Petrol rationing caused by the Suez Crisis of 1957 prompted British engineer Alex Moulton (1920–2012) to set about developing a compact bicycle fully in line with his own ideas. The experience he had garnered in the aerospace and automobile industries (he had, among other things, been involved in developing the MINI) meant he was well equipped for the task. He thus opted for small wheels with high-pressure tires, a choice that impacted favorably on roll resistance, the moment of inertia, and thus also on acceleration. He offset the loss of comfort caused by the small wheel size by inventing new suspension systems for the front and back wheels. The so-called F frame was also completely new, breaking with all the conventions of traditional bicycle design. For Moulton, the emphasis was on compactness and not on the element of disassembly. Which is why the term folding bicycle often used to describe the Stowaway is not correct, as it was not until 1964 that he designed bikes that could be separated and slotted back together.