Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,194
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
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+1 on PKN10E frames, I had and liked one just a few years ago, however off-the-topic that may be.
...also on the metal RSX brifters that have modernized so many 7s freewheel bikes.
About the Svelto, the cool thing is that these look like a derailer that someone might be able to put together in their garage.
I'm imagining a slant-parallelogram version with "micro" ball bearings at all pivot points, to allow indexing, and of course no top pivot spring.
Looking at such a derailer from the right angle, the body would almost disappear.
Then make the pulley cage from thin steel rod stock and add heavily-perforated pulleys for that super-lightweight look.