[CR]Zeus Criterium Capacity?

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

From: "brad stockwell" <brdstockwell@yahoo.com>
Subject: [CR]Zeus Criterium Capacity?
To: zzdhalla@ozemail.com.au, Jerry & Liz Moos <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <200211271952.19028.zzdhalla@ozemail.com.au>
Date: Sun, 1 Dec 2002 15:08:41 -0800 (PST)

Zeus Fans:

Zeus rear derailleurs list their intended capacity on the inner cage plate. There's an inscription including the word "dientes" which sounds suspiciously like dentist -- I think it's teeth!

Here's a sample of what some Zeus derailleur cage plates have to say for themselves:

Zeus Criterium, circa '75: 13 - 36 (Madre de Dios!)

Zeus 2000, early version, circa '75: 13 - 36

Zeus 2000, last version, circa '80: 13-26

Zeus Supercronos, circa '85: 13-30

Zeus New Racer (the cheap plastic one) circa '85: 13-30

As Jerry says, you're lucky to get 28 in practice. So what's up with the claim of 36 on the older derailleurs? I think that in the early 70's it was more common to have a half-step with a smaller spread on the front chainrings and thus most of the chain-wrap was reserved for the rear cogs. I hypothesize (but have not proved it via testing) that there exists a particular gear layout -- perhaps with but a single 42-tooth chainring up front -- in which you can actually choke 36 teeth out of the little fellas.

Once you switch to a racing crossover with 42/53 you have less chain-wrap left for the rear. Under these circumstances the claim of 26 during the 'super record' years makes sense.

Not sure why the mid-80's derailleurs go back up -- although they do have lanky parallelograms and slightly different pulley cages.

By the way the Zeus freewheel cogs were available in 13 to 30 teeth in the 6/7 speed version, and 14-30 for the 5-speed. I used to wonder that they made such large cogs, when -- at least with the chainrings I was using -- there was no way their own derailleurs could crawl up 'em.

Brad Stockwell

Palo Alto

On Wednesday 27 November 2002 13:58, Jerry & Liz Moos wrote:
> Zeus Criterium was pretty much a clone (a very good one) of Campy NR.
> About 13-26, maybe 13-28 if you get the chain length just right. For 5 or 6
> speed freewheel.
>
> From: "David Hallam"
> Sent: Monday, November 25, 2002 4:48 AM
> Can anyone tell me what the specs are for Zeus Criterium gear range?
> 13-26? 5-6 gears?
> /dlh

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