The wife surprised me today with my birthday gift: An early 70's Gitane Tour de France, no wheels or pedals, but otherwise complete. Dirty and a bit shabby, but after a cursory cleaning and panic application of chrome polish to the ends I found that the frame's in much better condition than I would have ever expected, paint is primarily scratched where something was bolted on and the decals are 99% complete.
Now, one question for the group, helping out what is probably some very faulty memory on my part: The shift levers that came with the Simplex Criterium derailleurs is the usual plastic with a bit of metal Prestige models. While I seem to remember that virtually every Simplex setup I ever saw 35-40 years ago used the same levers, didn't the Criterium come with something else either stock or as an alternative?
I've noticed on eBay some Simplex levers that are metal with rubber hoods, obviously from a time period before the SLJ line. Are these correct (or THE correct) ones for the Criterium?
Thanks,
George R. "Syke" Paczolt Montpelier, VA USA
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