Classic & Vintage - shimano 600 vs suntour superbe

I have set of shimano 600 off a bike that has a frame that I cant use but the brakes that came with it are superbee. I kind of like the idea of having all matching parts on a build for once. Would that be a down grade? Is there a big diferance is performance between the 600 brakes and the superbee.

Probably not, depending on which model superbe they are they are more or less dia-comp gran-comp... I'm talking the older early 80s/70s style that looked alot like campy with a slightly different quick release design. In my experience the later shimano 600 (post arabesque) were superior to grancomp brakes and thus the superbe, if it is newer superbe I don't know but would still say they are probably about equal (again assuming post arabesque shimano 600 which is much more common).

In the 1975 to 1986 era, the Sun Tour Superbe brake calipers were at least as good as the 600 level Shimano calipers, if not better. When the 1987 Shimano 105 group introduced the SIS brake levers and calipers, Shimano edged ahead of Sun Tour.

The 1987 to 1990ish SIS lever/caliper combination combined light feel, easy speed modulation, and sheer stopping power. The Sun Tour BRS brakes later attempted to match SIS, but BRS was too little, too late.

Superbe was a Suntour brake made by Dia Compe.

Superbee was a musclecar made by Dodge. :)

I'm not sure witch model superbe(not superbee) are on the bike but all the parts are off a soma competition , 1979 I think. The shimano 600 brakes I dont have yet so cant give a year. I figure the shimano stuff is original and suntour the replacements, just a guess.