Disraeli Gears. The title of the great album by sixties rock group Cream came about when Eric Clapton was thinking about buying a racing bike and his roadie is reported to have said "that's the one with those disraeli gears isn't it?"........ And of course the Allin has got all of 10 gears; 5 on the back and a double-clanger up front! The rear is a Simplex Prestige derailleur whilst the front is a much newer Shimano changer.
This is the original mech on the bike from 40 years ago, when the trend was to have every component drilled....including the jockey-wheel cage. In the box of bike stuff retrieved from Dad's garage were 2 other plastic Prestige bodies and from the three I managed to make the nicest looking one. One of the benefits of the plastic Simplex gears where their weight...this one weighs in at approx. 180 gr.
The main body of the original is silver compared to the red of the replacement...maybe a later model? The problem of mixing different parts is trying to get the spring rate correct. Some have index marks which when aligned and the stop installed give the right pre-tension in the spring. When assembled on the rear drop-out, the body should be aligned at the 4 o'clock position. We will see if this is all correct when the rear wheel is installed!
On my replacement time trial bike....Hugh Porter Bantel frame...the rear mech was a new fangled parallelogram Japanese early Sun-Tour derailleur, which of course I still have!
On my replacement time trial bike....Hugh Porter Bantel frame...the rear mech was a new fangled parallelogram Japanese early Sun-Tour derailleur, which of course I still have!
Note the polished drop-outs, not Campagnolo, but very similar with provision for the small adjustment screws, which are missing.
Next on the list is to replace the gear cable, including a new outer casing, and connecting to the Campag bar end shifter.