By rights the Simplex Prestige Super LJ (SLJ6600) should have been up there with the 1983 Campagnolo C-Record and even more so with the 1978 Dura-Ace EX (7200). It has the geometry of the Shimano Crane, sports a silky anodised finish and was the top-end model of a brand that won the Tour de France in 1977 and 1983.

But it somehow never quite made it into the top flight. There are lots of small short comings - close up the finish is quite nasty, the Prestige Super LJ (SLJ6600) uses Simplex’s proprietary hanger bolt which kind-of fits a Campagnolo drop out but also kind-of doesn’t fit and, to combat Shimano’s Dura-Ace AX (7300), it is cynically labelled ‘aérodynamic’ without actually paying any attention to how air flows over it. Most importantly I found these derailleurs to be less than reliable - in particular the springs seemed to loose tension faster than you can say ‘ça plane pour moi’.

All-in-all Simplex seemed to think that they could make a competitive top class derailleur without really pulling out all the stops and covering every detail - they were wrong - those days had long gone by 1982.

Must try harder.

• Derailleur brands: Simplex
• Categories: Simplex - the Prestige story
• Country: France
• Date of introduction: 1981?
• Date of this example: unknown (inside of outer pulley cage stamped ‘E26’)
• Model no.: SLJ6600 T/P?
• Weight: 204g
• Maximum cog: 24 teeth (Sutherlands 6th edition)
• Total capacity: 22 teeth (Sutherlands 6th edition)
• Pulley centre to centre: 46mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 3/32”
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: sprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: aluminium