Some very special Moultons

When I ride my 1964 Moulton Deluxe or my Mark 3s from 1970 and 1973, I can sense the stares from people who have never seen such bikes before. It makes me feel like I'm riding something quite rare.

But in reality, over 100,000 Moulton deluxes were made and over 3,000 Moulton Mk 3's. They are not that difficult to find. However, over the years, many very special Moultons have been made. While the BMC factory in Kirkby and later the Raleigh factory in Nottingham were churning out Moultons, the factory in Bradford On Avon was often producing limited edition or one off specials.

Below are a few examples from Ken Butterfields photos...

This Moulton S Safari had been overpainted black. The black paint was removed using Nitromors, exposing the original chrome finish.

This Mark 3 was built by Jack Lauterwasser for his own use. It features a unique 10 speed drivetrain with 3 levers. The Sturmey Archer hub (I presume originally a 4 speed) was converted to 5 speed, with 2 rear sprockets and a custom derailleur. It's got lots of special features - 531 forks with Campagnolo ends, narrow bottom bracket, Mafac cantilever brakes

Another black Mark 3 this time, but very different. This one has derailleur gearing, and a prototype rear triangle with pump mounts.

Ken has lots more photos which are worth checking out, such as this gorgeous Speedsix