Ebay Listing For '50s Condor - 4-speed With Suicide Shifter

[fordmike65]

Holy crap! And I thought down tube shifters were a PITA. Releasing the rear wheel while riding, what could possibly go wrong?

I like it. A true "Suicide" shifter:eek:

 

[bikewhorder]

Its hard to believe the same brilliant minds that invented the quick release for wheels came up with this too. I guess Nigel was right, there is a fine line between clever and stupid,

 

[SirMike1983]

Interesting stuff, but I'd pass on it. I think the Sturmey FW hub was a better way to put four speeds on a bike. The later derailleurs are the more practical for a road bike, I think. Friction shifters and rear derailleurs became the standard eventually because they could be so much better on the road..

 

[bulldog1935]

it's unquestionably a racing bike and was one of the earliest ways to tackle the Alps and keep the weight minimal.
I think you can not buy it even without the editorial.

The guy who is selling the Pecorari on CR posted "this is a great-riding bike, and somebody should be riding it"

Either of the bikes posted here are great collectibles.

 

[Eric Amlie]

Great history of derailleur multispeed cycling here. Thanks for posting it!

 

[bulldog1935]

you're welcome - I had fun google-on-the-fly (and more so known authority sites like Peter and Hillary) after I saw that great photo set on the Condor.
The Flikr photoset in post #8 (Pecorari Cambio Corsa) is worth looking at, also.

 

[bulldog1935]

for Condor lovers, another great photoset on ebay - '62