Fir Gemini front derailleur - beautiful and rare

[ferrus]

the bearing surfaces of both the headset and the bottom bracket are covered with titanium - which makes no sense, but we know what the word "titanium" evoked in people around 1990. The bottom bracket is apparently available in two versions, the seat post in two lengths. Which, in view of the obviously extremely small edition, seems pretty absurd, but delights the collector's heart.

There’s a test of the Gemini group two thirds down the forum thread I linked above. It mentions the headset having a Titanium Nitride coating on the bearing surface.
This is an extremely hard surface treatment sometimes used on drill bits etc (as well as Goldtech’s Ti chainrings and sprockets), so potentially worthy technology.

No doubt that Gemini was a serious attempt at the ultimate, state-of-the-art components of the time.

 

[FloHo]

Photos and info’ about Gemini are almost nonexistent, but I found this in my archives showing the white-hooded brake levers mentioned earlier:
https://www.facebook.com/Epicyclesr...topietro-dettopietropolare-/2760677717588106/
Also there’s this interesting thread on another forum. If you scroll down to the photo of the Pacenti Carbon with a full Gemini groupset, you can see that the brake levers are different to yours; the hoods are much more pointy and the levers are shaped differently.
Do you think the gear levers might be different too -it’s hard to do discern from the grainy picture but they don’t seem to have quite the same contour as yours?
I suspect there were a couple of versions/iterations of certain Gemini parts during it’s few years of production…
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/1161348-curiosity-vintage-f-i-r-italy-components.html

wow, the detto petro is an incredibly beautiful device, this photo was new to me. the brake levers are the same as mine, but actually with white hoods, i hadn't seen them before. I think more about the shifters, because they are definitely different (more Campa style), but they also look very high quality. I know the FiR thread, I also got a lot of information about the group from the article shown. The brake levers on the Pacenti carbon bike are probably the same Modolos that were also used on Mavic as the 440SSC and on Sachs New Success. Unfortunately, you cannot see on the picture whether they were labeled with FiR. But apparently the Gemini group also changed a bit from 1989 to 1993...

 

[Rod_Saetan]

I have a single pair of canti arms, NOS, but missing the springs, will put some pictures up when I track them down!

 

[ibbz]

I have a single pair of canti arms, NOS, but missing the springs, will put some pictures up when I track them down!

Please do

 

[ibbz]

Thanks to the person in the linked thread for the pictures
FiR Gemini group set

 

[ferrus]

Indeed ibbz, mr T-Mar is a very knowledgeable chap. He’s turned up a few times with useful insights when I’ve been researching rare mechs.

 

[ibbz]

Indeed ibbz, mr T-Mar is a very knowledgeable chap. He’s turned up a few times with useful insights when I’ve been researching rare mechs.

Now you’ve got to point me to some more equally rare and beautiful mechs !!

 

[ferrus]

This is my all time favorite mech. Just check out the quality!
One day….
https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/site/sanko_procyon_pv-iii_derailleur.html

 

[ferrus]

I was lucky to buy a NOS Takhion a few years ago. One of the rarest mech’s in the collection.
It’s like this eBay one but much nicer nick. Doesn’t look special but it’s really well made; CNCd with stainless bits.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27559312...cV1lvyqGWCTiV1XiJVQHIieIU=|tkp:Bk9SR4TUj4a8YQ
Fascinating history behind Takhion bicycles.
http://bikecult.com/works/archive/03bicycles/tachyonR.html

 

[ferrus]

A interesting ‘modern’ mech (for $730!) -
https://www.renehersecycles.com/nivex-derailleurs-are-here/