Simplex Retrofriction levers
Simplex Retrofriction levers
I have some Simplex Retrofriction lever but I don't have any stops on my frame to attach them to.
Does any one know what band on will work.
I know a while back that you could originally buy these levers with a band but I am unsure if the will work with a Campagnolo band or other make?
Does any one know what band on will work.
I know a while back that you could originally buy these levers with a band but I am unsure if the will work with a Campagnolo band or other make?
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
IIRC they will fit to pretty much any band/boss; they dont need the flats, just an M5 thread and the base square.
cheers
cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Thank you.
That's good news I was thinking of using them on the Wester Ross.
I am two mind re the build I was thinking of going Campag 9 speed or just carrying on with what is on the bike and just upgrading the levers.
I do have the spare for a Campag triple but it would require a rear wheel build so I think I will just run with what is there already.
It make for a different riding experience.
That's good news I was thinking of using them on the Wester Ross.
I am two mind re the build I was thinking of going Campag 9 speed or just carrying on with what is on the bike and just upgrading the levers.
I do have the spare for a Campag triple but it would require a rear wheel build so I think I will just run with what is there already.
It make for a different riding experience.
-
- Posts: 36778
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
I've never tried to retro-fit a Simplex lever to a modern boss but when Campag caught on, it made earlier lever bosses and gear hangers useless.
It's not clear to me what sort of Simplex lever you have in mind, but all pre-Campag levers had a much larger cable pulley so using them with a parallelogram mech meant that a tine movement of the lever was all that was needed to change gear.
Anything Simplex made after the Juy Record 60 era, ie when they had gone over to Campag style mechs was Campag compatible. IIRC
PS with apologies to kw, this Benelux lever he is advertising for sale is the style of thing I am talking about.
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=63071
It's not clear to me what sort of Simplex lever you have in mind, but all pre-Campag levers had a much larger cable pulley so using them with a parallelogram mech meant that a tine movement of the lever was all that was needed to change gear.
Anything Simplex made after the Juy Record 60 era, ie when they had gone over to Campag style mechs was Campag compatible. IIRC
PS with apologies to kw, this Benelux lever he is advertising for sale is the style of thing I am talking about.
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=63071
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
I assumed he meant these;
which are the only ones I've ever seen referred to as 'retrofriction'.
You can see the unflatted boss that simplex sold for the braze-on lever; unlike earlier simplex bosses this one had the standard 0.8mm pitch thread.
cheers
which are the only ones I've ever seen referred to as 'retrofriction'.
You can see the unflatted boss that simplex sold for the braze-on lever; unlike earlier simplex bosses this one had the standard 0.8mm pitch thread.
cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Hi, I was considering using the one that were out in the 80's, they are thin.
Here is a link:
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... nents.html
I will have to read the link myself as scanning I think they mention issues.
Here is a link:
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... nents.html
I will have to read the link myself as scanning I think they mention issues.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Yes i have the lever just the same.
-
- Posts: 36778
- Joined: 9 Jan 2007, 2:44pm
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Brucey wrote: ... which are the only ones I've ever seen referred to as 'retrofriction'. ...
I'm sure you are right. I'd always assumed, probably in ignorance, that retro-friction was a term that was coined when indexing was invented to describe the old system ie something we'd had all along without ever realising it.
--------------------------------------------------------
I've just read the Classic lightweights stuff. very interesting. I think the main point is that once campag caught on over here, there was a period when it carried all before it, even if other stuff was better. I still have a pair of Campag bar end levers fitted - and I did know that the expander worked with the allen key. I got them as a swap and thought they looked great because people like Tom Simpson used them. I can understand why team mechanics would not like them because they are terrible to work on, even for something so apparently simple as changing a cable. A triumph of fashion over practicality.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Yes I think they are specifically that lever.
It is not a generic term.
It is not a generic term.
Last edited by garygkn on 29 Apr 2012, 11:00pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
garygkn wrote:Hi, I was considering using the one that were out in the 80's, they are thin.
Here is a link:
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... nents.html
I will have to read the link myself as scanning I think they mention issues.
It looks as if they used the coarse-pitch thread on the screws in the band-on levers (which are different many other ways too).
The braze-on version whenever I have seen it has a standard M5 x 0.8mm threaded screw in it. If this gets worn (the slots are rather shallow) it can be replaced; it is held captive in the lever assy by a plastic collar, and a little force will simply push it off.
Apart from the screw slots wearing the only other thing that might go wrong is the drag spring breaking inside. Invariably if this happens the tang breaks off. I've seen that happen a couple of times; a temporary repair can usually be made by bending the spring end to make a fresh tang.
cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
I've just installed a set of Simplex retrofriction levers on a 9 speed Campag setup. Because of the small diameter of the lever barrel, the lever has to travel 180 degrees to access the full range of gears - the lever is pointing downwards to your cranks when you're on the largest sprocket.
I haven't tried it on the road yet, so I don't know if it actually makes any difference in real use, but it certainly looks very strange.
I haven't tried it on the road yet, so I don't know if it actually makes any difference in real use, but it certainly looks very strange.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
yes I should imagine that total cable pull is an issue with campag. IIRC shimano road systems need a little less cable pull per gear so should need less total movement. Good to know it looks like it can work with the campag though.
cheers
cheers
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
I heard that they didn't have enough wind to be useful on modern cassettes. I only have 5 in the back I might swap it out for 6 but I think I may just keep it going its had no wear. If I upgrade I will go to a 9 close ratio with a triple.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
Early Simplex dt levers, like Huret and Benelux, used 3/16" BSF threads. Later ones including my Retrofriction levers and the nearly identical Mavic ones use M5 metric threads. Band-on bosses to take these are available on ebay, but I have had no success in buying cheap levers and using the bosses from these. The square locating plate never seems to fit. The Simplex Retrofriction lever was in the 1970s the best down tube lever available. The Suntour Power Ratchet levers challenged it a few years later IIRC. Both used a ratchet without friction when pulling against the derailleur spring but used friction only to hold the lever in the opposite direction.
Re: Simplex Retrofriction levers
If you are interested in the Simplex Retrofriction shifters, I think that this is a good read:
https://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/20 ... t-one.html
https://bikeretrogrouch.blogspot.com/20 ... t-one.html