Cyclo 'Oppy' derailleur
Posted: 3 Oct 2020, 12:11am
back in the 1930s one of the first derailleurs to meet with racing success in the UK was a Cyclo model used by Hubert 'Oppy' Opperman to break the end to end record. Accordingly when they introduced a new model derailleur a few years later in 1938, they actually called it the Cyclo 'Oppy'. It was in production until 1949, apparently.
from disraeli gears
It is pretty much a lightened/shortened revised version of the Cyclo Standard, with a canted bracket (for smoother cable runs), a different tension spring arrangement, and used a twin cable for positive shifting (when the cables were correctly adjusted) much like Rohloff uses twin cables today.
(this photo is meant to be of an Oppy but it looks more like a Cyclo 'standard' to me)
The cable stops mount in a 'U' shaped slot because the cable is manufactured in a complete loop so needs to be pushed through a slot to be mounted. Soldered nipples on the cable are used to gain traction on both the lever and the mech pulley.
NOS mech complete with NOS brown paper wrapping
Both three and four-speed versions of the derailleur were made. The pulleys are solid steel and turn on adjustable ball bearings; 12T guide pulley and 10T tension pulley. The pulleys are relatively thick, such that 1/8" chain only can be used. The tension pulley adjusts via screw and locknut, and the guide pulley adjusts using a bed of shims.
I note with interest that it is recommended that 'the Cyclo unit hub and sprockets' should be used with the 4s gear because 'no other gives the correct clearance and efficiency'. So now you know where shimano gets their ideas from... . Not sure if Cyclo copied the Bayliss-Wiley unit hub...? I wonder which came first?
Initially launched as a racing derailleur, by 1949 the whole arrangement was presumably looking a bit old hat, with lighter aluminium models and dropout mounted derailleurs becoming available from other manufacturers.
I recently obtained the remains of an 'Oppy'; unfortunately the 12T guide pulley (part O.10 above) is missing; I have the bearing centres but not the pulley itself. I don't even know if it is a 3s or 4s model, it is a bit reluctant to move at all... Easy repair of course, all I need is 3/6 and a time machine....
from disraeli gears
It is pretty much a lightened/shortened revised version of the Cyclo Standard, with a canted bracket (for smoother cable runs), a different tension spring arrangement, and used a twin cable for positive shifting (when the cables were correctly adjusted) much like Rohloff uses twin cables today.
(this photo is meant to be of an Oppy but it looks more like a Cyclo 'standard' to me)
The cable stops mount in a 'U' shaped slot because the cable is manufactured in a complete loop so needs to be pushed through a slot to be mounted. Soldered nipples on the cable are used to gain traction on both the lever and the mech pulley.
NOS mech complete with NOS brown paper wrapping
Both three and four-speed versions of the derailleur were made. The pulleys are solid steel and turn on adjustable ball bearings; 12T guide pulley and 10T tension pulley. The pulleys are relatively thick, such that 1/8" chain only can be used. The tension pulley adjusts via screw and locknut, and the guide pulley adjusts using a bed of shims.
I note with interest that it is recommended that 'the Cyclo unit hub and sprockets' should be used with the 4s gear because 'no other gives the correct clearance and efficiency'. So now you know where shimano gets their ideas from... . Not sure if Cyclo copied the Bayliss-Wiley unit hub...? I wonder which came first?
Initially launched as a racing derailleur, by 1949 the whole arrangement was presumably looking a bit old hat, with lighter aluminium models and dropout mounted derailleurs becoming available from other manufacturers.
I recently obtained the remains of an 'Oppy'; unfortunately the 12T guide pulley (part O.10 above) is missing; I have the bearing centres but not the pulley itself. I don't even know if it is a 3s or 4s model, it is a bit reluctant to move at all... Easy repair of course, all I need is 3/6 and a time machine....