In some ways this Gian Robert Gran Sport derailleur was a rather tidy piece of work, particularly for the early 1960’s. The parallelogram spring was neatly executed, the adjustment screws were neatly integrated into the knuckles and the cable clamp bolt was neatly combined with the outer parallelogram plate. It had the potential to be a cool, stylish item, far more so than the Campagnolo Record with its unnecessary Baroque flourishes.

But, as ever with Gian Robert, the final result was an object lesson in nasty castings and ugly branding.

I like the off-set pulley cage pivot, the red detailing inside the allen bolt and the circular plastic pulley wheels.

• Derailleur brands: Gian Robert
• Country: Italy
• Date of introduction: 1962
• Date of this example: unknown
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 252g
• Maximum cog: 28 teeth?
• Total capacity: 26 teeth?
• Pulley centre to centre: 43mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 3/32”?
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: unsprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: bronze (it’s not magnetic - but is heavy and lushly chromed)