Moultoneer - Tom Esslemont
The latest in our regular series of profiles of riders of Pashley and Moulton bicycles.
Tom with his Moulton AM 22.
Tell us a little about yourself, What do you do for a living?
I am a freelance designer and writer, involved in visualisation and design for exhibition and architectural projects. I currently live in Preston, Lancashire, with my wife Becky and two little ones. Family life is a pretty hectic at the best of times, so time for other things can be somewhat limited!
What are you passionate about?
Architecture and interiors. I am a big fan of Modernism and Art Deco buildings, particularly old cinemas / picture houses. I also have an interest in architectural photography, of which I have been involved in on my own projects. I have strong views on the poor planning of many of our towns and public spaces, somewhat an advocate of the work of the late Ian Nairn, with many places fast becoming soul less clones of one another.
Alongside of course riding them, I also enjoy renovating bicycles, it is a wonderful form of therapy, bringing back to life something that has long lain discarded and forgotten about. The cathartic properties of doing something constructive and creative is so important to life. One can lose oneself for hours in the workshop, often late into the evening, as long as the coffee (or beer) is kept topped up many a project can be realised! Occasionally some choice language can be heard from the shed; Seized Moulton F frame pivot bolts anyone?
What is your earliest memory of riding a bike? What was your first bike?
I have fond memories riding a little bike called a 'Pippin' up and down the street where I grew up. Graduating to a BMX following learning to ride without stabilisers; I can remember vividly my late father being quite emotional seeing his son ride alone for the first time! I had many bikes and scooters during my childhood, and, living a few doors away from a family of 7 children also remember riding Budgies, Choppers, Chippers, Grifters and numerous models that others of a certain age will be familiar with.
Towards the age of 8 I was always out on my fully chromed Ammaco BMX, I remember this bike very well, with it's typical 80's anodised blue rims, chrome spokes and pads on the frame. That one came to a sad end when one of the welds broke by the seat stays. We were lucky growing up in Morecambe to have 'Mike's Bikes', a local second hand bike shop, where one would enter this place, full to the rafters with all sorts of bikes, traditional mens 'sit up and begs' through to shoppers and plenty of BMXs. It was here that I recall seeing my first sight of a certain bicycle that became very important in my later life!
A love for cycling morphed into Mountain biking throughout the 1990s and into my early 20s, where I would be regularly riding XC on GT or TREK mountain bikes in the Lakes, Yorkshire Dales and Pennines, with Rivington becoming a very special favourite place of mine until a serious back injury at Borrowdale in the Lakes took a little of the excitement away from cycling, and driving any distance for a while!
The Moulton and its effect on my cycling life
Rewinding back to my early teens, a certain small wheeled bicycle really caught my attention. I recall the ladybird 'Bicycle' book from the early 70s, showing the Moulton Bicycle (along with an illustration of one of the patent drawings and mention of Colin Martin's trip to Australia). Wow, a small wheeled bicycle, with carrying capacity, and suspension! My best friend from school, Paul Butterfield, and his dad, Ken, (well known Moulton connoisseurs in the UK) showed me into his attic when I must have been around 13.
My first ride on this wondrous bicycle, with it's high pressure tyres and Sturmey 4 speed must have really struck a cord in my mind, as from then onwards the desire was to own and ride one of these marvellous machines. I borrowed Tony Hadland's 'blue book' and the rest is history, as they say! A colorado red Moulton Speed was purchased, fitted with GB drop handlebars and rear bag. Trips were undertaken in supreme comfort, speed and in style! The Moulton bug had well and truly bitten.
I then took to cycle touring, with a number of trips with my good friend Pete Kirkham whilst studying Industrial Design at University. We travelled all over the place, performed initially on a rigid MTB (with rucksack or later panniers) then progressed onto a used Moulton APB 14 Sachs. This became a real benchmark in my mind to what a quality touring machine should be. The stiff frame, supple suspension and the spaceframe opened my eyes to how good the Moulton had become, evolving from the original F frame of the sixties.
Tom on his Moulton AM SPEED S.
What bike are you riding?
I am currently riding a Moulton TSR Rohloff as my everyday mount, which I have built as a gravel / adventure bike. Its chunky Halo tyres and various options for luggage mean it is a superb bicycle for use in a multitude of situations; excellent for rough roads yet just as happy riding in urban environments. The thing I like about the Pashley built bikes is their inherent ruggedness and more heavy duty build. This makes for a solid and dependable machine.
How many bikes do you own?
I won't go into how many bikes I own to avoid embarrassment, but my favourite bike has to be my AM SPEED-S. This is a non separable model in aero grade stainless steel, hand brazed in Bradford-on-Avon. I had it built with full Campagnolo componentry and is an absolute blast. A really fast bike with a superbly stiff frame. I like to just set off some days with no plan or route; and end up in the nearby Ribble Valley, Trough of Bowland or Lune Valley on the quiet lanes. I often spend time looking at this bicycle, it is a thing of beauty. I am seeking permission from my wife for it to be installed on a wall inside our house!
Tom’s Moulton AM SPEED S.
What does cycling mean to you ?
To me cycling is an escape route from the day to day; there is no greater feeling of freedom than being in the saddle riding high up on the moors. I think many people could benefit from riding a bicycle.
What do you dislike about cycling ?
One thing I do dislike about riding a bicycle is the other traffic. It isn't that sharing the roads with other vehicles is a problem; it is more the problem some other road users have with the cyclist. Another thing I really dislike. Dog walkers, and dog leads!
How often do you ride your bike, and for what purpose ?
I love riding bicycles produced by The Moulton Bicycle co, a British institution in its own right, British in manufacture and British in style. I think it is important that we all support products made here, they are the backbone of our heritage and future industry. It is too easy these days to buy off the shelf Taiwanese made frames (as good as many of them are), but to have to wait for something, your own slice of British feel-good quality is second to none. Rather akin to a fine wine, a pair of handmade shoes or a watch.
I have been producing The Moultoneer magazine for some years now, and had the honour of visits to The Hall, the home of Alex Moulton, with many a lively discussion about design. For me, Alex got it just right. In a world of fashion - led design, here we have a truly remarkable thing. A functional device, in the bicycle, which can be a form of transport, an item of purpose, which, through design wizardry, has good form with character which can be admired, even when stationary!
Long may Moulton and Pashley prosper; may I take the opportunity to thank all at the factory, for the care and love you clearly put into what you do. Let's all raise a glass to AM on the 9th April and remember this remarkable gent.