The Moulton and Rhino

Hello all,

Well it was a hellova ride on those small wheels........! Thanks for the into Craig. A little background. I have ridden Moultons for around 12 years and have owned two APBs, one FSR and also hold a Stainless 17 inch SPEED S road bike. On road they are great. I brought the SPEED S and the FSR custom over from the UK about two years ago. All very different animals. The SPEED S is like riding a great Swiss wristwatch, whilst the FSR is a little more robust and crude. Both bikes have full suspension with hydrostatic on the rear of the SPEED S.

Yes, I rode the Dirtworks last year on the Orange Moulton FSR, which was finished in 8 hours. It was quite an odessy.....this was my third time off road ....ever. I had only ridden in London before. The Moulton then rode Angry Doctor (if that was the one near Bateman's Bay) .....and yes it was a great ride and Soooooo long, but I remember the finish and was given a great hotel voucher by a sympathetic organiser.

Last year I decided that I might give myself a better chance on 20inches with full (well the Moulton DOES have full suspension - 25mm on front and about 15mm on rear!) suspension and so built up the Airnimal Rhino from a frame I bought in the UK. The Rhino has 100mm up front and 80mm at the rear. My thoughts were that I could improve the gearing, as the Moulton only has two chainrings. My thoughts too were that actually it is easier to climb non-rocky inclines with the smaller wheels and that the suspension would make the decents easier. I am not too sure........but my lack of surety is propably due to my own abilities.......not the bike. I would REALLY like to see how a younger, fitter, technically better rider would fare in a ride on 20 incher.

Brake wise, the Moulton has Magura HS33 hydo brakes. The Rhino, Avid Elixir. I think that I have a preference for the modulation offered by the Maguras on the small wheels. After this years Dirtworks, the Avid rear disk was turned brown through overheating during the last descent after Shepards Gulley....it must have got up to red hot.

The first ride the Rhino did was the Highland Fling, which I didn't finish......pulled out at 90K with cramps.

Why ride a small wheeled bike off road?..........not sure. My thoughts now are that my 20 inchers are like BMXs on steriods. They are light. The wheels and frames are REALLY strong. With speed and confidence I reckon that a good rider to do some impressive times. Above all, on the RARE occasions that a small wheeled bike passes a big wheeled one, the opponent is just simply destroyed.......its great psychological warfare!

I need to get out and get fit again after the fall that Craig outlined. Would like to get a better time next year........I was in at 9 hours on the Rhino this year, at the back of the pack......but got over the line.

As there is a Tandem category in a lot of the races, I agree with Craig that it would be great to see a 20 inch category introduced........not just so that I could come in first each time, but also to see who else comes out of the woodwork with some crazy mods to old BMXs or some other small wheel breeds to beat me!!!

As soon as I work out how, I'll get some pics up. Cheers.

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