Speaking of "plunger" type RD's, these seem to have survived well beyond the introduction of the Campy parallelogram Grand Sport. What was the first Simplex parallelogram RD? What about Huret? Did these companies continue making plunger types after introducing parallelogram models? Cyclo (Benelux) seems to have continued with a plunger type well into the 60's, maybe even into the very early 70's. Did Cyclo ever produce a parallelogram RD? This whole subject would seem worthy of a Design Classics column, or perhaps several.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Hilary Stone <hilary.stone@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote: This is not really true - the Simplex plunger gears shifted far better than the Campagnolo Gran Sport with a quick change with almost no overshifting required. This was in large part due to the sprung upper pivot which kept the upper pulley close to the freewheel. Other plunger type gears did not work as well. The Gran Sport was more robust and easier to fit but shifted very poorly especially if the difference in size between the chainrings was more than a few teeth.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
Harvey Sachs wrote:
>
> So, by and large, it seems fair to conclude that the Campy GS, 1951, was
> the first successful parallogram rear derailleur from a firm big enough
> to market it.
>
> And it was one heck of a lot better than the plunger units it competed
> against.