DISRAELI GEARS

Galli Criterium black (6th style)

Galli Criterium black derailleur (3rd style) main image

My memory of this derailleur (although I have a similar memory about Zeus!) goes something like this:

  • Galli were stung into action when Campagnolo released the restyled Super Record in 1980. This suddenly made their existing offering look ‘rough’ and out of date.
  • Their response was this, very polished, design. I regret their move away from straight lines and logical adjustment screws, and see this ‘new’ design as a step backwards in everything put finish and logo. I do like the fact that you can take it apart, although, as is often the case, you have to love circlips.
  • This design did not appear until about 1984(?), just in time for Campagnolo to launch their radically redesigned C-Record groupset (and derailleur).
  • This probably helped Galli (and Zeus) because road cyclists were very conservative and many were appalled by the look, weight and complexity of C-Record. These cyclists warmed to Galli’s new, very retro design, with its traditional Campagnolo style adjustment screws.
  • Of course it couldn’t last - and it didn’t.

This black version weighs a very respectable 184g. In terms of the variables that seem to define these later 'curvaceous' Galli models, this example has:

  • the text on the outer parallelogram plate written vertically,
  • an aluminium P pivot bolt,
  • a simple inner pulley cage plate, without a spoke deflector,
  • a conventional stop controlling the rotation of the pulley cage.


  • Derailleur brands: Galli
  • Themes: Ultra-lightweight - road racing models
  • Country: Italy
  • Date of introduction: 1984?
  • Date of this example: unknown
  • Model no.: unknown
  • Weight: 184g
  • Maximum cog: 26 teeth? (Sutherland’s 4th edition)?
  • Total capacity: 22 teeth? (Sutherland’s 4th edition)?
  • Pulley centre to centre: 46mm
  • Index compatibility: friction
  • Chain width: 3/32”
  • Logic: top normal
  • B pivot: unsprung
  • P pivot: sprung
  • Materials: aluminium including the sprung pivot bolt (?) and pulley pivot bolts
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 01
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 02
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 03
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 04
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 05
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 06
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 07
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 08
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 09
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 10
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 11
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 12
Galli Criterium/KL black first cage derailleur additional image 13