Having never dealt with Simplex dropouts prior to getting my Tour de France last month, I stuck with the stock Simplex Criterium derailleurs and found them about as I remembered, minus a bit of rose-colored glasses: Competent, the rear shifts easy, actually a bit too easy and sloppy, preferring two cog changes over the requested one. The front is just plain sloppy, occasionally wanting to throw the chain.
Just the same, over the past month I got 495 trouble-free (by 1971 standards, of course) miles of service. Until this morning.
Coming home from my morning workout, my last 1/2 mile is a steep 25mph downhill, right turn into my equally steep uphill driveway. Which means, I'm gearing down into first just before hitting the driveway. Only today, the RD decides to toss the chain into the space between the freewheel and the spokes - instant rear wheel lockup, I fishtail for about 25 yards before the bike finally turns sideways and spits me off breaking my right wrist. Surgery is tomorrow.
I'm giving some consideration into replacing the drivetrain with either Simplex LJ or Huret Jubilee. If I go the latter route, am I going to have to modify the right dropout in any manner?
An aside: If anyone is slagging Vittoria Rallye tubulars to you - the pair I have on the TdF have 900 miles on them, until today the rear was still very worn but usable, and at this writing, the spot where it slid when the wheel locked has the kevlar belt showing through, but is still holding full air pressure. Not bad for a twenty buck tyre in my estimation.
Geirge R. "Syke" Paczolt Montpelier, VA Deranged Few M/C
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