Prior to, and then alongside the upscale Superbe Pro racing line most CR folks are more familiar with, SunTour also used the label for the Superbe and Superbe Tech line of more pedestrian derailleurs in the early '80s. They weren't as good and wore out rather quickly compared to some others, especially the Cyclone. As Jerry writes, the mid-range Cyclone model was much more widely used, and IMHO, a better derailleur for about the same price as the original Superbe GT. But to answer Charles original post, pages 248-251 of "The Dancing Chain" will be useful in starting to understand some of the many SunTour models available back then. As the book tells, some of the lower-priced versions were good shifters and very popular among bike shops and cyclists when replacing the lousy Simplex and Huret shifters on lower-level bikes. From about 1974-85, my shop sold and installed the SunTour VGT and other similar models by the bushel. They offered improved shifting for a surprisingly modest price. Cheers, Bill Bryant Santa Cruz, California
Jerry & Liz Moos wrote:
> I'm guessing there was no first generation Superbe GT, as Superbe was
> focused on racing gear. Most of the bikes of that era with long cage
> Japanese derailleurs used Suntour Cyclone or Shimano Titlist/LeTour. Of
> course someone who acually sold Superbe may prove me wrong.
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
> Walked the dog today in short sleeves (me, not the dog) in Houston, TX
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "C. Andrews" <chasds@mindspring.com>
> To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 10:37 AM
> Subject: [CR]WTB: Suntour Superbe front der
>
> > I need a first-generation Suntour Superbe front derailleur,
> > braze-on, not clamped.
> >
> > If you have one to sell, please e-mail me privately.
> >
> > I'm also looking for a first-generation Superbe rear GT
> > long-cage derailleur, if there ever was such a thing.
> >
> > thanks.
> >
> > Charles Andrews
> > raining in City of Angels