Mid Level Components that work
 

If you were to put together a gruppo of vintage middle level components what would it be. I have a old Olmo with Nuovo Grand Sport components and I am amazed how well it works. The only deviations are the shifters which are Simplex Retro-Friction (SLJ-5057) and I graphed a Super Record cage onto the Gran Sport rear derailleur to give me a 2-4 teeth more on the biggest freewheel cog. Since the photo I have the correct hoods and the Simplex shifters (below photo not from my bike; from velobase.com); I also added toe clip pedals (I have to take more photos!)

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Suntour Cyclone
Suntour ARx
Suntour LePree
Suntour Sprint
all on Suzue or Sunshine hubs

Shimano 1050 components and hubs

Campagnolo 8-sp Athena Ergo and Miche hubs

+1 to RT's recommendations, I'd add Shimano 105 and Tricolor to the mix.

Suntour Vx.

Weinmann centerpulls.

Mid Level Components that work
 

I like the classic french group as found on PX-10's and comparable bikes.
Stronglight 93 crank
Simplex criterium derailleurs
Mafac brakes
Normandy lux comp hubs

Dia Compe 400 and up to their Gran Compe sidepulls.

Light Action 525 rear derailleurs.

Sugino cranks and BB's.

Tange headsets and BB's.

KKT, MKS, SR quill and platform pedals.

RX100 road, Exage mtb components.

STX components.

Metal Simplex derailleurs.

Sedisport chain.

Campagnolo Gran Sport and Nuovo Record steel headsets.

Yep on Suntour VX and Cyclone

url=https://flic.kr/p/d148vu]https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/...bfee1511_b.jpg[/url]Motobecane Grand Record 650B by djk762, on Flickr

Shimano light action may be the best bang for the buck out there.

SunTour Cyclone derailleurs.

SunTour ratchet barcons.

SRAM chains.

Your Simplex Retrofrictions are anything but "mid-level". If you go barcons or whatever, send them to me for proper disposal :)

Oh wait, what was I thinking? The shifters you have are absolutely a danger to humanity. See sentence 2 above. Replace as soon as possible, heeding sentence 2, above.

Gulity as charged; but man are they smoooooth.

I have a Univega with Suntour ARX that shifts like a dream. Originally had a set of fantastic Suntour ratcheting stem shifters. Stem-shifters might be uncool, but those things worked really well.

Agree 100% with the Cyclone and ARx.
Love, Love Love that stuff.

Amen on the SunTour Cyclones, DiaCompe NGC brakes, Sugino Cranks, SunTour Winner Pro freewheels, and the SunTour Superbe derivatives thereof. I'm also a fan of Tange headsets in both conventional and cartridge bearing versions, for a mere $35.

Not as vintage, but I have a bike rigged with a complete Campy Mirage groupo from 1995 and am impressed (for the price) with its finish, durability, and operation.

I have a Bianchi with otherwise full Campy C Record, and an RX-100 RD. I see no reason to correct it.

I have a Suntour Cyclone Mark II rear derailleur that's nice. Also ARX derailleurs. I like Suntour Sport ratchet power thumb shifters. Have them on a mountain bike.

I concur for the most part, w/ the strong safety warning to avoid early 1970s Sugino cranks, having snapped one at the pedal eye during an out-of-saddle climb. I noticed that by 1974 Sugino had added more metal around the pedal eye, making me suspect I was not the only one to experience this failure.

Pretty much anything Shimano made in the late 80s, all up and down their product line, has worked for me flawlessly. I used to ride a Centurion Ironman Master with full Shimano 600. Had to get rid of that bike, and now a few years later I'm on a Miele Azsora with a frame that seems quite comparable, but came outfitted with (I think) exage or light action level components (no branding, just "SLR" on the brakes, "SIS" on the derailleurs)... The finish is not quite as nice on the new bike's group, but functionally it seems basically identical (plus the brake calipers have a few extra millimeters of clearance, so I think next tire change I'm bumping up to 700x28; definitely couldn't do that on the Ironman).

Campagnolo 980 rear derailleur, if you don't look it functions just like a Nuovo Record. I used on while in college, I was a starving student, had sold off my expensive bikes and needed a rear mechanism.
Gran Sport brakes, work the same as Record side pulls save the quick release.