Like the Huret Course Compétition, the Huret Route Touriste/Touriste Léger was one of Huret’s typically innovative and cunning designs, in this case a touring model that attached to a chainstay mount.

The pulley cage slides along a rod that is held in place by two thick rods (these are often referred to as ‘piano wire’ designs). A helical spring pushes the cage towards low gear, with the cable running directly between the outer plate and the cable clamp bolt on the inner plate pulls the pulley cage towards the high gear. The pulley cage is another elegant rod design, with chain tension provided by a spring (attached to the button on the pulley cage close to the guide pulley) that runs along the chainstay to a clip just behind the bottom bracket.

It was all very direct and simple, used materials that could be obtained during and immediately after the Second World War and could be manufactured in Huret’s simple workshops.

The Huret Route Touriste has steel chain pusher plates and weighs around 215g, while the Huret Touriste Léger has aluminium chain pusher plates and weighs around 185g. Without using a magnet or scales it is very hard to tell them apart.

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I believe that this is an unused, well rusted, earlier example of a Huret Touriste Léger, with silver pulley wheels. Some of its key features are:

• The aluminium outer cylinder has a hole in its end.
• The mounting wires are not angled and place the derailleur directly below the chainstay mount.
• The chain pusher plates are aluminium, with an aluminium spring lug.
• The plate holding the cable clamp bolt is flat, with no right angle bend.
• Both pulley wheels are silver in colour and 34mm in diameter.
• The aluminium nut at the tension pulley takes an 10mm spanner.

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• Derailleur brands: Huret
• Categories: Huret - before 1950
• Themes: Ultra-lightweight - long cage models
• Country: France
• Date of introduction: 1943? Or any time up to about 1950!
• Date of this example: unknown
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 193g including integral mounting hardware but excluding spring
• Maximum cog: 28 teeth?
• Total capacity: 34 teeth?
• Pulley centre to centre: 70mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 1/8”
• Logic: low normal
• B pivot: none
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: largely steel with aluminium chain guide plates and outer cylinder