This magnificent, but beguiling, derailleur looks just like a Simplex Route Léger from about 1940 except....
- The pulley cage arm is a mere 131mm long. As far as I am aware, no derailleur with this cage length ever appeared in any Simplex catalogue. It is twice the length of the standard Simplex Route Léger of the time.
- There is absolutely no branding or writing of any kind on it anywhere. This was not, generally, an aspect about which Simplex was shy. It does not even claim to be 'made in France'.
So what is it? My best guesses would be that it was either a Simplex prototype or Simplex Route Léger that has been modified by an enthusiastic user. If it is the latter it is an impressively well crafted job. The extra long pulley arm is not simply cut from a flat steel plate, it appears to have been forged to give it a rounded profile. Further, it is artfully shaped around the point at which the tension pulley mounts. The detailing at the top around the pusher plates is also wholly true to the Simplex look.
It originally caught my eye because it reminded me of Daniel Rebour's drawing of the Ajax 24-speed transmission. Every detail of this derailleur is different from the pictured Ajax derailleur, except for the approximate date and the very long, very slim, pulley cage arm. Perhaps there was something in the air in those immediately pot-war years.
In terms of the standard set of features exhibited by a Simplex Route Léger, this mysterious example has the following:
- The component holding the bell crank is a simple, 18mm diameter, steel cylinder with a steel band around it. It has no protective/decorative cap.
- The cable is clamped at the bell-crank using a grub screw.
- The guide pulley has a separate pusher plate on each side, joined by struts. These pusher plates cover an arc of about 180 degrees.
- There is a pivoting lever attached to the outer pulley cage plate to accept the chain tension spring.
- The pulley cage arm is 131mm long.
- There is no writing on the pulley cage arm.
- The pulleys are black and were originally round.
- Derailleur brands: Simplex?
- Categories: Simplex - bell-crank models
- Country: France
- Date of introduction: 1946?
- Date of this example: unknown
- Model no.: unknown
- Weight: 225g excluding the mounting plate, chain tension spring and clip.
- Maximum cog: unknown but large
- Total capacity: unknown but huge!
- Pulley centre to centre: 131mm
- Index compatibility: friction
- Chain width: 1/8”
- Logic: top normal
- B pivot: none
- P pivot: sprung
- Materials: steel
Ref. 2139
