DISRAELI DOCUMENTS

French Patent # 2,554,895 - Simplex

French Patent 2,554,895 - Simplex main image

I am not entirely sure, but I believe this is the first patent for a plastic cable guide fitted below the bottom bracket. Even in these days of concealed cables and carbon frames, these cable guides are an essential part of modern cycling life, particularly for those of us who still ride metal frames. And this patent is nothing to do with Cannondale, Trek or Specialized, it is also nothing to do with Campagnolo, Shimano or SRAM, it is held by Henry Juy of Simplex.

Even more interestingly, I would argue that the plastic under bottom bracket cable guide is one of the most important technologies that made reliable indexed gears possible. The unquestioned winner from the emergence of reliable indexed gearing was Shimano. One of the unquestioned losers was Simplex.