Well, it does happen sometimes, doesn´t it, that after a period of relative peace and quiet many things crop up at the same time, so I´m afraid I´ve got three questions in one post.
First, I have an odd piece of equipment, made by Simplex, which one could describe as a front non-changer. It might be a very elaborate chain guide, c/w a small cage and sits where there should be a front changer. I fact, when I first got the wreck I took it off of, I thought it was one, but there is just a clamp with square holes through which the bronze cast stem goes that holds the bronze cast cage. In fact, they are one casting. If it is a chain guide, I can only say that the little guide of a Super Champion is lighter, sightlier and must have taken a whole lot less engineering time to design. It came off a road machine that had been built up with many parts usually only found on track paced racing cycles, so perhaps one might think in this direction.
Next question: I have repeatedly talked to people who were racing during the late fifties and early sixties (at a time, BTW, at which I myself was just a rough outline) that it was all the rage then to mix components, i.e. Stronglight cranks with TA chainrings or MAFAC calipers with Universal levers, Titan stems with Maes bars and so on. Especially the MAFAC / Universal combo seems to have been popular. Is this true or is it just one more myth to be debunked?
Lastly, does anyone have a used sixties Altenburger front hub, large flange, and (!) gold anodized for sale?
Thanks for your attention,
Toni Theilmeier, Belm, Germany.