[CR] for sale: Simplex criterium AR537 rear derailleur, unused, cracked pulleys

Unused Simplex Criterium rear derailleur, the same Delrin derailleur with those luscious ball bearing pulleys that you found on your PX10E circa 1970 and made riding such a pleasure, are for sale at a brutally modest price of $13 domestic shipping included. There's a reason for such a painful byebye: the pulleys themselves are cracked...not the cage, not the pin, the pulleys because the pulleys are two piece, an inner ring surrounding the ball bearing case and an outer ring with the teeth that interlocked with the links on your chain. The outer ring is cracked. You can see it all on http://photos.yahoo.com/lejosun@sbcglobal.net . Mentally distracted by the enthusiasm of CR members I broke my own cardinal rule: thou shalt not ride NOS. I have a lot of used gear, very serviceable, but the temptation to toss on my last Criterium derailleur, NOS to boot, was fueled by all this intense discussion of Peugeot PX10's, Rene Herse, Motobecane and other French goodies and riders. The deity who oversees the CR faithful had a special lesson for me as I mounted the Criterium, fixed the chain, and proceeded to adjust the derailleur for max/min stations. Things were just a tad tight as I changed gears on a stand...no riding mind you...then a couple of specks bounced on the floor and the gear changing was a mess. Espying the damage to the pulleys, I pulled the derailleur and wept. As you can see from the pics, the derailleur is just pristine save for the equally pristine cracks in the pulleys. I see Harris Cycle has the pulleys from the Prestige, but while serviceable they are not those heavenly ball bearing pulleys. When whole, these derailleurs were so smooth. I look at this derailleur and I feel a bump on my head turning into a hat stand for a duncecap, so it's available to the CR fraternity to ease my bruised pride. Again, I say to myself, repeat after me: thou shalt not ride NOS.

Harrison Lee
Stockton, CA