DISRAELI GEARS

Lionaxe

Lionaxe Westminster Route main image Lionaxe Westminster Route main image Lionaxe Westminster Route main image

Lionaxe was the brand used by Jean Lionard, a bicycle component manufacturer based, like so many others at the time, in Saint-Etienne. 'Lion' comes from his surname 'Axe' comes from the companies signature product being replacement hub axles.

The first Lionaxe derailleur model appears to have been called the Westminster. It used a rod operated cog system to move the pulley cage. This design was patented in 1934 and was registered in 1935. The registered design includes a photo showing the packaging describing the product as “Le Dérailleur Anglais” with the model name handily misspelled as “Wesminster”.

The second model, also called Westminster, appears to have been produced in greater numbers. This was a sliding rod touring model with two pulley wheels and the cable running over a roller within a distinctive domed housing. Frank Berto refers to this model as the Westminster Route of 1937. This design was patented in 1935 but its design was not registered until 1938.

The third model was a racing model (Westminster Course?) with a single pulley wheel, but again with the cable running over a roller in its domed housing. This design was also registered in 1938.

I have a derailleur of a fourth design involving a sliding rod and the cable running over a roller (but not in a domed housing). Two different people have told me that this is also a version of the Westminster Route. Discouragingly, Jean Lionard omitted to brand the derailleurs themselves - so it is hard to know the truth of this.


see also French Patent # 785,604 - Lionaxe 1934

see also French Patent # 785,604 - Lionaxe 1934

French Patent 785,604 - Westminster thumbnail


see also French Registered Design # 31910-001 - Lionaxe 1935

see also French Registered Design # 31910-001 - Lionaxe 1935

French Registered Design 31910-001 - Westminster thumbnail


see also French Patent # 792,639 - Lionaxe 1935

see also French Patent # 792,639 - Lionaxe 1935

French Patent 792,639 - Westminster Route thumbnail






see also French Patent # 792,639 Addition # 48,146 - Lionaxe 1937

see also French Patent # 792,639 Addition # 48,146 - Lionaxe 1937

French Patent 792,639 Addition 48,146 - Westminster Route thumbnail



see also French Registered Design # 32883-001 - Lionaxe 1938

see also French Registered Design # 32883-001 - Lionaxe 1938

French Registered Design 32883-001 - Westminster Course? thumbnail


see also Cyclo - Origine du dérailleur 1959

see also Cyclo - Origine du dérailleur 1959

  • Publisher: Cyclo
  • Date: 1959
  • Derailleur brands: Cyclo, plus too many others to mention here
  • Derailleurs: too many to mention
Cyclo - Origine du derailleur scan 1 thumbnail


see also New Cycling 05/1981 - Derailleur Collection

see also New Cycling 05/1981 - Derailleur Collection

  • Publisher: New Cycling
  • Date: May 1981
  • Derailleur brands: too numerous to list here
  • Derailleurs: too numerous to list here
New Cycling May 1981 - Derailleur Collection front cover thumbnail