>From: Bob Reid yep,
>The British like the Germans continued to plod on for some years with
>variable speed hub gears that were considered for a long number of
>years far more reliable than the fragile derailleur systems
>Bob Reid
>Stonehaven
>Scotland
In the Dancing Chain, F. Berto ascribes the British preference for hub Gears to belief that chain line was very important; the cycling scribes of the time really pushed the belief. Sort of like Bicycling mags flogging of goofy seat stays making a bike ride "stiff yet compliant" Later some British derailers used a sliding cog set to maintain chainline. The idler pulleys were also thought to be big power robbers.
Scott Goldsmith
Milford,Ohio
West of Suez