Moulton help

[Dirtyhanz]

Hi, does any one know much about Moultons ? Just got a Moulton Standard off Ebay.
It seams to be in great condition but the rear forks have loads of up and down movement - is this correct or is this a problem ?
Thanks

If any body knows other things i should be looking at on it as well.
The paint work is not in bad condition for a 50 year old bike do you think i should keep original or go for a respray.

 

[Cycleops]

Can't comment on the fork movement. If the paintwork is reasonable I should keep it as is. Let's have some pics! There is a folding bike section (under special interests) so might be worth posting on there.

 

[Brommyboy]

The fork tension can be set by tightening the little nuts on the lower link, where there are two each side, as far as I can remember.

 

[raleighnut]

Up and down play is not a problem as when you're sat on it the elastomer is compressed. Side to side movement will be a problem though! (as will any speed over 20 MPH as a few of us found out when one of our crowd had one @ 1972) If the paintwork is OK then leave it, just give it a good waxing and it will be a lot more valuable.

 

[Amanda P]

The rear forks shouldn't move that much - their movement up and down should be limited by the rubber block in there. If it's come un-bonded from the fork or the frame, that may account for it.

Rear forks on some models have an unfortunate tendency to crack at the braze. Michael Woolf of Moulton Preservation will re-braze them on an exchange basis, and can offer lots of other parts and advice too. (But he doesn't do emails).

Respray or leave as is... it depends on whether you want a museum piece in all-original condition or if you want a shiny bike to use. There are plenty of pristine originals, so if it were mine and I wanted it shiny and new-looking I'd make it shiny and new-looking. Bicycles are for riding first and only secondarily for looking at. By modern standards, the chrome steel rims and brakes make for very weedy braking, so some who regularly use F-frame Moultons upgrade to alloy Brompton rims and modern brakes. Once you've done that, originality is out the window anyway...

Your first resources for all things Moulton should probably be the Moultoneers' forum and the Moulton Bicycle Club. Those guys know all there is to know about them (far more than me - I've never owned an F-frame Moulton).

 

[Dirtyhanz]

Hi thanks every one for your replies.
It looks like the rear forks have come un-bonded from the little rubber block thank you uncle Phil for that dose any one know what the fix is ?
i will be joining the Moulton club thanks for pointing me in the right direction

 

[Dirtyhanz]

Hi again just bean on the moulton buzz forum and the answer is glue
I think I am going to get addicted to moultons

 

[Dirtyhanz]

 

[raleighnut]

View attachment 42416

Now it just needs a set of drop bars to make it truly scary ( they actually made one with em, my mate had one I seem to remember a 5 speed version as well)

 

[Dirtyhanz]

Just taken it for a little ride I think it handles great I have a 16 inch wheeled dahon curve and I would say this is just as good in the dry might be different in the wet