MufflerJeans

Hi, All.
I'd like to upgrade the derailleur on a mid-70 Raleigh Sprite. Can someone recommend a derailleur to replace the Huret 5 speed?

thanks

Bill Kapaun

Shimano Tourney is probably your best bet. Anything "fancier" will be "more speeds" and a narrower cage.

MufflerJeans

Thanks, Bill. I appreciate the quick reply. Do you know how to adjust these Huret's? Here's the issue I'm having: When the down tube shifter is all the way up, it's not moving the chain down to the smallest cog on the cassette. When I pull it back it goes way above the largest cog (and slips off). How do I fix that? . Does the cable need to be adjusted? Any help would be much appreciated.

dedhed

Which Huret?

https://i2.wp.com/restoringvintagebi...ears.jpg?ssl=1

Andrew R Stewart 

The Sprite likely has the Huret Alvet. A wonderful production of blacksmithy level abilities. Every pivot can be taken apart, cleaned, lubed and reassembled with adjustments to the slop/friction balance point. Even the pulleys rebuildable with their cup and cone bearing. Rugged and trustworthy but not quick to service if you're fumble thumbed.

Like any der when looking at the shift to the small cog issues one first confirms that the der, sans chain and cable, moves through it's range freely. If not then likely one or more of the link pivots is binding. They are simple screw and lock nutted set. One limit screw controls the outward travel and the other the inner, just like modern ones although in more viewable locations.

Next up isn shifting ease is cable friction. Since these ders were made when cables and casing were metal on metal contacts and rust/grime collects over the years replacing with modern lined casing and redrawn cables goes a long way to reducing cable friction. BTW if the shift levers are also Huret then the common "shimano" ended cables might not fit. Not too many shops stock compatible cables these days. (we have three types on hand if you're local to Rochester).

Like all ders the alignment WRT the wheel.cog set is needed but less so the modern indexed ones. Today my co worker did this alignment on an old Motobacane with a 10" adjustable wrench. Andy

MufflerJeans

I can’t post photos or links bc I’m new, but if you google this:

Vintage Huret Raleigh rear derailleur L'Eroica

an ebay hit comes up. The photos for that item are identical to the one I have.

MufflerJeans

Thanks, Andrew. I checked the link pivots. They seem to be freely moving. The cable is pretty nasty so I'm going to replace that. However, the shifters are Huret so is there a specific cable I should be looking for? Thanks dedhed for the diagram. That's really helpful too.

dedhed

You'll have to look at your existing cable to see what end it has on it at the shifter.Given the vintage it may be the flat disc rather than the round barrel.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...le-source.html

Here's a link to a good picture of the differences.
https://hollandbikeshop.com/en-gb/bi...-simplex-6446/

MufflerJeans

OK. I got it all back together and put in a new cable and it's shifting good. Something is weird though. With lever shifters, doesnt the chain move down to the smallest cog on the cassette when you push the lever away from you towards the front? And when you pull it to you, it should go up to the largest, right? Right now mine is doing the exact opposite. How did I manage that? And how to I fix it?

dedhed

I don't know how you managed that as most RD are "high normal" meaning that the derailleur spring pulls toward the High (smaller) cogs when there isn't any cable tension. In theory if you're going the other way the derailleur would stay on the high cog and the cable would go slack. While I haven't looked at an Alvit in ages I can't believe it would be any other way.

alcjphil

When you installed the new cable did you run it under or over the shift drum? Under is correct

MufflerJeans

I think I did a few things wrong so I took the derailleur off and put it on again (the right way) and also realized the shifter was on wrong too. I fixed that and it’s moving the chain as expected. It’s shifting pretty good with one exception. When it’s on the largest cog, it won’t shift down. However, from any other gear, it shifts down great and up to the first cog too. It takes a few tries to get off the largest cog. Any ideas?

MufflerJeans

Posting for future Sprite questions. I found my derailleur here: Huret Accessoires Cycles Cyclomoteurs Motos - 1976 page 7. It's the Alvitt Safety from 1976.