Classic & Vintage - Simplex Vs. Huret!

Hi all,

I've been following this forum for a good while now and finally got round to signing up and this is my first post. I hope its all good.

I am currently restoring a peugeot ph11 and collecting all the parts. I have bought a Huret Challenger II derailleur group with shifters. This is NOS and in very good condition. I nderstand it to be a good derailleur and kept it french.

I now have the opportunity to get hold of a simplex SX410 derailleur set with shifters which has the peugeot sticker instead of simplex. Beautiful.

Now the SX410 would be the one on the original model but as I understand it the Huret Challenger is a better derailleur. What does everyone else think?

I know it can be quite arbitary to say which derailleur is better than which but any opinions on the matter would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys.

Though some Simplex derailleurs, particularly Dupont Delron plastic ones, they shift just fine in my opinion. In fact, one of the smoothest shifting friction transmissions I ever used was the same Simplex one you are being presented with. As for Hurrett, not sure what to say. I have used them rarely.

What is your objective in restoring this bike? Peugeot-branded Simplex is the obvious choice for accuracy.

My vote is for the Challenger. If the Simplex is a usual plastic one, I think that the metal Huret will shift better and not twist as much under shifting pressure as the plastic Simplex. This is just my opinion. I really never liked anything Simplex made because I think that they never shifted will, either front or rear. I recently sold an older Raleigh Super Course with Challenger front and rear derailleurs and felt that the bike shifted very well. Good luck in your choice.

The complaint that most have about Simplex, I think, relates specifically to the Plastic/Delrin ones. The design isn't particurly different from Campagnolo (few would complain about Campy's ability to shift), but the materials used render it unreliable. The alloy versions of Simplex are pretty nice. They can take a beautiful polish, as well. I'd go with the Peugeot branded Simplex as it is the most accurate for the restoration. Save the Huret for another, worthy project (or sell it to me!).

I haven't had an issue with simplex shifting (especially rear)....and the SX410 is pretty much all metal so should not pose any reliability or twisting issues.....so my vote is the 410.....

Mark

I've never had any problems with Simplex derailleurs, aside from the jockey pulley's teeth braking off.

I have never encountered the Huret Challenger II. I know it is different in design from the earlier models like the allvit - and those in my experience have been far less precise mechanisms than the Simplex models - but those were also rather different in design than the Challenger II - so I really can't say.

The SX410 is not all metal. It has plastic arms hidden by thin sheet metal covers. I have no experience with the SX410, but I know it was used on some high end Peugeots. The model that replaced it is the SX610. It has the same hidden plastic arms and a drop parallelogram design. I like that one so much that I bought three of them. They shift at least as well as my Super LJ 6500. Broken pulleys is not an issue with my Simplex derailers because I've replaced them with Bullseye pulleys.

All I can say about the Huret is that it may not fit your hanger if it doesn't have the right adapter. It's a tabbed washer and there were three different types for Huret, Campagnolo and Simplex hangers.

If you are considering Simplex, check the front derailleur plastic very carefully. The plastic on the front derailleur would often fail utterly and the derailleur clamp would break in half and then slide into the crank rings, making it impossible to ride the bicycle. I have run across lots of these broken derailleurs and I do advise caution when purchasing and installing them.

The matching FD for the SX410 has no plastic parts. Not every Simplex derailer Is a plastic Prestige.

The Simplex SX410 has worked fantastically well for me on many of my bikes. Theres one on my everyday bike thats been though all weathers including snow and still shifts beautifully, so thumbs up from me for SX410's.

The Simplex SX410 will shift better than the Huret Challenger, at least until the pivots get sloppy. The SX410 is metal-sheathed Delrin so it is somewhat more durable than the Prestige. The Challenger is steel and aluminum and a pretty sturdy unit. It shifts pretty well, but not as nicely as the double pivot SX410.

If you have doubts about the 410, go one model up to the SX610. It's one of their best shifting RDs ever and they do not cost too much on the second hand market.

Chombi
84 Peugeto PSV
85(?) Vitus Carbone 7 Plus

I never saw a Challenger in person, but according to this article (http://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Huret_Challenger_derailleur.html) it's quite spiffy. I'd prefer that if I had one available.

Thanks guys, all really useful comments. I think I might go for the SX410 and keep the challenger for another day (or maybe sell it). Brill.