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Bicycle - Moulton bicycle
  • Moulton bicycle
    Alex Moulton, born 1920 - died 2012
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Moulton bicycle

  • Object:

    Bicycle

  • Place of origin:

    Bradford-on-Avon (designed and made)

  • Date:

    1959 (designed)
    1962 (introduced)
    1965 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Alex Moulton, born 1920 - died 2012 (designers)
    Moulton Bicycles Ltd (manufacturers)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Steel and rubber

  • Credit Line:

    Gift of the manufacturer

  • Museum number:

    CIRC.125-1965

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

The unique feature of the Moulton bicycle when it was launced in 1962 was the innovative rubber cone spring design invented and developed by Alex Moulton and first used on the British Motor Corporation Austin / Morris Mini when it was introdced in 1959. Other innovations included the unconventional, step through frame design which meant that the bicyle was inisex and the rider could dismount quickly in an emergency and small wheels with high pressure tyres developed in association with Dunlop which meant that the the rider could accelerate and go faster than on a conventional bicycle.

Physical description

Moulton bicycle, mild steel frame and rubber suspension. The innovations introduced into the design oc the Moulton bicycle included a step through frame, eliminating the high crossbar on the conventional bicycle design which Moulton regarded as dangerous and impractical, small wheels which used high pressure tyres, developed in association with Dunlop and front and rear rubber suspension which was truly novel at the time. It took another 30 years before this became a standard feature in bicycle design.

Place of Origin

Bradford-on-Avon (designed and made)

Date

1959 (designed)
1962 (introduced)
1965 (made)

Artist/maker

Alex Moulton, born 1920 - died 2012 (designers)
Moulton Bicycles Ltd (manufacturers)

Materials and Techniques

Steel and rubber

Dimensions

Weight: 15.9 kg, Height: 110 cm Approximately, Length: 160 cm Approximately, Width: 35 cm Approximately

Object history note

Historical significance: Winner of the Design Centre Award in 1964.

Blue metallic Moulton bicycle, Alex Moulton, Moulton Bicycles Ltd. Inter-departmental transfer from the former Circulation Department to MET, RF 2012/810.

Descriptive line

Moulton bicycle, steel and rubber suspension, designed by Alex Moulton and manufactured by Moulton Bicycles Ltd., Bradford-upon-Avon, 1965.

Materials

Steel; Rubber

Techniques

Welding

Categories

Design Council Award Winner; Metalwork; Transport

Production Type

Mass produced

Collection

Metalwork Collection

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