I think the Shimano Combi 12 was Shimano’s first parallelogram design - making it a truly epoch making event in the august annals of derailleur history.

Frank Berto refers to this design as an ‘inexpensive copy of the Campagnolo Gran Sport’. Certainly it has only one sprung pivot and the pulley cage pivots exactly on the axis through the centre of the pulley wheels. However the construction reminds me more of the 1961 Campagnolo Sportman.

The Combi 12 was marketed as a set, with the Shimano 3.3.3. three speed hub gear and a four cog sprocket that fitted onto the hub gear. I am confused by the stop screw that restricts the rotation of the pulley cage (see the photos of the Shimano Archery-W)

This example has no outer cable stop adjuster (this was part of a chainstay fitting clip supplied with it) and has an interesting cable routing around a small red roller. It also has a fairly short hanger plate and 9 tooth pulley wheels.

---

• Derailleur brands: Shimano
• Categories: Shimano - early parallelogram models
• Themes: A riot of colour
• Country: Japan
• Date of introduction: 1965
• Date of this example: 1966? (two letter code LA, 333 on the pulleys)
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 331g including hanger plate and the extravagant ‘protector’ nut
• Maximum cog: 24 teeth?
• Total capacity: 22 teeth?
• Pulley centre to centre: 46mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 3/32” and 1/8”?
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: unsprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: largely steel with bronze(?) parallelogram plates (they are chromed but not magnetic)