Between 1929 and 1935 Simplex released a somewhat confusing goulash of rather similar, twin pulley, derailleurs which it described as being suitable for 'le tourisme', 'le travail' and 'la ville' (touring, work and town use).
To spice-up the confusion, these models, in true Simplex style, carried a rather random set of, beguilingly similar, model names. It is possible that the sequence of names goes something like; 'Le Simplex', 'Le Simplex Route 2 Vitesses', 'Le Simplex Route 3 Vitesses', 'Le Simplex 3 Vitesses', 'Le Simplex Route 1934', 'Le Simplex Route' and finally 'Simplex Route'. Or there may have been no order, or even no formally defined model names. For the sake of my mental health I shall call them all 'Simplex Route'.
Some of the, many, variables were as follows:
- I believe that they started out as low-normal pull-chain designs. Then used a rod-operated lever format. Then reverted to a low-normal pull-chain design, Then, later, adopted a top-normal, bell-crank architecture.
- Earlier bell-crank models were designed to accept the cable nipple (with the cable clamped at the lever). Later bell-crank models clamped the cable at the derailleur (with the nipple at the lever).
- It's possible that they started out with a guide pulley with 12 teeth, but later adopted a guide pulley with 14 teeth.
- There was a blizzard of different mounting brackets.
Some features of this derailleur are:
- It is top-normal and uses a bellcrank.
- The bell crank is designed to accept the cable nipple (with the cable clamped at the lever).
- The guide pulley has 14 teeth.
- It mounts under the chainstay.
- The chain tension spring hooks into a large circular loop on the top of the pulley cage.
- There are triangular 'Simplex' logos on the pulley cage and on the flanges of the tension pulley. The mounting arm is stamped 'LE SIMPLEX BteS.G.D.G'. There is no mention of being 'Champion de France'.
- Derailleur brands: Simplex
- Categories: Simplex - before 1945
- Country: France
- Date of introduction: early 1934?
- Date of this example: unknown
- Model no.: unknown
- Weight: 501g including chainstay mounting bracket, but excluding one screw from the bracket and the chain tension spring.
- Maximum cog: 28 teeth?
- Total capacity: 28 teeth?
- Pulley centre to centre: 70mm
- Index compatibility: friction
- Chain width: 1/8”
- Logic: top normal
- B pivot: sprung
- P pivot: sprung
- Materials: steel with aluminium flanges on the tension pulley
Ref. 1819
