Originally Posted by
John E
It's a Simplex (probably) or Cyclo bandspring POS, which was made obsolete by the Campagnolo Gran Sport, the first modern parallelogram rear derailleur. Note the normal-low reverse shift, meaning that if your cable slipped or snapped, the derailleur cage and chain would go right into the spokes, which could ruin your whole day on a fast descent during an attempted 4-5 shift.
It wouldn't go into the spokes if it was adjusted properly, just like modern derailleurs. I had a Simplex Tour de France on my '53 Claud. When I resumed cycling 25 years later I was disappointed that modern derailleurs worked "backwards". If I was climbing out of the saddle and hit the shifter with my knee, I'd knock myself into a higher gear!
The original 1960 Varsinentals came with the obsolete Simplex suicide shifter up
Bite your tongue! You can't use words like "obsolete" in the C&V forum unless you ride a plastic bike.
