Viewed from the third decade of the 21st century the 1937 Super Champion Route looks very modern. The pulley cage was long (at 90mm centre to centre), the guide pulley was massively offset, it was top-normal, the movement was horizontal - it was all very SRAM Eagle.

It was also the first non-fork-type Super Champion derailleur. There was still a bronze fork, but it didn't act on the chain - instead it acted on a pulley cage. This bronze pulley cage arm had cursive writing on it - very reminiscent of the chain tension arm of Super Champion's signature fork-type derailleur. The cable fitted with the nipple at derailleur end and the clamp bolt at the lever - all just like a Super Champion fork-type derailleur.

Unusually for Super Champion, it was very much a touring model. It is described in various catalogues as coming with a 3-speed freewheel and as having a, substantial, total capacity of 16 teeth.

I am aware of at least two types of Super Champion Route. The first had a chain tension spring that runs along the chainstay. The second had a chain tension spring that is integrated into the derailleur itself. I am not clear which of these two variants came first.

This is a typically well used example of the variant with the integrated chain tension spring. Some of its key features are:

• The chain tension spring is built in to the derailleur.
• The clamp bracket is for a larger, rather oval, chainstay and does not includes a grub screw.
• The main operating spring is exposed with no sign of protective aluminium shells.
• There is only one 'chain catcher' (at the tension pulley). It is held in alignment by a single cast-in, shaped, protrusion on the brass pulley cage.
• It has a signature Super Champion tension pulley tellingly labelled 'licence Nivex'.

• Derailleur brands: Super Champion
• Country: France
• Date of introduction: 1937?
• Date of this example: unknown
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 247g excluding chainstay clamp bolts
• Maximum cog: 28 teeth?
• Total capacity: 16 teeth
• Pulley centre to centre: 90mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 1/8”
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: none
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: bronze pulley cage, operating lever and mounting bracket, steel main plate