The first generation Suntour Superbe racing rear derailleur looks a lot like a slimmed down VLuxe. The Cyclone is significantly lighter than the Superbe, and it was always something of a mystery to me why Suntour built the Superbe stuff in the first place. It was clearly the top-of-the-line, but initially anyway, I believe the Cyclone stuff was actually better. It was certainly lighter, and more elegant looking in general.
Charles "abusing bottom bracket bearings tonight. Just tell me one thing: why in the name of heaven does a standard british-threaded adjustable cup thread easily into my Rivendell, but a british threaded Campagnolo thin cup (for the triple cranks), absolutely refuses to go in? I am so frustrated right now I could spit...not to mention that the cup tool slipped twice and really put the hurt on my flawless down-tube. Wah. Bottom bracket bearings: my nemesis for 25 years. F&%$ 'em." Andrews Los Angeles
<classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2001 11:30 AM Subject: Re: [CR]WTB: Suntour Superbe front der
> 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