SHIFT LEVERS:
Simplex SLJ (modified) - shift control levers - retro-friction type design - down tube mount - braze-on fitment - first edition 1973 to 1981 "solid" style aluminum alloy levers with Simplex "starburst" logo - post 1974 and pre 1978 with the "torpedo tube" spring housing extrusions at the bottom of the levers - custom made "D" ring mounting bolts - Clear anodized finish - model SLJ (Super Lucien Juy) 5007... [Despite the fact that a revised version of these Simplex shift control levers absent the "torpedo tube" spring housing extrusions were made available as of mid year 1977 (...those later versions were actually employed by the Peugeot-Esso-Michelin team prior to their "official" introduction), Peugeot PY-10 CP bicycles made available for commercial consumption throughout 1978 as well as 1979 would appear to have been provisioned exclusively with the earlier style of levers similar to the ones seen here (...although select models of the PY-10 other than the PY-10 CP, including some intended for display at various trade shows, were equipped with Gold anodized versions of same). Generally acknowledged as being the best all around down tube friction shifters ever marketed to the general public, these are the 1975 through mid year 1977 second iteration of their earliest style which notably feature the aforementioned "torpedo tube" spring housing extrusions along the bottom of the levers in addition to the distinctive Simplex "starburst" logo on each of the lever handles. Because their ingenious design incorporates an internal spring used to pre-set a consistent level of tension, Simplex opted to use a slotted head cap screw for purposes of mounting these controls as opposed to a winged fitment seen on many other of their conventional models which otherwise require periodic adjustment during a typical ride. Unfortunately, the only truly "proper" version of these SLJ retro-friction shift levers that I had on hand when building up this bicycle were ones procured from my spare parts bin absent their necessary mounting screws. In order to address this situation in a somewhat novel manner, I decided to take a matched pair of Campagnolo 604/1 friction adjusting wing-nuts and thereafter cut off their threaded extensions leaving only the end caps themselves with "D" rings. Next, I drilled a shallow hole into the backside of each of those caps and permanently affixed into said holes with J-B Weld a necessarily longer 19.75 mm extension having threading apropos Simplex braze-on bosses (...braze-on versions of the Simplex SLJ controls use relatively standard 5 mm x .80 pitch threads whereas band-on versions incorporate shorter 8 mm screws having a coarser 5mm x 1.00 pitch thread). Finally, I applied some cutting compound to my buffing wheel and quietly went about removing any trace of Campagnolo logo markings from the chrome plated end caps and ... voilà! ... you have my own mix-and-match interpretation of retro-friction functionality.]
