I have a freewheel from another thread titled "Another Freewheel Removal Help" that turned out to be a Merveille 5 speed. Does anyone have any info on these?

Thanks in advance.

Sounds like something that might be associated with the "Tank" style of "freehub". This is an old French brandname and there were several companies that made versions of it under license, Cyclo being the largest (maybe) but Maxi-Car and others, too.
It would be much more useful to not rely on written descriptions but to post some pictures of the thing, shot from both sides. That might ring bells with folks who don't know it by this Merveille brand but have seen another version of it.

Pictures are here:

https://s1110.photobucket.com/albums/...pat/Freewheel/

The pictures are on the bike, then off, with the first 2 cogs removed(exposing the front plate) then the back.

Anyone, anyone? Bueller?

What are the characteristics of the "tank" style of freewheels?

I figured some of you 3 speeders would know something because the only pictures I found were of Merveille 3 speed freewheels.

Anyway, after looking through Velobase and other things, freewheel body design must have changed in the 60's or 70's. This one looks similar to 50-60's 3 speed Reginas, Atoms and Cyclos with a deeper body so the 4th gear can be screwed on. The smallest gear(14T) screws on the 4th one because of the large inner diameter of the body.

The Merveille freewheels were made in Saint-Etienne by Ledin who also built the Styx,Tank and Minax pedals.
Marques déposées means registered trademarks.



Published in :


Post edited to let you know this freewheel is still built today!
https://www.ledin.fr/roues-libres-mecaniques.php

Thanks for the info!

Thank you Filochard!

It's a pleasure

Found an interesting thread on the Vélo Rétro Course forum TANK-MERVEILLE-STYX-MINAX | Forum Velo Retro Course

-----

Notre St. Denis!

-----