Product Description
The SUPER rare White Industries L.M.D.S. (Linear Motion Derailleur System) was WI's absurdist experiment in search of the perfect mountain bike derailleur in the era of extreme component ideas, the late 1990's. Radical as it was/is they weren't going in blind. They had Frank Berto helping them design it! It uses a dual cable system just like 1930's / 1940's French randonneuse derailleurs such as the Cyclo Standard, Cyclo Oppy, & Nivex (okay its kind of like these derailleurs, its actually a single very long cable that loops around a pulley at the bottom of the rods). The body slides along two stainless steel rods, pulled up and down by each cable and eased by bearings. Being a true two cable system, it is neither high normal or low normal. There is no normal!
To control this wild derailleur is a special gripshifter with, you guessed it, a pulley inside it that allows it to pull that single looped pulley both directions. There's also a matching front shifter that requires a special spooler pulley to convert a standard front derailleur to use a long looped pulley.
The system uses specialized long cables with tiny ends, as well as double cable stop pieces.
Condition
The front shifter, cable, housing, and five of the cable stops are brand new and never installed. These items are close to pristine with just a touch of shop wear. The rear derailleur, rear shifter, cable/housing, and two cable stops were installed by the collector I acquired this system from. They were ridden less than 50 miles, just enough to get a taste of the weirdness (he bought these brand new in 1998 with the intent to collect, not ride them). They are in near mint or better condition, and truly show very few miles. Pulleys are close to perfect. There is a little scrape on the edge of the hex bolt head of the mounting bolt, but no other damage to report. Some light dirt/microscratching elsewhere on derailleur and shifter.
Details
- Made from 1997 to 1998
- Made in USA