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the TdF mech struggles to get onto a 22 sprocket, although a 23 is said to be possible. I'd guess the JUY 51 is probably a bit better (no direct experience).
The Juy 51 claims 26t
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absurdbird-
The Juy 51 claims 26t
If you can find a 26 sprocket I'll certainly be interested to hear how well it works.
I find these old derailleurs intriguing, I suppose because they were heavily advertised but didn't really work very well and yet big races were won using them. I guess that from about 1952 on nearly every pro would have chosen a Campag Gran Sport, but of course they didn't get to choose their kit ( they still don't!)
Johnny Pound (see Gillott thread) told me that he chose to use a Huret when he was in Belgium in the early fifties because he thought it was more 'robust' (his word) than a Simplex. They both look equally flimsy to me, but Mr. Pound generally knows what he's talking about.
Anyway, if I had unlimited energy and (now, it seems) money, I'd love to experiment with these old mechs to see how well I could get them to work.
clubman
As I've mentioned above, the TdF mech struggles to get onto a 22 sprocket, although a 23 is said to be possible. I'd guess the JUY 51 is probably a bit better (no direct experience). I think it was a weakness with all those pull chain mechs which go into bottom with the cable slack
If you're mainly going to ride round London Airport, or you're a strong climber used to riding round the Chilterns on fixed, 46 x 22 would be fine, otherwise I'd be thinking about the possibility of a smaller inner ring, probably TA Cyclotourist.
It's one of the mysteries of 1950's bike racing - how did they manage to get up those climbs with bottom gears not much under 60".