I'm not familiar with the metrics Frank Berto used when measuring derailleur performance. From my own experience as a bicycle shop mechanic I know that many of the Japanese derailleurs available in the 1970s shifted well when new, but their performance declined over time. Campy actually improved with break-in and then didn't decline. I personally don't know anyone who raced with Suntour or Shimano stuff in the mid-to-late 70s/early 80s, although I'm sure many did. I used Campy then as now because of durability/reliability, which is why the pro peleton used it.
Steve Whitting
Prairieville, Louisiana USA
Website at http://ciocc-cat.angelfire.com/
From: Ben Kamenjas <kamenjas@gmail.com> Subject: Re: [CR] Classic Compact Cranksets & Tiomphe >>> now Campagnolo Rally To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Sunday, May 2, 2010, 10:43 PM
Coolio's
All this talk about the Rally derailleur has me confused/interested. For some reason and from reading about it I had believed that it was a dog. Now I'm reading positive things about them and wondering if there's a particular model that is better than others and also if there's an ideal setup or range that they are best suited to.
To quote from Frank Berto's "The Dancing Chain"....
"In 1974, the Rally touring derialleur replaced the Gran Turismo. It was similar to the Shimano Titliest. It had two spring-loaded pivots, and the key dimensions were nearly identical. I became unpopular with the Campagnolo fraternity when I reported my test results. The $10 Suntour VGT shifted better than the more expensive Shimano Titliest or Campagnolo Rally.
Jan Heine tested a Campagnolo Rally 3450 on a 1990 Mercian bicycle with a five sprocket 14-28 Regina freewheel and standard chain - the kind of components likely to be used in 1974. It shifted very poorly, the worst of any derailleur he has tested so far. It required overshifting and still missed many shifts. This agree's with Frank Berto's experience. But it shifted surprisingly well when used with a 7 sprocket 13-26 Dura-Ace freewheel and a narrow Sedisport chain instead."
- - - - - - - - - -
So now I'm confused ??? I'm guessing there must be a difference between the Rally versions and that "set up" has a big part in getting the best out of it.
ciao,
Ben Kamenjas Kensington Australia
On Jerry Moos wrote:
> The Rally, which replaced the truly awful Gran Tourismo, was in fact an excellent touring RD.?
> --- On Sun, 5/2/10, Amir Avitzur <walawalaoxenfree@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> From: Amir Avitzur
>
> Campy's Rally could handle wide ranges and actually worked.