Amir, your rear derailleur is the earlier model Benelux Tourist with no badge on the derailleur body. The later Mark 8 Tourists (well, those that I own) have a Benelux red metal badge on the derailleur body. I too have not been able to get that earlier Benelux Tourist to work with a 28 tooth freewheel cog, despite the 28t freewheel capacity stated in "The Dancing Chain." I recall the max I got it to reach was a 26t cog and then I changed over to the later Mark 8 Tourist model to get the freewheel range I was seeking.
I measured my Benelux Tourist and Benelux Mark 8 Tourist derailleurs to compare with yours:
derailleur body center-to-center Benelux Tourist: 55mm Benelux Mark 8 Tourist: 58 or 59mm
pulley cage center-to-center Benelux Tourist: 78mm Benelux Mark 8 Tourist: 78mm
There's a definite difference between the derailleur body length in the two models.
Peter ...................................... Peter Brueggeman La Jolla California USA 4peebee(AT)peterbrueggeman.com
From: Amir Avitzur <avitzur(AT)013.net> Subject: [CR]Long Cage 50's Derailleurs - limitations
I spent the day trying to fit some long cage 50's derailleurs on a '53 Hobbs. Tried a Simplex Rigidex 35 (which turned out to be a 3 speed) and two Cyclo Benelux Tourists. None of them could handle the 26 tooth large cog on the freewheel. The upper pulley cage simply ran into it unless the derailleur was angled back too much. So I switched to a 14~22 freewheel and the Benelux works, but just barely (front is 50-36). How wide a gear range could Brits use back then? ... and how did they get it?
Amir Avitzur
Ramat-Gan, Israel
ANDSubject: [CR]'53 Hobbs Photos
.... The measurements of my Cyclo-Benelux Tourist are at:
http://www.flickr.com/
Amir