The Huret Allvit was a milestone in derailleur history. It was the first parallelogram derailleur designed for the mass market. With its wacky parallelogram geometry and its pulley cage pivot concentric with the guide pulley, it made a real attempt to maintain an even chain gap and provide a decent change over 14 to 28 tooth freewheel.
In its various guises the Huret Allvit was the first French parallelogram derailleur and the first derailleur from any nation to break into the all important American market for leisure bicycles.
Despite this historic role, I always disliked it. It weighed a ton, its adjustment screws were all over the place and most of all it had too many small plates joined by too many dodgy pivot bolts. In British weather, maintained by oil-shy British cyclists, it either rapidly loosened off and became horribly imprecise or it rusted solid.
The Huret Allvit was one of the longest lasting derailleur designs in history. There is an untold number of different variants - certainly more than 30. These can, perhaps, be best understood by dividing them into 4 'eras', which are defined by the design of the main arm:
- The first 'era' ran from 1958 to 1960. During this period the main arm was largely flat and the parallelogram mechanism was in full view. I have been told that these models had model numbers in the 1800s - although I have never seen this in print.
- For the second 'era', from 1961 to 1967, the main plate was completely redesigned to become the Allvit's signature wrap-around body, encasing the paralelogram mechanism. The main plate had a flattish area around the head of the b-pivot bolt, but had a pointed reinforcing rib running down the rest of its length. These models had numbers in the 1900s.
- 1968 to 1975 saw a third 'era'. The main arm was again redesigned, losing the reinforcing rib and gaining a triangular, almost heart-shaped logo. The model numbers were still in the 1900s.
- The fourth 'era' ran from 1976 to 1983. I personally never saw many problems with the main arm, but in 1976 it was redesigned again, now with what could almost be described as buttresses around the head of the b-pivot bolt, and the return of the pointed reinforcing rib running down the rest of its length. Now the model numbers were initially in the 2500s and later in the 2700s. The last Allvits were probably produced in 1983.
So I hope that's clear then!
Focussing down onto the second 'era' some of the variants include:
- As discussed above, in 1961 the main plate was completely redesigned to become the Allvit's signature wrap-around body that encased the paralelogram mechanism. The reinforcing rib on the main body of this version has a 'fat' point. Also the word 'Allvit' on the outside of the groove runs from bottom to top. The pulley cage spring is trapped by a set of 4 hooks rivetted to the outer pulley cage plate.
- In 1962 the reinforcing rib on the main body became sharply pointed.
- Possibly in 1963 the word 'Allvit' on the outside of the main body was changed to run from top to bottom.
- In 1964(?) the chain trap on the outer pulley cage plate was changed from having 4 hooks to having 3 hooks.
- For 1965(?) Huret released the Allvit Luxe, with shinier chrome, a branded, chromed b-pivot bolt and a branded cover over the spring at the p-pivot.
- Possibly in 1966 the hanger plate and b-pivot bolt were changed from black to silver. Both the old black and the new silver hanger plate were unbranded.
- In 1967(?) the chain trap on the outer pulley cage plate was changed again, this time from from having 3 riveted-on hooks to having 2 integral hooks. The pulleys were also changed to be Huret's signature steel, ball bearing items with round plastic 'tyres'.
This is a well used, 1963, Huret Allvit. Some of its attributes are:
- It has a wrap-around body that 'encases' the mechanism. The reinforcing rib on the main body has a sharp point.
- The word 'Allvit' on the main body runs from top to bottom.
- The hanger plate is black and unbranded.
- The b-pivot bolt is black.
- The spacer between the main body and the hanger plate is cream coloured plastic.
- The pulley cage spring is trapped by a set of 4 hooks rivetted to the outer pulley cage plate.
- It has circular steel pulley wheels.
- Derailleur brands: Huret
- Categories: Huret - the astoundingly complex Allvit & Luxe
- Country: France
- Date of introduction: 1963?
- Date of this example: unknown
- Model no.: 1900
- Weight: 324g including hanger plate
- Maximum cog: 32 teeth?
- Total capacity: 32 teeth?
- Pulley centre to centre: 44mm
- Index compatibility: friction
- Chain width: 3/32”
- Logic: top normal
- B pivot: unsprung
- P pivot: sprung
- Materials: largely steel with the inner parallelogram plate made of bronze?
Ref. 690
