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Simplex rear Deraileur

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Old 08-30-08 | 03:47 PM
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Simplex rear Deraileur

I am looking for the pulleys for a Simplex rear Dérailleur. The part is on and old Peugeot. Anyone have any in there stash or a good source for parts.
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Old 08-30-08 | 04:07 PM
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Ebay is good for finding them. Cycleart would probably have NOS pulleys. The on-line Velo Orange store sells Simplex derailleurs made of metal for 13.50$

I can't imagine you would go wrong with updating it with the improved Simplex unit. Those old plastic units really did work pretty well.
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Old 08-30-08 | 11:07 PM
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Take one off an old Suntour...they fit perfectly and they're usually free.
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Old 08-31-08 | 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Bogester
Take one off an old Suntour...they fit perfectly and they're usually free.
Where are they giving those out? I could use some.
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Old 08-31-08 | 10:02 AM
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Bikes: mid 80s Ross Centaur converted to Alfine 11 09 motobecane imortal force, 83 Ross Paragon,81 Schwinn LeTour Tourist, 91 Paramount, 93 GT converted to city bike

SunTour Pulley Wheels

Count me in on the 'where are they' (available)
The stuff on eBay is far to pricy these days.
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Old 09-12-08 | 01:08 PM
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If you have one of the better models with ball bearing jockey wheels -- which you could disassmble to grease (too bad the plastic overmold didn't last) -- then Tacx T4000 jockey wheels will work. I bought a set at:

https://www.lickbike.com/productpage....B='0485-01'

The black ones were $12. These have standard sealed ball bearings.

These are a little thinner than the originals so you might want to get some 6mm ID shim washers. I have a new 8 speed chain so I think it will be OK without shims but such washers are a standard item but might be hard to find. https://www.mcmaster.com/ has them but you have to purchase 25.

If your deraillure has plain bushings (sleave berings) in the pulleys, it would probably be better to purchase a new deraillure. New entry level ones are still available.

https://www.velo-orange.com/sisxde.html
https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/french.html#derailers

for less than $20

You can probably find an all metal SLJ 5500 or SLJ6600 on Ebay but the good ones are +/- $50. Simplex also made less expensive all metal ones that you might find new some place.
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Old 09-12-08 | 02:33 PM
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+1 on the VeloOrange Units. Nice basic deraillers, can get in either the old simplex style (for the unthreaded hanger hole) or ones with claws for bikes without hangers. In either case, you get 2 new pulleys at the minimum!
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Old 09-12-08 | 06:15 PM
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Easy to find if you are not set on using Simplex wheels. I actually have a nice old set of the Bullseye pulleys from 1980-ish. I swap 'em on any bike I ride. Never wore out. See if you can find those - and what you want for the Simplex - on people's junkers.
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Old 09-12-08 | 09:55 PM
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I would pitch the Simplex with a better vintage unit, perhaps Suntour or whatever. The Simplex was junk way back then, and doesn't get better with age.....

My Simplex RD wheels on my old Peugeot disintegrated as well. I ended up taking a similar era derailleur off of a $10 donor bike.

Donor bikes are usually your cheapest option, if you pick one up at a thrift store or garage sale.
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Old 09-12-08 | 10:20 PM
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I have one not sure the model. If you would like it PM me, i have no need for it any more.
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Old 09-13-08 | 01:09 AM
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Originally Posted by Ranger63
Count me in on the 'where are they' (available)
The stuff on eBay is far to pricy these days.
Ok, I guess free might be an exageration. But, just about any old bushing pulley of any old derailler will fit on a simplex. They don't have the roller bearings but they work fine...I've replaced both of mine. As far as "plastic" deraillers being crap I'd strongly disagree...mine's 36 years olds and shifts fine...the original pulleys, however, are crap and break easily.
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Old 09-15-08 | 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Bogester
Ok, I guess free might be an exageration. But, just about any old bushing pulley of any old derailler will fit on a simplex.
I found that there is an issue. The Simplex pulley axles are 6mm while most newer derailleurs have smaller axles and won't fit. IIUC, this limits replacements to Sun Tour and possibly older SRAM pulleys.

It is strange that the plastic wheels don't hold up as well as the rest of the plastic. I can only guess that they aren't Delrin. The Tacx wheels are supposed to be Zytel which is a fancy type of Nylon. If they last another 25 + years, I will have no complaint.
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Old 09-15-08 | 10:19 AM
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Originally Posted by wrk101
I would pitch the Simplex with a better vintage unit, perhaps Suntour or whatever. The Simplex was junk way back then, and doesn't get better with age.....

My Simplex RD wheels on my old Peugeot disintegrated as well. I ended up taking a similar era derailleur off of a $10 donor bike.

Donor bikes are usually your cheapest option, if you pick one up at a thrift store or garage sale.
Actually, a better vintage unit would be a better Simplex derailleur. While Delrin is a very strong plastic, the better Simplex models have more metal: The "Criterium" has metal reinforced arms -- the plastic really acts mostly as a spacer. Better models (e..g. 4000) have alloy arms and the best models are all metal. Unfortunately, these have become collectors items.

Still, the pulleys might not be good if you find another old one.
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Old 09-16-08 | 02:15 PM
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Bikes: like 15. my favorite a 1951 schwinn spitfire cruiser. also have a 1959 amf roadmaster, 1962 jch deluxe cruiser among others.

i actually have one (i kid u not) in my basement/shop off a very nice classic peugeot road bike. simplex, right? leave me a message and i will hook you up. if not, an older suntour pully wheel works fine.
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