Early 50s La Gazelle - Eau-de-Nil 🛠️ The Merlot Aftermath 🍷
- Thread starter Woz
- Start date
Found some proper resolution scans on Disraeli gears. I like that they are pre-soiled with dirty finger marks, oil and grease. Oddly no milky tea mug ring. The French version is probably non-existent because they would have been used as toilet roll - I'd imagine every French child from the age 10 and up would have been able to work on these drunk and blindfolded. The diagrams look fairly complete, but the instructions and fault finding reads a bit cryptic.
The contraption is off the bike with the help of an old wood chisel since I didn't have a screwdriver fine enough. Lo-and-behold, according to the destruction manual, and a stamping on the inboard cage plate, I do indeed have a 4 speed version for a 3/32" chain ( 4 vit, Chaine 2.38 ).
Going to continue the rebuild and see if it can be modified for 5 speed. Surely there can't be massive differences?
The contraption is off the bike with the help of an old wood chisel since I didn't have a screwdriver fine enough. Lo-and-behold, according to the destruction manual, and a stamping on the inboard cage plate, I do indeed have a 4 speed version for a 3/32" chain ( 4 vit, Chaine 2.38 ).
Going to continue the rebuild and see if it can be modified for 5 speed. Surely there can't be massive differences?
chickendrumsticks
Senior Retro Guru
For moment going OK - some niggles with narrow screwdriver slots, difficult access for open ended spanners, springs a bit floppy, caked up in grime etc. The proof will be when it's rebuilt. Everything I've read about these are a pain to set-up and tension.
I've left the chain on the bike for the moment with the assumption it was original and the right length.
I've left the chain on the bike for the moment with the assumption it was original and the right length.
4 = 4 not 5
Spent practically the entire afternoon on this and have now finished with a result. As mentioned earlier, it is indeed a 4 speed contraption, and to modify it for 5 seemed too involved. You cannot independently adjust the high and low positions like a modern derailleur. You can only tweak within a limited range where the pre-defined travel starts from. It looks like the travel from the largest sprocket to the smallest sprocket distance is controlled by the overall length between the two shoulders on part 923 b.
Right now, it is 4 speed as intended, using the 4 smallest sprockets on a 5 speed freewheel, it shifts quick, clunky smooth and no chain droop. Pulley wheels regreased with no slop - everything is tensioned as best as possible with 70 year old springs.
I will not be spending £150 on various bits in the hope to squeeze out another sprocket - the contraption feels like it's already had an healthy life and is due for retirement.
Going forward, I'm not sure how to proceed. Thinking either a 3 speed internal gear hub or see if ever Simplex made a parallelogram 5 or 6 speed rear mech which could just bolt on the Simplex drop-out. I don't fancy butchering the Simplex drop-out to make it like a Campag drop-out.
Spent practically the entire afternoon on this and have now finished with a result. As mentioned earlier, it is indeed a 4 speed contraption, and to modify it for 5 seemed too involved. You cannot independently adjust the high and low positions like a modern derailleur. You can only tweak within a limited range where the pre-defined travel starts from. It looks like the travel from the largest sprocket to the smallest sprocket distance is controlled by the overall length between the two shoulders on part 923 b.
Right now, it is 4 speed as intended, using the 4 smallest sprockets on a 5 speed freewheel, it shifts quick, clunky smooth and no chain droop. Pulley wheels regreased with no slop - everything is tensioned as best as possible with 70 year old springs.
I will not be spending £150 on various bits in the hope to squeeze out another sprocket - the contraption feels like it's already had an healthy life and is due for retirement.
Going forward, I'm not sure how to proceed. Thinking either a 3 speed internal gear hub or see if ever Simplex made a parallelogram 5 or 6 speed rear mech which could just bolt on the Simplex drop-out. I don't fancy butchering the Simplex drop-out to make it like a Campag drop-out.
Looking into a wheelset, but would like to know from you guys to confirm some preliminary findings about rims from the 40s, 50s, 60s.
It seems to me in the 40s / 50s, practically the only alloy 700c rims available were for tubulars. I can only find one tyre rim listed on Velobase.
Otherwise, rims for 700c wired on tyres are steel - chrome - about 28c tyre width not intended for racing.
By the late 60s and 70s, more alloy rims available in more sizes. Steel - chrome rims now relegated only to low-end mass produced bikes.
Thoughts appreciated, because in an odd way, the steel - chrome rims from the doner bike don't look at all out of place on the La Gazelle.
Any suggestions for alloy 700c rims welcome. Thinking silver finish Mavic MA2 may be a good choice, or something even later with welded join and machined sidewall (SUP & UB).
It seems to me in the 40s / 50s, practically the only alloy 700c rims available were for tubulars. I can only find one tyre rim listed on Velobase.
Otherwise, rims for 700c wired on tyres are steel - chrome - about 28c tyre width not intended for racing.
By the late 60s and 70s, more alloy rims available in more sizes. Steel - chrome rims now relegated only to low-end mass produced bikes.
Thoughts appreciated, because in an odd way, the steel - chrome rims from the doner bike don't look at all out of place on the La Gazelle.
Any suggestions for alloy 700c rims welcome. Thinking silver finish Mavic MA2 may be a good choice, or something even later with welded join and machined sidewall (SUP & UB).
Guinessisgoodforyou
rBotM Winner
Rigida, Veulta spelling? MA2 all de stickered
Been through the usual suspects. Anyhelp with model names appreciated - needs to be a plain simple rim like you say, nothing ghastly deep section, not too boxey looking nor hard anodised nor gold nor lemon colour
Noticed that 700c clinchers in silver seem to be getting rare on Ebay.fr and stupid prices are being asked - Mavic MA2 on the local Gumtree seem popular enough and reasonably priced, often laced to a Normandy large flange hub which looks the part.
https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/mavic_-_trade_catalogue_1986-1987_page_6.html
