I think I read all the responses thoroughly and must add one other significant difference besides the forged cage plates.
The Criterium rear derailleur also has jockey wheels with ball bearings instead of a brass bushing. I agree with Jerry regarding shift quality - the Criterium was a big improvement over the cheaper prestige derailleur. I also think the Criterium is largely unrecognized for how well it works compared to ANY other on the market at the time. Even now, as long as you've got one without delrin degredation (uh oh, here it comes, yes..... many of them are past there prime nowadays) it shifts as well or better then the Campagnolo NR on my other bicycles.
Moi deux francs,
Eric Elman
> Big difference. The Prestige has cheap, thin, stamped cage plates, while
the
> Criterium has proper (forged?) cage plates. You have to look closely to
tell
> them apart, but there is a big difference in performance. I think the
Criterium
> shifts better than Campy NR, because of the spring loaded upper pivot
which
> Campy lacked. The Prestige had that pivot also, but the cheap cage ruined
its
> shifting. That said, I certainly wouldn't pay $200 for a Criterium, even
an NIB
> one. BTW, almost all Simplex rear derailleurs regardless of model, are
marked
> "Prestige" and I don't think I've ever seen one marked "Criterium". This
leads
> to much of the confusion over which model is which.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
>
> RALEIGH531@aol.com wrote:
>
> > Same day as this auction was another seller's auction for two sets of
used
> > F & R Prestige derailleurs finishing up at $5 for both sets!
> >
http://ebay.com/
> > What is the main difference between a Criterium and a Prestige?
> > They look suspiciously alike.
> > I ask because I have a late 70's Peugeot with a similar derailleur and
can't
> > decide which it is.
> >
> > Pete Geurds
> > Douglassville, Pa