George,
As a kid growing-up in the 60's, we (who could afford them and even if we couldn't) considered Simplex to be junk. Especially that rear derailleur that had a coiled-up flat spring with a little chain going thru it. Huret worked fine and Campy was the best though unaffordable to us kids. Farther back in '58, I was the spoiled kid who had the first Schwinn 3-Speed Racer and that was definately the best bike around. By the early 60's, Puch Burgermeister with Huret Alvit derailleurs and early 10-speed Raleighs and Peugeots were considered much better than Schwinn Varsity or Continental in suburban California. Once in a while, we would spot grown-ups with a Campy-equipped Legnano, Olmo, or Mondia with funny straps on the pedals. These bikes were so exotic and foreign to us they really didn't penetrate our reality. Its a good thing too, we would sometimes jump-off our bikes while still riding (imitating cowboy stunts) just to watch them roll away and crash! By the time 10-speeds became common in the mid to late-60's, they were selling ALOT of rear derailleur guards for same reason!
Jack Romans
Sacramento, CA