What design element did Campagnolo's 1949 Gran Sport popularize to achieve smoother shifting motion?
Answer
The parallelogram design allowing the chain to stay parallel to the cogs.
Tullio Campagnolo's launch of the Gran Sport in 1949 is often highlighted as a revolutionary moment in mechanical shifting because it addressed smoothness and consistency before electronic indexing existed. This was accomplished through the popularization of the parallelogram design within the rear derailleur body. This specific geometric arrangement ensured that as the derailleur shifted the chain laterally across the cogs, the chain remained parallel to the plane of the sprockets. This parallelism resulted in smoother movement and more consistent chain travel, though shifting still relied heavily on the rider's feel to confirm the chain had settled correctly.
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