marktherob2001

I have a Vintage Gitane Tour de France that I bought in the 70's I remember about $330 Cdn. I rode it for about 5 years then stored it until a few years ago. It's got a Sugino Mighty Competition crankset. I converted it to straight bars and am still enjoying a bike I bought when I was twenty something at 60. I would like to replace the RD. I would like to know what model of Suntour that I should be looking at to do so. I think the RD is a SIMPLEX Prestige (It was supposed to be a Criterium) but this one is stamped prestige. (Maybe I should complain to the manufacturer LOL).

The whole machine is still immaculate but I know that RD will fail someday and I would like to have a replacement so I don't have any downtime. The front derailler died last year, the plastic housing cracked so I just put on a cheap shimano. I don't use the front derailer much anyway only to adjust chain.

Best Regards

Mark (Toronto)

Ex Pres 

The standard replacement back then was the Suntour V-Luxe, Vx or V-GT. That's what I replaced my Prestige with back in the 70's.

Any of the 70's-80's Suntour derailleurs would be appropriate. The Cyclone line seems to be a good value now. You can pick up a MarkII, even NOS, for a song. ($25)

marktherob2001

Any suggestions where to look online?

Rabid Koala

Welcome to C and V!

If I recall correctly, the back of my Criterium RD on my TdF is stamped Prestige. It has the clear label, the cheap Prestige has the red label. I remember selling TdF's with the Sugino crank set, my TdF has a Stronglight.

Using anything other than Simplex requires that you alter the drop out.

marktherob2001

What would you need to do to the drop out to use the suntour cyclone? Mine has a sliver label too so I guess the criterium. The RD works great still and the wheels look in good shape. When I converted the guy put on a shimano index shifter and it would jump out of gear often. Today I put an old suntour friction set on it and it is as smooth as silk like it was when new. I want to be prepared when it dies as I putting a lot of miles on it now.

Grand Bois

You don't want to do that. Use one of the better Simplexes.

unworthy1

you need to have the drop-out hanger hole threaded with a M10x 1mm tap (and that 1mm thread pitch is critical: most machinists and hardware shops will not have a tap with that fine a thread in that 10mm diameter...but a LBS should). Unless you're lucky and somebody has already cut the threads for you, check the drop out by removing the Simplex RD, a standard Simplex dropout from this era will have not threads but uses a special bolt to mount the RD.

marktherob2001

I'm with you. I will look for a simplex.

unworthy1

that's the safest thing to do...and many of the '80s era Simplex RDs (such as the SX610) can be found for relatively cheap on eBay. They shift very well (much like a SunTour) and have metal bodies.
https://www.velobase.com/ViewSingleCo...=108&AbsPos=29

Grand Bois

Tapping the hole is the easy part. You also have to reshape the hanger to give clearance and to form a stop.

I paid $22.50 for 2 SX610s, a long cage SX810 and a SJA 102 on eBay last month.

If you can't find anything, I might be persuaded to part with one.

I use a Super LJ on my Gitane.



I swear that the SX610 on my Peugeot shifts just as well. It weighs a little more, but it cost way less.

Grand Bois

Come to think of it, I also have a NOS Criterium if you want to keep it original.

marktherob2001

That would be amazing. What would be best the criterium or the SX610. How much would you want. So far i looked on ebay nothing but prestige. Would I have to modify the hangar for the SX610.

Regards Mark

marktherob2001

Your Bike looks great. Wow the transmission is really nice.

marktherob2001

Having changed it already I would prefer the better derailler than to keep it original better still the one your prepared to part with.

Regards Mark

scozim 

You shouldn't need to modify the hanger for the SX610, SX630, SX430. Not sure about the Super LJ's. The SX610/630 attach to the hanger via a bolt from the backside/inner side of the dropout. They do come up fair frequently and most have been averaging $25 to $35 before shipping. You can always try to find a donor bike also - I got lucky yesterday going that route.

Sometimes you can find the Gipiemme branded Simplex derailleurs on Ebay as well.

marktherob2001

Would you part with one of your sx610's? It's a lot harder to find that stuff where I live.

Grand Bois

Yes, but we need to move this to PM.

marktherob2001

I'm on Yahoo. Marktherob2001@yahoo.com

Charles Wahl

Anyone looking for Simplex stuff should always include both Gipiemme and Spidel in the search. Lots of Simplex stuff is branded one or the other. If you're a snob, then stick with Simplex, of course.

Grand Bois

You can sometimes find a boxed set with an SX610 and an SJA 102 102 labled Gipiemme Sprint. You can also find NOS Simplex tags. The SX610 on the Peugeot above originally had a paper Gipiemme tag. A hot glue gun works great for attaching the tags.

marktherob2001

I need to get the bottom bracket and headset repacked. What do I need to know before taking it to LBS to have it done?

Regards Mark

JohnDThompson 

The 610 shifts somewhat better than the Criterium IMO. And no, you shouldn't have to modify the dropout.

Grand Bois

The 610 shifts better, but the Criterium has ball bearing pulleys. I'll never use the Criterium, so I'm tempted to rob it of those pulleys. They're still Simplex, so they'll probably break.

I'm headed to the Post office to ship an SX610 and a SJA 102 to Toronto. The 610 has new Huret pulleys.

unworthy1

since you have a Sugino Mighty crank you won't have to find an LBS with a Stronglight crankpuller, so that's a good thing. Other than a LBS that knows how to work on old bikes, and is thorough and workmanlike, it should be pretty straightforward...if the BB bearing surfaces have started to degrade, you might still salvage them by using all loose ball bearings (no retainer cage), same trick for the HS, but it takes a lot more balls (no pun).

marktherob2001

Can you explain your last point in more detail please?