The latest in our regular series of profiles of riders of Pashley and Moulton bicycles.

I’m a retired graphic designer & illustrator living, where I was born, in Christchurch, Dorset. It’s a beautiful area mid way between the New Forest and the Purbeck Hills, with the sea to the south and rolling Wiltshire to the north. After art college I worked freelance in the Bournemouth area until I was fortunate enough to take an early retirement about ten years ago.

I’ve spent much of my life outdoors, cycling, walking, kayaking, camping and competing in sailing, swimming and rowing. Christchurch has a large natural harbour hence all the water based sports, and during all this there was always a bike, I’ve never been without one, so I’ve been a cyclist since the age of five.

Music has also been important, a very broad canvas of metal, rock, indie, English folk, reggae and much more. I play mandolin and used to play tenor banjo in a Morris band, I’m passionate about English folk music, it’s often overlooked in favour of traditional music from other places. Of course, cycling is a passion along with British made bicycles, Ordnance Survey paper maps, photographing quirky things, looking after our countryside, the Shipping Forecast, preserving the green belt & resisting the spread of concrete & tarmac, supporting local businesses & British farmers.

I come from the generation where we were sent out with a packed lunch after breakfast, often on a bicycle, and told to come home for tea, as such I enjoyed a lovely childhood with much freedom.

My first bike was a simple steel framed single speed, I remember my parents taking turns running behind me holding onto the saddle until I launched solo. My Father was painting the house at the time and he painted the bike the same colour, lemon with turquoise mudguards.... I graduated later to a red Raleigh.

I’ve had a large number of bikes over the years, can there ever be too many ?  As a young teenager I had a small wheeled Raleigh RSW16, this probably started my love of small wheelers. My best friend had a far superior Moulton F Frame, at the age of fourteen we went cycling around the Isle of Wight, she on the Moulton, me on the clunky Raleigh...I struggled, it was years later when I bought an F Frame that I realised why she went so well ! Whilst at college I rode a 1930s big, black loop frame single speed, I still had this many years later when married and rode it all through pregnancy. After birth of number one son I bought an early Dawes MTB, also kept for many years, this was used to tow my sons in a camping trailer, years before child trailers appeared. I’ve also had a few road bikes, always steel framed.

Then, in my fifties, I thought I needed to do more aerobic activity and so bought a Pashley Penny, then a Guv’nor, and joined a local cycle club. I was a tad ‘alternative’ in not having a generic, mass produced alloy road bike but have never had a problem with being alternative or unconventional.

After many years bent over a drawing board I developed a painful neck and cycling became uncomfortable. I came across the Moulton spaceframe bicycle and, because of its full suspension, thought this may be the answer and it has been. A very comfortable ride.

I bought a TSR30 in minty blue, and a couple of others over the years (or do they breed in the garage?), including a lovely lime green TSR from Fran. I then lurched sideways into the early F Frame Moultons and renovated a few before selling them on, it’s a lovely feeling when you’ve saved a bike from the tip or skip. I only like to keep bikes that I am using, the perfect number for me is three.

My three now are a 1980 Dawes Kingpin, renovated & upgraded for shopping and visiting the beach, one of those foldy up Brommies, for camping trips and anywhere that involves a train ride, and a Moulton Flyte for longer rides both solo and with the club, this again, from Fran. I ride most days either longer club rides or short trips to the beach for coffee or shopping, averaging around 6,000 miles a year, more than I ever did in a motor. I’ve also enjoyed vintage rides such as L’Eroica and the Pashley Picnic and cycle touring.

 I’d always wanted a Moulton made in Bradford on Avon, but could never justify the price, until recently when I sold my car, living where I do a car is unnecessary, freeing up all that motoring money to spend on bicycles! New year, new bike, the Moulton Flyte, it is wonderful and, as such, is my ‘dream bike’ no need to look further.

My favourite rides are into the New Forest on minor roads with little traffic and, if riding solo, the chance of seeing wildlife amongst the forest’s mighty ancient oaks. Also the beautiful scenery going northwards towards the Wiltshire Hampshire border.

I dislike inconsiderate or just plain stupid motorists who think they own the road and have no concept of the danger they pose to cyclists either by speeding or close passes. Litter on the roadside and country verges, makes me pretty cross too and don’t get me started on dogs running free on cycle paths !

Cycling offers me freedom to go whenever and wherever I like, the fun of freewheeling down a hill, stopping for coffee and cake, being out in nature, seeing everything up close, hearing birdsong in the hedges, feeling the wind on your face, relaxing and letting your head do its own thing, forgetting any worries, being self propelled and pollution free.

Moulton Flyte
The Traditional Cycle Shop will be at Eroica Britannia in August.