Re: [CR]was:new high Campy NR now: SR vs NR FD

(Example: Framebuilding:Restoration)

From: <NortonMarg@aol.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2004 12:07:07 EST
Subject: Re: [CR]was:new high Campy NR now: SR vs NR FD
To: dartley@co.ba.md.us, Bikerdaver@aol.com, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In a message dated 1/9/04 6:01:28 AM Pacific Standard Time, dartley@co.ba.md.us writes:
> That's a pretty early NR front derailleur, no circlip for the cage and
> the frame doesn't have the reinforcement bulge added later. Its as clean
> as your going to get for an early restoration. And does a Super Record
> front work any better?
>

Actually, the clip on the SR was a big improvement. On these early derailleurs, the pull of the cable "pulls backwards" on the operating arm in the direction of pulling it off its post. When underlubricated, the aluminum arm wears rapidly (the hole enlarges). It still shifts, but with the whole cage assembly rotating down and to the rear of the bike and physically closer to the chainring. When the derailleur is new, you can set the cage/chainring clearance to about one millimeter, when (not if) it wears, the derailleur must be raised. The VERY first derailleur of this type had a screw that held the arm from rotating backwards, much as the clip does on the later ones. Scott Davis had a NOS one of those "first year only" front derailleurs, that he auctioned a couple of months ago, and it went for over $400 IIRC. It is such a good idea that I'm going to make a fixture so I can add a similar screw to some of my existing derailleurs to tighten them up so I can still
use them.
Stevan Thomas
Alameda, CA