Greetings All, Schwinn used the Simplex Tour de France on their runs at the lower priced derailleur bicycles market in 1958 which didn't do well and then again in 1960. These were on the Continental and the first Varsity...both 8 speeds. They also used a late version of the Simplex Competition front suicide shifter. These used brazed-on bosses and had the plastic knob on the top instead of the earlier aluminum knurled knob. By the time 1961 rolled around the Huret Alvit was semi established. The story I read (somewhere? from the Schwinn point of view) was that F.W. Schwinn had been doing business with Lucien Juy and the derailleurs were very economical. Somehow the Huret Brothers met with FW and pitched their products. FW was impressed with the Huret derailleurs but couldn't get past the wholesale price which was some amount more than the TdF not much from what I remember...The next day the Huret Bros. met FW Schwinns price/unit cost and won the business. Schwinn never did business Simplex again. Huret derailleurs, speedometers and such items were on countless Schwinns over the years until Shimano scooped them in the 70's by making the same designs but in Japan.
Matthew Gorski
Belmont Shore, California
> Dear fellow list members,
>
> My recollection is that the prestige was different then the criterium-the
> criterium had reinforcing steel plates on the side of the derailleur.
> Whereas the prestige did not. Your recollection may vary. I was
> satisfied the way the rear derailleur would shift but never liked the
> push rod front derailleur.
>
> Additionally, it is also my recollection that in the 1970s Schwinn did
> not use any simplex on any of their bicycles and-I am not even certain if
> it was possible-their seat tube was less than the usual 1 1/8 inch seat
> tube-the simplex derailleur would probably spin around on the seat tube.
> My recollection is that the low-end Schwinn's had either huret alvit or
> something called a gt-100 (this was on the suburban and may be later
> Continentals). I have no idea who made this unit although it did look
> somewhat like a huret alvit.
>
> TomWitkop
> Rockville, MD
>
> On Mon, 3 Dec 2001 13:27:30 -0500 "Questor" <questor@cinci.rr.com>
> writes:
> > I wish the person well who decides to try to ride a plastic Simplex
> > derailleur... I don't believe their ride will last very long!
> >
> > Regards, Steve
> > "Satisfied with no Simplex complex!"
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Rich Rose" <rrose@normandassociates.com>
> > To: "scott davis" <francopedia@yahoo.com>;
> > <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> > Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 11:31 AM
> > Subject: RE: [CR]Burning Simplex Memories
> >
> >
> > And definitely not a good idea when you can sell one (Simplex
> > Prestige
> > Rear), on e-bay for $79.00 like I did about a month ago. Bet you
> > wished
> > you had a box full of them now instead of a "pile of black goop",
> > eh?? I
> > know I am looking closely at all the usual places for "junk" bikes &
> > parts.
> > Richard Rose, in equally globally warming Ohio
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org
> > [mailto:classicrendezvous-admin@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of scott
> > davis
> > Sent: Monday, December 03, 2001 11:32 AM
> > To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > Subject: [CR]Burning Simplex Memories
> >
> > I too worked in a bike shop during the plastic simplex
> > era. When we took one off for replacement, we would
> > burn them in ritual fashion. I don't know much about
> > delrin, but it burned for hours and all that remained
> > was metal and a puddle of black goop. Probably not a
> > good idea in these more environmentally friendly and
> > collectible times... Scott in globally warming MN
> >
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