Good things come and good things go.
Moulton on Moulton – image by Cycle-Space
Sometimes, they come in small packages. And on occasion they’re so good, that they don’t go away at all; instead, they stand the test of time. Just like Dr. Alex Moulton’s revolutionary take on the bicycle. Turning design on it’s head, the inventor introduced small wheels that work just right, and the use of suspension to both the front and rear of the two-wheeled contraption. We have him to thank for efficiency, comfort and the thrill of riding something quite extraordinary!
Who wants small wheels?
I never met the man, but his interview, produced by Steve Thatchet, reveals a gentleman of great charm and determination. It comes as no surprise that the doctor had a hand in bringing the original-iconic Mini motorcar to the masses. Working and learning alongside famous car designer, Alec Issigonis, on the state-of-the-art suspension system, and overcoming the limits of confined space by minimising the essentials, he gave us a tardis on wheels.
However, it his contribution of the much imitated Moulton bicycle that has continued to turn heads. As a design piece of beauty, function and form; it still stands out from the crowd. – And did I mention it really works?!
“Tired of car-backed roads, that this is the answer to their problem” – voice over
What Box?
Innovative designers at the British bicycle firm Cotic, summed up Moutlon with these words: “I guess these days it’d be called ‘thinking outside the box’, but I don’t think Dr Moulton ever came close to being in the box in the first place.”
Sadly, at the fine age of 92, Dr. Alex Moulton passed away in the weekend. His ideas may very well live on forever.
