Classic & Vintage - need help derailluer

I have a 1971 Raleigh super course. I want to change out the rear derailleur because the pulleys are wore. I don't want to buy a used derailleur from eBay. I have bought two derailleurs; one was damaged in the mail, and never receive the other. I was wondering if I can buy a new derailleur with a hanger. My lbs can order cheap ones, but says they don't last long. Does anyone know if a good derailleur with a hanger is still made.

Can't you just put new pulleys on your old derailleur. Or maybe swap the hanger to a new derailleur?

I want to get rid of the old derailleur, because it is a simplex derailleur. I don't like it. I was hoping a modern derailleur could be used with my hanger.

Have the shop order the adapter claw shown on this page. Any modern derailer will fit on it. The one on your Simplex is only for Simplex derailers.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/derailers-rear.html

Any Shimano derailer will be a huge improvement over your Simplex.

you can use the same hanger (claw) on a new derailleur. I'd ask your lbs to look through the tub of derailleurs that I know they have in the back. $10 will buy a good one, $5 will buy a cheap one that you can swap the pulleys out on.

Oops. I didn't know that simplex are simplex-specific. Go with the above advice (but look in that bucket of parts).

Both Shimano and Suntour made hangers that were threaded to enable the use of their better derailleurs. If the Simplex hanger is threaded in the same manner you can use just about any modern derailleur. I've attached a picture of the a Suntour derailleur and its threaded hanger.

Simplex claws don't have a stop for campy-style derailers since Simplex derailers don't use a stop.

There are old but much better derailleurs from Japanese makers like Suntour. I think thier older Cyclone (Not the MkII) group had a drerailleur that had a hanger option. It will have the better shifting slant parralellogram design that pretty much took over most derailleur designs after the straight parralell mechanisms from Simplex and Campy. The Suntour will last much longer and shift much better than the old Simplex (Criterium model) you had, which I suspect was one of the ones that had plastic parts on it that eventually wore out and flexed like crazy.
NOS Suntour Cyclones still come up regularly at eBay. You should be able to snag one there for a good price.
BTW, I had a Suntour Cyclone MkII dreailleur in the 80's which was based on the first model on my Peugeot for some time and It worked really great!
My Brother had a lower model Suntour VGT on his UO8 Peugeot and it also worked great.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

I have been looking at suntour cyclone on eBay the past several weeks. I had a friend give me a shimano 600 derailleur today.
I did buy a claw adapter from Harris cycling. I hope it works with the shimano. But, I will be looking for a suntour derailleur on eBay for the future. I just want to finish out the riding season without any problem.

To go from a Shimano 600 to a Suntour Cyclone would not be an upgrade. The Cyclone was a great derailer for its time, but its time was 35 years ago.

I have an old Schwinn World I want up grade a little. It is my beater for around town. I would like to have a spare derailleur it.

It might be 30+ year old technology, but it can shift just as good or better than any of the last non-indexed derailleurs made. That's why Cyclones, specially the MkIIs are actually priced pretty high at the auction sites. Add to that the jewel like quality that they have. We really lost one of the best bicycle component makers when Suntour dissapeared. I actually think that Suntour was a step up from Shimano when it was still around.
I still have a Sutour Superbe Pro in black and gold plating that came from my brother's Cannondale Black Lightning special edition bike. He traded it for my Cylcone MkII because he wanted the lightest and best shifting derailleur he could find back then.

Chombi
84 Peugeot PSV

To go from a Shimano 600 to a Suntour Cyclone would not be an upgrade. The Cyclone was a great derailer for its time, but its time was 35 years ago.

If we are comparing any pre '84 Shimano derailer to a Suntour Cylone there is really no contest... as far as friction derailers go there are few better then the Cyclone except the Superbe and Superbe Pro.

Also... Suntour did not base their designs on Simplex models and the superiority of their designs pretty much killed Simplex who could not offer a product anywhere close to Suntour's.

At their peak, Suntour's derailers were better than anyone else and I only wish the Mk 2 looked as good as the Mk1 Cyclone which is a beautifully finished and excellent derailer.

A modern derailer can used with a claw and be run in a friction mode but a vintage Suntour would look so much more appropriate.

Hang onto your present derailleur-hanger. And I'll suggest a Shimano Sora rear-derailleur. Not too much money - and a vast improvement in performance.

Note: The threads on your derailleur-hanger will be the same today as when you bought the bike.

once again this shows that alot of "mechanics" these days can only take off a broken 600 derailuer and put a new 600 back on. take off worn Athenas brake pads and only put Athena pads back on. I saw a few guys like that when I left the business back in.... well lets just say a few years ago *blushing*

Simplex hangers aren't much good for anything but mounting Simplex derailers, You need Campy-style hanger.

http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/43531/2388038890068014369S600x600Q85.jpg (http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2388038890068014369srokeC)

Also... Suntour did not base their designs on Simplex models and the superiority of their designs pretty much killed Simplex who could not offer a product anywhere close to Suntour's.

And then Shimano killed Suntour.