The cheeky chappy with the unfeasibly large chin is Uzawa Isamu who performs under the stage Agō Isamu. He was a well known comedian in 1970s Japan, performing as part of a group called Handers. The rest of the group also appears, more discreetly, in the advert.

Jokes don't often translate well - so I will just explain roughly what is going on. In Japanese the phrase 'to stick out one's chin' means to look very, very tired. Agō Isamu is here saying:

"I have a jutting chin, but when I ride a bike, no matter what road I am on, my chin never sticks out. The secret lies in the PC, or Perfect Change, system. This mechanism allows even first-time riders to change gears safely and confidently, without their chin sticking out at any time."

The implication being that, with a Maruishi PC electronic gear system, you will never be very, very, tired.

My thanks go to Mike Hasebe at the Shimano Bicycle Museum for patiently explaining this to me.

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• Publisher: Eastern Cycle Industry News
• Country: Japan
• Date: January 1977
• Derailleur brands: Maruishi, SunTour
• Derailleurs: Maruishi PC, SunTour Honor