Ummm... I think we may be talking about two different products. There was really nothing self-adjusting about the Simplex retrofrictions. The forward stroke worked like a friction lever, but the back stroke (when working against the derailleur spring) was assisted by a coil spring in the lever. It worked pretty well, allowing for better feel during downshifts. They were more failure-prone than conventional Campy shifters, but they didn't slip out of gear as frequently. Check out some race photos from ca. 1983-1986 and you'll see that they were widely used by the "Campy-equipped" teams. Gitane (after they went back to Campy) and Kwantum come to mind.
Tom Dalton
> In a message dated 3/27/01 11:27:50 AM EST,
> tom_s_dalton@yahoo.com writes:
>
> > Your late SR bike is screaming out for Simplex
> > retrofrictons. That way you can avoid the
> too-new
> > Campy retros and instead have the shifters that
> so
> > many pros were actually using before C came
> around. I
> > imagine it was all those Campy-equipped teams
> running
> > Simplexes that inspired the C-record shifter. To
> it's
> > credit, it was a bit smoother than the Simplex,
> and
> > had the correct cable wrap for a Campy
> derailleur.
> > Both types of retrofriction were more
> failure-prone
> > than the old nylon-bushing Campys.
>
> It is hard to think "pinnacle" when those nasty self
> adjusting shift levers
> are in the picture isn't it?
> Amazing how long they beat that dead horse.
>
> Pete Geurds
> Douglassville, PA
>
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