where Gerard Streef was the chief commissaire. He wanted to bar Elgar from starting as he thought that the Moulton was illegal. I interceded and pointed out that (at that time) there was nothing in the regulations that prevented Elgar from competing on the Moulton. He subsequebtlyrode this bicycle in a good number of races.

Hi Peter: That’s right– I remember Elgar racing on the AM. I was a kid and I remember being impressed with the size of the big ring. I think we have a photo of him somewhere that I’ll try to dig up. Hope you’re well. Merry Christmas.

I remember seeing Elgar race this bike at the Queens Park criterium in the early 80’s and if I remember correctly he was actually on the front leading a few laps, thought that was really neat . Wish I were able to find photos that I had taken back in the day.

Elgar even raced the Spenco 500 mile race in Waco Texas on his Moulton. He got lots and lots of stares.

I remember Elgar racing the Moulton, drafting behind him was great (being so close) and terrifying (being so close). you had to concentrate on his back cause when you looked down your wheel was over his and the angle made it look even worse.

Beautiful machines

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