Cycling UK Forum

If young people are so geographically thick, how come they keep breaking records for riding and sailing round the world?

Having recently bought a TSR9, I would agree that the Pashley Moultons are good value, and I think that in many ways, they are a better design than the much more expensive Bradford-on-Avon products. However, I'm not so sure that "hand-built" is always a good thing. After all, tooling and automation are all about quality control. My TSR came with a loose cassette and over-tightened wheel bearings.

Whether or not you use paper maps, the main advantage of a GPS enabled device like the iPhone is that you can fix your position accurately. So I would take the free app Offmaps which allows you to download and cache maps to use later when no longer connected to the internet. I would then take every wifi opportunity to download and cache maps covering my planned route. I use WiFiTrak to scout for free wifi when MacDonalds is not an option.

LogMeIn Ignition is a cheap app that works amazingly well allowing you to access your home / work PC.

The Cole-Zhu dictionaries are exellent value (I wish they would do an Italian one, but you can't have everything)

Stanza, used in combination with Calibre on the PC is widely acknowledged as the best e-Reader solution for the iPhone. Free books from Project Gutenberg of course.

Instapaper is great for reading long web articles off-line. You can download stuff whilst enjoying (?) a coffee at MacDonalds and read it at your leisure later. Like wise, an all like NewsStand, linked to Google Reader lets you load up with newsfeeds while connected so that you can browse later.

I reckon they'd do a job if they did. (Well spotted - the shape of their "Comfort" bar" is just right for me.)

The adjustable stem sweeps the bars through an arc but the height of the pivot point can be altered by adding and removing spacers from the steerer tube. Thus, if you wanted to reduce the reach, you would angle the stem up and remove some spacers from underneath. Like this:



You can also slide the saddle rails forwards but this also moves your pelvis relative to the pedals. Moulton TSRs are one-size-fits-all (one of their advantages in my opinion) so there is not much to be gained by a shop fitting. You can spend many happy hours adjusting and test riding after you buy the bike.

Not sure you can buy TSRs direct from the factory, since they are made by Pashley. I think the personal service is reserved for the more expensive bikes, AMs and New Series that are made in Sir Alex's shed. In fact, I think you would have to go to Moulton's at Bradford-on-Avon to test ride a New Series as they are too expensive for most dealers to keep in stock or as demonstrators. Also there is a long waiting list. I read that the top of the range bike is listed in the 2010 price list at over £14,000! As he says, Moultoneer did well to get his when they were merely very expensive!

The Moulton was my fourth bike too. I don't spend too long wondering if i "need" another bike. It's an itch, I scratch it. I have a small collection of motorbikes so the cost of pushbikes seems trivial by comparison. Anyway, Moultons hold their value quite well I think. If we bought our bicycles based on need, they'd just be another form of transport wouldn't they?

As far as names go, I waver between "Mrs Trellis" and "Graf Spee" (or "pocket battleship") because of the battleship-grey paint scheme. I must get over it, but who the hell came up with this colour? Someone at Pashley must have had a contact at the Army/Navy stores. Of course I could have ordered one in a different colour, the burgundy is very tasty, but that would have been +£50 and a wait, and probably no discount (see below).

On the subject of dealers, I think that there are probably only a few Moulton dealers who have any special expertise. The first one I went to, Apple at Lytham St Annes, had ceased trading in Moultons twelve months previously ("They don't move fast enough and Moultons are a pain to deal with"). They were still listed as delaers on the Moulton web site though. Annoying. The one I bought the bike from gave me a £100 discount in spite of the other dealers I contacted by phone laughing at the very mention of such a thing. However, there was no evidence that they knew much about Moultons.

OK, if no actual experts are going to reply, I'll have a go. I bought a TSR9 three weeks ago. I was drawn to Moultons because having enjoyed riding my Brompton for the last twelve months and taken it on a longish tour in France this spring, I have become a small wheel convert. I see many advantages. When I switch back to a conventional bike, it feels ridiculous for a mile or two! I wonder if the early adopters of the safety bicycle felt the same when they got on their mate's ordinary? The biggest drawback of the Brompton is the harsh ride, so, ever in search of the perfect all-round performer I had to try a Moulton.

The Moulton is fun to ride, very comfy of course, manoeuvrable, convenient to chuck in the back of my hatchback, accelerates easily, has practical luggage capacity and I like the simplicity of the single shifter.

Downers include the saddest paint scheme ever (battleship grey, or is it just primer?), a couple of quality issues (including a loose cassette), negligible technical help from dealer and factories, and the niggling suspicion that the Alex Moulton reputation might have been stretched a little thin. At least I didn't dive straight in and buy a New Series!

I'm also a stumper and I don't like the fact that with a diamond frame I feel that the design has been compromised for the smallest sizes. No such issues with the Moulton of course, and any of your family or friends can ride it too. The TSR9 has plenty of steerer tube and an adjustable stem.

I got the separable frame and this works very well. You can join the two halves single-handedly without having to lie either half on the ground. This is handy when you get the bike out of the car in a gravel car park.

In case this all sounds a bit negative, I should say that I am really enjoying riding the bike. I've just done thirty miles round Fountains Abbey and Ripon in glorious Autumn weather and I can't think of a bike I would sooner have been riding.

If you have any more specific questions, ask away.

30 would be the maximum legal speed, not necessarily a safe speed. Fault is not often apportioned 100% / 0% in road accidents, so don't give the other party's insurers any opportunities to claim your riding was unsafe.

Take some photos of your injuries while they are fresh and any damage to the bike and clothing. This will help to induce the solicitor to take on the claim.