STORY
In 1967, a U.S. bicycle manufacturer visited SHIMANO.
Long-Awaited Rear Derailleur and Shimano America
In 1965, two years before the release of SKY LARK, Shimano, whose exports to the U.S. were on track, established SHIMANO AMERICAN CORPORATION (Shimano America) in the United States. Yoshizo Shimano, the first President of Shimano America, built trust in Shimano products in the United States by collecting information, including on market trends and product needs, as well as expanding after-sales services, such as providing retailers with technological training and responding to complaints. In 1965, when Shimano America was established, Shimano’s market share rapidly expanded with the monthly output of an internal geared hub “3-speed hub” exceeding 100,000 units. At that time, a type of bicycle named a “High Riser” became extremely popular in the United States and was equipped with Shimano’s 3-speed hub. This served as a tailwind to Shimano. However, after that, demand for bicycles with more gears, which enabled riders to enjoy a more sporty ride, grew and demand for shifters was moving from internal geared hubs to derailleurs. Since at that time the maximum number of gears that could be incorporated into an internal geared hub was three, developing rear derailleurs, which were capable of incorporating five gears, was expected. Shimano, quick to catch these market trends, made a much-anticipated release of a rear derailleur named SKY LARK in 1967.
Equipped with Shimano’s Original Servo-pantograph Mechanism
In the original servo-pantograph mechanism, which SKY LARK was equipped with, its double-tension structure using two springs enabled the guide pulley to move following the sprocket teeth so as to always maintain a constant distance between them. This achieved stable shifting performance regardless of the combination of sprocket gear ratios and even with a double front chainring. The servo-pantograph mechanism became the basis of rear derailleurs of Shimano and continued further developing and evolving from then.
The reason the product name SKY LARK was selected was that two springs attached to the derailleur moving while making chirping sounds was suggestive of a skylark fluttering its wings. For some time after this, bird names were used as product names for Shimano derailleurs.
Introducing a variety of shifting systems one after another after the release of SKY LARK, Shimano, known as a manufacturer of the Single Freewheel and 3-speed hub, was gradually gaining a reputation for its shifting systems.
The reason the product name SKY LARK was selected was that two springs attached to the derailleur moving while making chirping sounds was suggestive of a skylark fluttering its wings. For some time after this, bird names were used as product names for Shimano derailleurs.
Introducing a variety of shifting systems one after another after the release of SKY LARK, Shimano, known as a manufacturer of the Single Freewheel and 3-speed hub, was gradually gaining a reputation for its shifting systems.
