I just wanted to share my excitement over a few items I just received from Baron & Cecile Corpuz [aka "banana_brain" on eBay].
These are Shimano center-pull quick-release hangers. Here are a couple quick photos I just took - one showing the levers closed the other shows them opened/released, and I also posted a scan from a Weinmann catalog showing their style of QR mechanism for comparison.
http://pictures.aol.com/
Perhaps you will think me silly to be so excited over simple mechanisms, but I think they are worth noting as perhaps the final (and perfected) evolution of the basic concept.
Imagine the basic frame fitting hardware as similar to Weinmann. However, these differ in that rather than the early D-shaped threaded sleeve which would slide up and down on the Weinmanns, these have simpler threaded adjusters fitted directly to the tapped hanger stop and this entire piece slides up and down in the vertical slots of the hangers.
So these are somewhat more like the Universal mod 61 QR hangers... but those never had integrated threaded cable adjusters. The Shimanos are a simple integration of both styles - and better than either.
These then, can be used on simple brake levers which do not have adjusters mounted on the lever bodies. If you don't mind mis-matched components, these are superbly finished and smooth operating devices. The best I've ever seen, and in fact had only seen them pictured in old catalogs... until now!
They are great if you are using fat tires on your Randonneur, and already have lever mounted releases which just don't quite open the calipers sufficiently. Combined with secondary brake lever mounted QR devices, these will allow very wide opening of your calipers - and without having to detach one side of the straddle cable which may be simple on some Mafac calipers, but truly a nuisance on most other center-pull calipers.
Bob Hanson, Albuquerque, NM, USA