[CR]First Record front derailleur

(Example: Bike Shops)

From: <BobHoveyGa@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Apr 2006 12:44:45 EDT
Subject: [CR]First Record front derailleur
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


In a message dated 4/27/06 12:33:21 AM, classicrendezvous-request@bikelist.org writes:


>
> I remember several weeks ago someone on the list described the first
> version of the Record front derailleur.  They described the derailleur
> as having chrome pivot arms and the long cable stop.  I am familiar with
> the rare cable stop derailleur, but this was the first time I had heard
> about chrome pivot arms.  Well, I was looking at some of my parts
> (spring cleaning) and found an interesting front Record derailleur in my
> stash.  It does not include the cable stop, but has chromed pivot arms
> as apposed to alloy arms.  The shape of the clamp support held up
> against the seat tube on the drive side (where the cable stop arm would
> be located) is shaped differently too.  Instead of the flat box-shaped
> bottom seen on my other front Record derailleurs, this derailleur's
> support is shaped like a sharks fin.  No indication of file marks or
> broken cable stop.  Additionally, the derailleur has no 'C' clip to hold
> the arms in place so one would think this is pre '73-'74.   This also
> leads me to believe this is not a lower level Campy derailleur from the
> mid 80's, i.e. 980 derailleur.    Is this perhaps a transition piece
> from the first Record derailleur w/cable stop to the more common pre '74
> Record derailleurs without 'C' clip?  Or perhaps someone just swapped
> parts?!  Anyone have an idea what this is?
>
>
>
>
>
> Regards, Rich Robinson
>
> Jacksonville NC
>

The early version of the no-stop derailleur was just the old casting with th e stop cut off and the stub cleaned up by hand, probably on a bench grinder or

something. There is likely to be quite a bit of variation at this area. Speaking of variation, apparently the arms these derailleurs got came out of

whatever box was nearest at hand because there are new (no-stop) derailleurs with chromed arms, but there are also a few older cable-stop derailleurs with alloy arms. Guess they were careful back then to use up ALL the parts.

As far as I know, there are at least three different versions of the cable-stop derailluer. The earliest and rarest has large head screws at th e pivots to secure the arms. The next version had no screws. The last version had no screws and a slotted stop to make cable insertion easier.

Bob Hovey
Columbus, GA