Early 50s La Gazelle - Eau-de-Nil 🛠️ The Merlot Aftermath 🍷

[Woz]

Really cool picture there @vcballbat - it's surprising that I can't seem to find pictures of the old Le Simplex factory in Dijon.

 

[Woz]

Just had delivery of more rusted and filthy period-ish correct stuff. Think I may ask for a Simplex fanboy badge

 

[Mod-Master]

Found this cool display of Simplex at the library today

View attachment 738863View attachment 738864

There was one of those for sale not long ago, @Woz posted it at the inn I think

 

[Woz]

Just for the hell of it too, tried a really modern plastic fantastic Simplex Prestige rear derailleur. More as an experiment really.

There were two models available, one built for a completely different much later Simplex drop-out or with a hanger plate. The difference is the top pivot bolt and a stop plate. It all seemed to fit and gave just enough travel for a four speed freewheel, looked like it could easily handle a 28T max sprocket size too. I'm even thinking any old frame with a Simplex hanger could have any retro rear derailleur fitted as long as a custom top pivot bolt and B tension stop plate is made.

 

[Woz]

Got the Simplex seat-post cleaned up and fitted. Very tight fit into the saddle rails and very well built. It's 100% steel and a far cry from the crap replacement budget posts often found on low end or kids bikes. I've read that it may be the earliest production seat-post to dispense with the saddle clamp and try an integrated approach. The documentation I have found says it's earliest appearance is 1957.

I think I'm finally happy with whole seat-cluster and seat-post business.

 

[Woz]

Pulled the Simplex 46/49 double chainring apart, gave it all a good clean, assembled it all and put them on the Stronglight Competition cranks.

So basically, exactly like this:



Now the fine print - both chain rings are driven more outboard compared to the original Huret TdF rings. There is absolutely no way there is space for a chain and a Huret suicide lever front derailleur between the outer ring and the crank arm. I don't get it, unless the Simplex suicide lever front derailleur is much thinner. The gap is only about 4.8mm.

Very frustrated that I can't see it working after a mock up

EDIT: There's one for sale on Ebay for a crazy amount and that looks too close as well

 

[Guinessisgoodforyou]

Pulled the Simplex 46/49 double chainring apart, gave it all a good clean, assembled it all and put them on the Stronglight Competition cranks.

So basically, exactly like this:

View attachment 742426

Now the fine print - both chain rings are driven more outboard compared to the original Huret TdF rings. There is absolutely no way there is space for a chain and a Huret suicide lever front derailleur between the outer ring and the crank arm. I don't get it, unless the Simplex suicide lever front derailleur is much thinner. The gap is only about 4.8mm.

Very frustrated that I can't see it working after a mock up

EDIT: There's one for sale on Ebay for a crazy amount and that looks too close as well

So pretty though its painful.

 

[Woz]

So pretty though its painful.

Pretty miffed to be honest considering it took two weeks from negotiation start to delivery, plus all the cleaning. Need to agree with the above advert about accurate manufacture, it's actually a bit mad when you have all the individual parts on the table and re-assemble it - there is virtually no wiggle room so you have to assemble it all a bit loose and tighten it up once it's all on the crank (all 9 bolts).

I've just measured everything again and also took into account the older chain I will be using with pins sticking out - it will never work.

I'm a bit back to the drawing board with more research and scouting for other parts now.

 

[Woz]

It will be a miracle if I manage to finish this bike and be lined up on the start line for the TdF.

 

[vcballbat]

Your three arm crank has a different maybe early Stronglight stamp so maybe originally for a single ring. The 54 & 55 cranks in the 58 catalogue states compatible with both single and double rings so probably a greater distance from the centre of the cotter pin to face of the spider. Need the distance on a 54 or 55 to check against yours, a message to the seller on eBay Spacers on the three arms will work but finding longer bolts could prove tricky