1940s Super Champion derailleurs

[eastway82]

Hi guys,
My first post here - looks like a great resource.
I'm trying to find out a little more about Super Champion derailleurs. I know the firm was founded by Oscar Egg, and there's plenty of info about the company in the thirties, but little about the forties and the end of the company in the early fifties.
I'm curious, because I recently bought a small job lot of new old stock SC 3-speed derailleurs, all boxed in pairs, with instrictions, levers, cables, and all fittings. some I'll keep for curiosity value (I'm more interested in my own racing era of the 70s and eighties), but the rest will probably go on Ebay or wherever. I'd just like to know a little more about the background and try to date them a bit more precisely. There are two types: three boxes of Sport Leger and two boxes of Sport 46 Dural. I also have one loose one stamped Mondial. So 11 derailleurs altogether. I bought them at an autojumble in France from a guy who genuinely didn't have a clue what they were!

Any information would be gratefully received.

 

[Levegh]

Super Champion/Oscar Egg

The Super Champion brand was owned by Oscar Egg. They made lightweight bicycles both before and after the war. The pre-war range of derailleurs was of two types, the predominantly racing or sporting ones with a tension arm on the bottom bracket or the seat tube and a striking fork to move the chain across to the next sprocket
and
the more conventional range which was similar to the Cyclo derailleurs. These were usually considered to be touring.
The first type was made under licence in England where it was sold as the Osgear. The Osgear has a striking appearance because of its forward mounted tension arm. It was originally three speed, then four and some people after the war converted them to five. They were old hat by the early fifties and the more conventional ones were by then also seeming old fashioned. The company was also well known as suppliers of attractive frame lugs which were used by many frame builders. By the late fifties or early sixties, they seem to have been making less distinctive bikes and I believe their shop in the Avenue des Grandes Armees (I may have remembered that wrong!) closed about that time though the name seems to have lingered on into the bike boom years.
The last couple of years before the outbreak of war saw Oscar Eggs building bikes with the Nivex rear hub which allowed you to remove the wheel while leaving the chain and freewheel in place on the hub. Delectable!

If you still have any of the free wheels, I would be interested as I am about to build up a just prewar OE.

 

[tonomg1]

Hello Iam Antonio and I live in Mexico I have a Oscar Egg bicycle, and I am looking for information on these bicycles may be can help me.
thank you

 

[sam]

I have a Fothergill frame with OE lugs--wish I knew more to tell---anyway you shouldn't be disappointed with what your derailers bring.I'd check out the CR list before doing and offers.