Calling all super oldschool people....

So while kinda cleaning around the shop, I found this display from what seemed like an early 80s thing.

Picture this. It was basically a shimano drivetrain, mounted on the stays/bb shell of an old bike. Trick was that the cassette (8speed) was fixed onto the hub, and there wasnt a freewheel. The bb though, had somesort of free wheel on it, so that when you pedalled, it wa slike a normal bike, but when you coast, your cranks stay there, but your rings, chain and cassette keep spinning.

Its too bad that shimano didnt push further with the system, imagine being able to shift gears while coasting? The only downside I can see is chain wear would be faster….

Does anyone know anything about this system, and if it ever caught on?

Cheers,

AR

Didn't they use those in BMX alot too?

I think I may have seen one, but I can't remember.

It'd be sweet for riding backwards and for those kinds of tricks…you wouldln't have to pedal backwards.

As usual, Sheldon Brown comes through:

Front Freewheel System link

Also see the Positron entry on the same page. Not that I've ever seen this stuff in person.

I've held the Positron derailleur…it was last summer. It was a fairly unused one too. Sort of cool…a bit of biking history.

anybody remember the old 3-speed internal Shimano hubs that were like old-school Rholllof's? I want one of thise for a street rig…

"Downhill Racing
I consider this fad to be bad for cycling, and contrary to the spirit of cycling. It is effectively just a variant form of motorcycle racing, since the power is provided by the machinery that carries the rider and bike to the top of the run. Bicycling should be a human-powered activity, or it is not bicycling. "

Classic :lol:

Some trials riders use this.

I remember a system where they had many gears in the front…..it looked like a frisbie….never really saw the light of day….but it was pimp back then.

i need some old stuff. i got all the old school LX-sets.
i just need LX brake set(v):(

pm me if you have it. im a collecter

The first road bike I ever owned had a positron rear derrailleur, it worked ok, byt the cables never lasted lon, there was a pinch bolt on the shifter that held the middle of the cable, the cable would always break right where the pinch bolt crushed it.