Lots of French touring bikes from the 50's and 60's had triples, well before the era of the Campy NR. These often used TA Cyclotourist rings, but I'm told the Cyclotourist arms still made today only go back to the late 60's or early 70's, so they are not as old as the rings. Maybe that's why you often see 50's and 60's bikes with Cyclotourist rings attached to Stronglight mod 49 arms.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
> Don't have a definitive answer but I've got a couple 1938 Le Cycliste bike
> mags that show ads for various triple cranks. I have a feeling they go
back
> a lot further though. Interestingly one was shown with the largest
chainring
> in the middle.
>
> John Price
> Denver CO
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Tom Hayes" <hayesbikes@nls.net>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 09, 2003 5:37 PM
> Subject: [CR]Dates of triple cranks
>
>
> Does anyone know approximately when triple chainwheel cranks came into
> existence and which manufacturer developed them? Was there such a thing
as
> a triple cotterred crank? And was there a corresponding rear derailleur
to
> the introduction of the triple?
>
> The earliest I know is the Campagnolo NR triple matched to Shimano GT, but
> I'd like to you know if there were others, earlier than the Campangolo and
> which rear derailleur went with it.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Tom Hayes
> Chagrin Falls, Ohio