Classic & Vintage - Good vintage derailuer for racing?

I'm currently using a Suntour Seven Rear derailleur. I have a Huret Jubilee that needs an adapter. I'm looking for something that's light weight but shifts well. I think the Jubilee is too fragile and collectable to use for racing. I am going to use an 7 or 8 speed rear cassette cluster with road gearing. Downtube shifters.

The Jubilee will definitely not cover a 7 speed cluster.

If you're actually racing buy the newest 105/ultegra/dura ace derailleur you can get. No worries about worn out springs, pivots, obsolete designs. Run a modern 8 speed chain on it for either 7 or 8 speed. If you use a shimano derailleur it opens up indexing options with the shifters. Downtubes, bar ends, STI are all possibilities eventually.

Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro/Sprint
Shimano 105/600/Ultegra

These are readily available

Considering I have a weird bike with odd geometry (shorter wheel base than most but longer than a racing bike). I'm sure how competative it would be. I kinda want to keep it loosely in the same time period (it has shimano SF dropout so late 70's early 80's

I'm currently using a Suntour Seven Rear derailleur. I have a Huret Jubilee that needs an adapter. I'm looking for something that's light weight but shifts well. I think the Jubilee is too fragile and collectable to use for racing. I am going to use an 7 or 8 speed rear cassette cluster with road gearing. Downtube shifters.

Can't go wrong with a Suntour Cyclone MkII.
Quick clean shifts, great looks plus very light weight!
Problem is finding one for a low price as it's like one of the most sought after 80's RD by C&Vers...
I think they are easily over 100 bucks NOS!

Chombi

What's wrong with the SunTour Seven?

Too little info, what kind of racing? Are you hoping to be competitive? If you are contemplating Huret, and you have presently a Seven, then this bike is relatively dated and not race competitive against peers on more newer equipment. Unless this is a C&V race, like L'Eroica with equipment constraints.

If this in an old race bike, it can be moderately updated to competently finish a race. But I'm not aware of a Suntour Seven ever being used for a race bike. It's a touring bike RD IIRC.
Pics of the bike would help.
But off the top of my head, I assume any modern Shimano derailleur will work fine. Available and reliable, slant parallelogram just like the old Suntours, 8 speed spacing range, index compatible. Of course, if this race requires period correct components, then search for another Suntour.

If you are competitive with downtube shifters you won't have to worry about your equipment, your sponsor will provide it! Let us know how it turns out.....

Suntour Superbe/Superbe Pro/Sprint
Shimano 105/600/Ultegra

These are readily available

I totally agree, with especial emphasis upon Superbe Pro and later 600.

7400 Dura Ace. Light, solid, and reliable. It will work great with friction DT shifters. Otherwise you will need the matching DA DT shifters.

Texbike

The Jubilee will definitely not cover a 7 speed cluster.

I beg to differ. However, I would not recommend one for actual racing.

http://gallery.me.com/justinhughes/100108/IMG_5245/web.jpg?ver=13171441360001

+1 to Mazdaspeed's post #3.

Here's a blurry of the bike. It's best I can do. It's a derycke. Not might I can find. Seems like he was a racer. I haven't raced yet but there's some local races I'm definitly gonna enter. I've clocked my average cruising speed at 21 mph237778

Cycles Derycke was and still is a shop in Brussells. There was a Derycke frame on the Philly CL within the last month, too. I have a Ranson from the same shop, and would love to compare some frame details to see if there are any similarities.

And I don't race, but am running a Suntour Cyclone on mine.

The Suntour Cyclone mentioned above is great. I'm running a Suntour BL (Blue Line) on my hill climbing bike and have essentially raced (not a sanctioned race but in a pack of 30-40 hard core riders) it with no problems especially when combined with the Simplex Retrofriction shifters. And they're quite economical to buy.

SunTour Cyclone, short cage. Mk 1 has racier geometry than Mk 2.

What's wrong with the SunTour Seven?

+1. While the higher end SunTour derailleurs, such as a Cyclone or Superbe/Superbe Pro will be lighter, there will not be an appreciable difference in shifting performance. Additionally, the OP may also have to make a change to a closer ratio freewheel and shorten the chain, in order to accommodate the new derailleur. Personally, I'd stick with the current set-up until the OP has a few races under the belt and can decide whether it's something to pursue long term.

I've known several people who could churn all day long at 21mph but were lousy racers. They couldn't handle a bike, couldn't descend or climb, didn't have enough power to react to sprints or breaks, couldn't think under pressure situations, were nervous in large groups, etc. I'm not trying to discourage the OP. It's something he should definitely try, but it s not for everybody, for various reasons. I definitely wouldn't be upgrading, until I had a taste of what it's actually like. If, after a few races, I decided that I still wanted to pursue racing, I'd consider buying a more appropraite used bicycle, Financially, it makes more sense than constantly making minor upgrades to the current bicycle.

I dunno what you mean by "racing", but in a lot of places now the other
people you race with will "discourage" you from participating with DT
shifters. Don't misunderstand, I really love DT shifters and have them
on most of my bikes, but in close packed racing situations, you cannot
possibly hope to compete with modern brifter equipped bikes.

Also, you will be dangerous to the other people in your immediate
proximity, because you will not be able to react as quickly. Just
a fact.......so consider T-Mar's recommendation for an upgrade.

rito25, it looks like your RD is not currently setup as well as it can be. It looks like you need to turn the B-screw several turns.

http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=237778&d=1329530035

There was a Derycke frame on the Philly CL within the last month, too. I have a Ranson from the same shop, and would love to compare some frame details to see if there are any similarities.


I bought that frame. It had a welded on mount for a generator light and still had it. I removed it for weight and noise issues. When I finish moving I can post some pictures in a new thread which you can compare too.

Which screw would the B-limit be? I know I need to tighten the cable.
I think I might just keep the current derailiuer, probably not worth the extra cost for a little bit less weight on a bike that is already like 21 pounds.
Might try a few races and see how that works out first.

Photo from sheldonbrown.com

http://sheldonbrown.com/images/derailer_adj.gif

i am an actual racer and i can say that i would not under any circumstances want to race a DT shifter bike. competitors on modern bikes will be shifting soooo much faster, more accurately, and without having to look down and check things-- and then there's the sprint at the end, when the guys up front will be shifting twice, three times or more, while with the DT shifter you just have to pick your gear and go...

rito:
Is this a real race? As in a USA Cycling sanctioned race?
Or is it an organized charity ride (like a century or half century)?

If it's a real race race, then you'll want much more modern equipment.
If it's an organized charity ride, then that is technically not a "race" (although they can be pretty competitive), but what you have will be fine. Just get it all tuned up at your LBS.

Looks like it's a sanctioned race

http://www.wilmgrandprix.com/About.aspx

Looks like it's a sanctioned race

http://www.wilmgrandprix.com/About.aspx

If you show up and try to ride in the pack with a DT shifting
bike for this crit (as it is advertised), I would be very surprised
if they let you compete.

Again, in a real race with everybody kinda packed together
and riding fast, the couple of seconds your hand is off the
hoods to reach the DT can be exactly when the guy in front
hits the brakes. In those situations, when you go down
you take a whole buncha people with you.

When everybody had the same stuff, not an issue.
Today, big issue........trust me on this, please.

Edit: TT is different, so if that's what you're doing, you ought to be OK.

Yeah. Reading more about makes me doubt I can enter.
Might try that time trial though. I can't seem to find a list of bike specs that must be followed anywhere.