I have found the Simplex Delrin derailleurs to be very durable and shift well. I have had many UO-8's with many miles though the years, left outside through many summers & winters, snow, rain... & the derailleurs are still working! not bad for a cheap plastic derailleur to last over 25 years with all that abuse :-)
>From: CYCLESTORE@aol.com
>To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org, questor@cinci.rr.com
>Subject: Re: Fw: Simplex derail nightmares - Was [CR]$1,300 Simplex vs
>Oddball long cage Campy Derailleurs
>Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 11:37:31 EST
>
>
>In a message dated 12/2/01 10:31:07 PM, questor@cinci.rr.com writes:
>
><<
>
>When I was a bike mechanic in 1975-76, we use to dread working on plastic
>
>Simplex derailleurs and use to try to convince the customer to buy steel
>
>Shimano "Eagle" derailleurs instead.
>
>
>At least the Eagle would last longer and perform better than the plastic
>
>Simplex derailleurs found on Schwinn low-end bikes... I remember many
>
>Schwinn frames that came in with twisted and broken Simplex plastic
>
>derailleurs - which was good for our business at that time!
>
>
>Regards, Steve Neago
>
>"Simplex derailleurs bring back twisted memories!" >>
>
>Steve,
>
>Check your memory bank. I don't think there was ever a Schwinn bike
>equipped
>with a Simplex derailuer from the mid 1960's forward. Correct me if I am
>wrong as I am not sure what they used in the early days of 1940-50-1965 era
>when quality changers were few.
>
>Years ago I had the pleasure to have a long talk with Keith Kingbay (a long
>time Schwinn employee and co founder of a reinvented LAW organization)
>about
>Schwinn production techniques and parts testing.
>
>The tested many if not all designs on the market and few could get the
>famous
>Schwinn Approved stamp of approval. In the 1970's this infamous badge could
>be found easily on a Huret Alvit after Schwinn decided the nylon Simplex
>didn't have what it took for rough American teenagers that the Varsity was
>aimed at.
>
>My experience was actually good with the Simplex on my PX10 which was
>ridden
>20K miles or more with this unit. My disappointment was the hanger was
>very
>dedicated to this derailuer and as a lad lusted for the Campagnolo NR
>mechanism.
>
>The big problem with Simplex was durability in a crash, but they were light
>and cheap to replace (in those days). It was our feeling in the shop that a
>good one set up well could equal or out perform almost any derailuer of the
>day, even Shimano Eagles :). Gear shifting of Campagnolo products were
>almost always compromised in the early days as NR 's were designed for big
>jumps in the back and little jumps in the front (47x52 as opposed to 42x52)
>and few bikes after 1970 came with this spec. (saw a Frejus once like
>this).
>This arrangement is a classic double ring half step and would be very
>period
>correct on a 1950's 60's machine.
>
>Comments, I bet there are some.
>
>Regards,
>
>Gilbert Anderson
>Raleigh, NC USA