Moulton for larger fellow?

[marzjennings]

The local bike shop has a Moulton TSR 9 on sale and I'm wondering, given I'm about 20lbs shy of the reported max rider weight of 264lbs, that I'll be pushing the limits on this bike? Especially as I plan to include the odd canal path, bridle way and gravel road on rides in and around Somerset. I will be switching out the wheels for a strong pair, but I have no experience in how 'strong' the suspension or frame are.

I need a bike I can pack up small when it's not in use, rides better than a Brompton, and I won't squish.

 

[rogerzilla]

They do squish, and there's nothing you can do about the rear, since AFAIK no-one makes a harder Monosphere (you can buy an almost incompressible Joseph Kuosac block for a Brompton).

The weakest point is probably the 1" fork steerer, which is (unusually) not butted at the crown to reinforce it. I haven't heard of any breaking, though. The rear frame is weak on the APB but was beefed up on the TSR. If you are powerful as well as heavy, the TSR rear pivot is a known weak point. It won't collapse but the bushes can wear out really fast. The pivot is narrow and offset from the centre line, to accommodate a triple chainset (now out if fashion).

 

[marzjennings]

Thanks for the information @rogerzilla, if I get the bike I'll pick up a stack of bushings at the same time. Plus I'll see if the shop will allow a test ride to see how the rear end flex's under power.

 

[rogerzilla]

The bushes theoretically don't need reaming (and reaming is ideally avoided for Oilite, since it can block the pores) but I usually need to run a reamer through them to get the spindle in.