IMO, the weak link in the Simplex shifting was the levers. They flexed so much that it resulyed in extraoridinarily high effort. Switching to a metal lever made a huge improvement. The fornt, piston style derailleur was not a good performer. However, the rear was creditable given it's inexpensive cost. They didn't require breaking in, being smooth right out of the box. However, the pivots are highly sussceptible to wear and they do become brittle with age.
Originally Posted by
Chicago Al
...Around the same time I picked up a bike with a working Prestige RD, AND got an NIB Prestige FD with Simplex paperwork. So I made a little album showing the difference between the Prestige and the Criterium, which as far as I can tell is the Prestige, beefed up with better/thicker metal around the Delrin. Stamped into the back of the Criterium plastic is 'Prestige.'
Confusingly, Simplex papers refer to both Prestige and Criterium as Model #637. I'm not sure if the /P and /NI suffixes refer to the difference in model names, or whether it has the claw attached.
I believe the Criterium also used ball bearings in the pulleys, as oppsed to the bushings of the Prestige.
Yes, both rear derailleurs were designated AR 637 with a P suffix designating a claw adapter model and NI suffix denoting a modelintended for a dropout with integral hanger.
Originally Posted by
Spacemanz
... Hey guys, where does the Simplex Prestige 637/p (with the red logo plate) fall, in the line?...
The lineup caried a bit depending on the era, but by the end of the boom it was, Super LJ, Criterium, Prestige, Maxi-Prestige (long cage version), Mini-Prestige.
Originally Posted by
wrek101
... It would be interesting to know the MSRP of the Simplex Prestige in the early 1970s versus the V GT....
I still have my old supplier catalogs. During the peak of the boom (1973), Canadian pricing was:
Simplex Prestige $3.95
SunTour VGT $7.70
Huret Allvit $5.80.
Shimano Eagle $5.55
It only underscores how inexpensive the Prestige were. If you were a French manufacturer, bringing in SunTour would be prohibitively expensive due the extra shipping costs and duty. From a percentage standpoint, the discrepancies would be far greater than in the list of Cnadian prices, where the playing field is somewhat level in terms of shipping and duty.