When I was racing in the mid-60's in New Jersey, I remember receiving copies of the British weekly magazine called "Cycling and Mopeds" through our local bike store. Saw quite a bit of coverage of competitive exploits with the racing Moultons, including road and track racing and maybe even cyclo-cross. With those small front and rear wheels, you should could tighten up the body-to-body spacing in a 4-person pursuit team--good for aerodynamics. I imagine the wheels also offered increased stiffness and lower rotating mass--good for sprinting. My cycling friends and I thought they looked pretty cool and would sure like to have tried one. I'd still like to try one!
Pete Rutledge
Woodbridge, VA, USA
> brian. you sound a little skeptical....why so??? does the small wheel put
> you
> off??? Moulton was a finely made bicycle...a pure joy to ride. they were
> used in time trial events all over england w/ good results..i believe one
> was
> used to attack the Hour record in the 70's but failed at an english
> velodrome
> mostly due to being at sea level..they were also very cool to look at in
> raceing
> garb....hugh chainwheels to achieve specific ratios for the small
> wheel....they were(are) very manuverable yet stable enough to inspire
> confidence...don't
> confuse them w/ standard english 3 speed build quality, these were built
> w/
> great pride and care useing very few cross over parts. take a close look
> at one
> in person sometime and bum a ride if you can.....i defy you to dismount
> without
> an ear to ear grin. charlie flaherty baltimore maryland usa