Moulton AM7

Of the three Moultons I own this is probably the "coolest". I picked this up second-hand a few years ago. The AM7 was built at the Alex Moulton factory in Bradford on Avon. In fact of all the bikes built at the Bradford on Avon factory it is probably the most common so it is not a particularly cool Moulton but it is the coolest I own.

I picked it up very cheaply indeed. Especially given the prices I see them going for on eBay.

It's quite easy to work out the age of these bikes by the frame number system used. This is described in Tony Hadland's book, "The Space Frame Moultons". Anyway this AM7 was made in the second week of 1985.

This AM7 has the original gearing and in fact, I think, quite possibly the original chain. The chainwheel has 52 teeth. The freewheel teeth and corresponding gear ratios in inches are below.

The bike was originally available with either a 9 tooth or 10 tooth smallest sprocket on the freewheel. Mine has the 9 tooth one of course. The rear drop-outs are designed to wrap the chain around this very small sprocket more than usual so that it engages with more teeth.

For me this gear range is pretty well all I would ever need. I find 30 to 100 inches to be really ideal. The spacing is wider than a nine speed cassette of course but I don't mind that very much. When this freewheel wears out I will most likely get a new nine speed cassette for it. This will mean building a new rear wheel with a suitable hub of course and I'll also need to get the drop-outs changed at the Bradford-on-Avon factory because an 11 tooth smallest sprocket will collide with the rear triangle otherwise.

AM7 the day I brought it to my house