Tips for setting up and adjusting my Simplex tour de france changer aka derailleur

[ridelover9941]

Hey guys I'm still in a pickle of setting up my 1940's Simplex Tour de France changer aka derailleur (this derailleur was called changer back in the old old days) and cycleops recommended me to ask someone on here who has messed with this type of derailleur before to get some tips and guidance. I'll post pictures of the derailleur a little later. Also, do you think it'll work on my vintage Fuji S12-S LTD road bike? If not then what kind of bike do I need to look for (or possibly build or make)? Thanks a bunch!

 

[alicat]

Perhaps move your post to the mechanical repairs section or the vintage section and you will get more coverage.

 

[ridelover9941]

Perhaps move your post to the mechanical repairs section or the vintage section and you will get more coverage.

Is there an actual way of moving the post instead of re-writing the post?

 

[rrarider]

Perhaps this might be useful
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/simplex_adjustment.html

 

[alicat]

I think there might but I've never tried. You could just cut and paste and leave a post at the end of this thread saying what you have done.

 

[jefmcg]

Is there an actual way of moving the post instead of re-writing the post?

Hit the "report" link under your post and ask a moderator to move it. I think the vintage section is probably best.

 

[I like Skol]

I'm confused. How old is the 'vintage' Fuji? Google suggests it is likely from the late 70s or early 80s and if so why are you trying to put a 1940s derailleur on it?

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/japan.html

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Is there an actual way of moving the post instead of re-writing the post?

Moved as requested. I've gone for the vintage & classic section as that may get you a better response about the quirks of setting up older kit.

 

[ridelover9941]

Let me know if you need pictures. I'll upload them this evening anyway.

My Fuji road bike is either from the 70's or 80's. I'm just not sure. I got it from a friend back in 2013. As to answer the question of why I want to put the tour de france derailleur on my Fuji is JUST to TEST IT OUT.

 

[ridelover9941]

Here are the pictures of the tour de france derailleur I have. Keep in mind these pictures are from ebay where I got it and not exactly pictures I took myself. But here y'all go

View attachment 415125 View attachment 415126

 

[ridelover9941]

 

[ridelover9941]

View attachment 415131

 

[mikeymustard]

That's quite something! I don't think I've ever come across anyone who's asked what bike they should get to fit a component they have!

 

[I like Skol]

Looks simple enough. Not the best pictures in the world but appears to have a cable stop and a cable clamp bolt on the toggle chain. Also appears to have variable tension for the derailleur cage. The most important factors I can forsee are the range of movement (i.e how many sprockets it is able to move across) and how the hi-lo limits are set or adjusted. Would hopefully be fairly obvious once the item was in your hand?

If you want to try it out on a current bike then you may be limited to movement across only 3 or 4 sprockets of a 6spd freewheel. Oh, and I am certain you will only get it to work with friction shifters, very little chance of getting it to cooperate with an indexed system.