I believe I have a couple of the levers with no half moon part so maybe we can do something together. The problem with the whole design is (and this is why it never caught on) that you use a 5 speed freewheel on a hub with 6 speed axle and spacing to make room for the extra fake cog. So if you were in a race and needed a quick wheel change (which is the whole idea) you had to have that exact wheel or it's a no go. Since none of the following cars ever had one and everyone was wanting to have six speeds it never caught on. I found a completely different use for it however. Not being a good hill climber if I ever got caught at the front of the pack going up hill I would shift into fake cog and it would look like I threw a chain and everyone would pass me as I shifted back up and onto the back of the pack without taking my turn at the front. Worked like a charm!! I will check my goodie box next time I am at my shop and let you know about the lever but I don't think I have the backing plate either which is needed to make it work but I will check. Mike Howard Downey CA
On Fri, May 14, 2010 at 9:36 PM, r cielec <teaat4p@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Ahoy !
> Well, I hope I spelled correctly.
> First-off: I am open and inviting of all corrections and enlightenment.
>
> I understand the porta categna was the "extra gear"; that is: one merely
> shifted as if onto an additional cog. Where the pc's intended to be used
> with 5 or 6 spd fw's?
>
> Also, my understanding is that the shift lever used with the porta categna
> was a special lever having more travel. Is this correct? Do they look any
> different from the "non-pc" lever? Does anybody have one, actually seen one,
> use one?
>
> I have the half-moon for the rear drop out but, "ain't" never seen the
> lever.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Richard Cielec
> Chicago, Illinois; U.S.A.
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
>
--
Michael Howard
Downey, CA