Ooh! Suit you sir! ( ebay roadie content )

Saw this and felt like sharing....





http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEBTOX:IT&item=280185497814&_trksid=p3984.cTODAY.m238.lVI

Not normally a fan of bikes that old but that is really nice

It is lovely - but without a rear mech how does the rear gear selection work? Something to do with the pipework?

Not a clue...any takers?

Aye, the lever shifts the chain up onto the larger sprocket (like a front changer) and the ratcheted dropout allows the wheel to move forward. And vice versa. It relies a lot on rider technique and the gear to be absolutely spotless.
I had a version of this on my first racing bike - rescued from a pidgeon shed. When it was cleaned up it worked quite well. I had 3 on the back but they were too wide ratios for it to be really satisfactory. I changed the ratios and it was adequate. I used this to ride to Ft William one year with panniers and spindly legs but got rescued by my parents on the return journey!
That bike would be a really nice addition to a collection but its not got the original parts I reckon - its got a bit of a mix of components - maybe they did that in those days but I reckon they went for groupsets even then.
I'm waiting for another one to turn up in a pidgeon shed before I invest in anything like that.
Check the deep bars on that one though - I'm on the lookout for a pair like that for my 'modern' bike. They make a lot of sense - those 'anatomical' things are crap.

slap shift!

awesome

this is a great book for those interested
http://www.thedancingchain.com/index.htm