wacky races

Spotted this outside the Co-op this morning.  The cognoscenti (eg Steveng)  will no doubt recognise this an early example of a Moulton bicycle.

I was lucky enough in the 1980s to meet the designer of this bike - (and the suspension system of the original Mini) - Sir Alex Moulton, at his design studios near Bath.

A few years ago I had a test ride on an electric space-frame Moulton.  I really, really wanted to like it.  It appealed to my design sensibilities and was extremely light and fast.  But, at 6'3" it was just a bit too small for me.  With the seat post as high as it would go, I had my nose on the front wheel.  Or near enough.

The Moulton (like-wise the Mini) was a revolutionary design, gender-free and a symbol of the Swinging Sixties.

I hung around outside the shop as long as was decently possible, wondering who might own it.  Anniemay is convinced it must be a woman because of the basket on the rear carrier.  Not everything is gender-free then.