[CR]Suntour front derailleur

(Example: Framebuilding:Tubing:Falck)

From: "Davis Jensen" <davisjensen1@earthlink.net>
To: <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <MONKEYFOODlHK91rGGX0000423d@monkeyfood.nt.phred.org>
Date: Mon, 9 Jan 2006 12:36:56 -0800
reply-type=original
Subject: [CR]Suntour front derailleur

I was looking at the picture of the Suntour "Spirt" front derailleur, and it brought back memories of a Suntour I tried on my PX10 in 73ish when the Simplex broke. It was a nice enough piece, but the operation was backwards, using the spring to push the chain up onto the large ring. Or should I say try to push the chain up, as it would fail to shift if any more than a trivial amount of force were being applied to the pedals. Downshifted right smartly though! Also gave the levers an operational symmetry that appealed to me; forward for fast, rearward for slow. Did any other manufacturers use this method, and did Suntour abandon it before the end of their days?

Davis Jensen
Lomita, CA