RE: [CR]Ebay Outings : New High? Now Campy learning curve....

Comment: DomainKeys? See http://antispam.yahoo.com/domainkeys
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 20:53:20 -0800 (PST)
From: "scott davis" <francopedia@yahoo.com>
Subject: RE: [CR]Ebay Outings : New High? Now Campy learning curve....
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=6502451643 Regarding the early GS derailleurs, they seem to be a lesson in design trial and error. The derailleur in the auction is an early version of the cage, but NOT the 1st version. Unless, it was modified, this derailleur is at least the 2nd version. Notice that it has a hole in the face of the cage--as all other GS had until they were discontinued about 10 years later. This hole was an improvement over the 1st generation cage, (shown in early Campy Cats), which had no hole on its face. The closed face limited the inward set-up positioning of the derailleur cage. The hole in the 2nd version offered more lateral adjustment of the cage than the 1st. Correspondingly, the 2nd also had a longer flat area carved on the top of the shaft rod to facilitate set up of the correct cage position. If you ever try to replace a 50s bottom bracket, the first thing you'll notice is the lack of early standards in spindle length. A few of my random 50s spindles were 127, 130 and 134. The limitation of the "closed face" on the 1st version must have rendered some of the double chainrings unshiftable without the correct bottom bracket spacing. The 2nd version allowed the rider to adjust the cage further inward than the 1st, if you had a shorter spindle. So, the 1st disappeared or got modified.

Just as Campy was refining the front, they made improvements to the rear derailleur, such as ditching the frail 1st version 6 mm cable pinch bolt for the more durable 8 mm and eliminating those flimsy drilled jockey wheels. Finally, they also changed the GS down tube shift levers 3 times from the heavy bronze to the lightweight bendable thin "Open C" alloy, to the more beefed up durable alloy, which was used from the late 50s to early 80s. What took them so long to figure that out?

By the way, the cage fixing bolt on the auction derailleur looks like a replacement. It sticks out of the top way too much.

Scott Davis Bored in another St. Paul, MN Winter **********************************************************************************************************

http://offer.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewBids&item=6502451643 "Being very ebay naive, I have to ask: Is there any conceivable reason other than outright fraud or terminal stupidity that would explain evergreenhs2's bidding on this item?"

This is the going rate for what is likely the rarest Campagnolo front derailleur made. It is also much more rare than the very first Campagnolo rear derailleurs! If the rear Gran Sport derailleurs from 1951 are now regularly selling for more than $2000, this price would seem to be an apparent bargain for a rarer derailleur that would be needed to complete the same bike or collection.

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