LeicaLad 

Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe VeloBase and DisraeliGears are, too.

https://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Suntour-ARX-...item336771cb1b

This listing is for a supposed Suntour ARX triple pulley derailleur. The same seller sold one a few days ago using the same photos.

The ARX never came with the triple pulley cage, which came out about 4 years later(!) on the Suntour XC.

SO, it would appear that a stock of three pulley cages is being used to dress up some old pigs.

OR, it's a rare collector's item, of which this seller seems to have a few?

Anyone know for sure? Anyone care?

FYI and caveat emptor.

rhm

Velobase and Disraeli Gears are great resources, and collectively they know a lot more than I do. But I view them both as works in progress; there may be things that neither VeloBase or Disraeli Gears know about. Is this one of them? I have no idea.

Grand Bois

Did you also post this?

https://www.cyclebetting.com/cycling/...us-derailleur/

Just curious

MrEss

cyclebetting.com appears to be an advertising farm that harvests the bikeforums.com posts in order to appear to have content; I've found some of my posts on there too.

LeicaLad 

Whoa! No. I've never seen that site. Clearly it was hoover'd from here.

I wonder if the moderators know/approve/can do anything..?

Anyway, I agree that the data sites are works in progress. We should all do our best to support Jon in building VeloBase. I do.

When the triple pulley cage came out on the XC, it was a big deal – or just weird, in some people's eyes. And it only worked so-so. That's why I'm still pretty convinced this is bogus.

On the other hand, I'm certainly providing plenty of free advertising for his listing. Especially with the site sucking going on!

Grand Bois

You have experience with the triple pulley derailers? Why didn't they work well? It seems like a good idea.

LeicaLad 

No, although I'd be very willing to try a proper XC version.

I had friends who'd had them, plus remember the various reviews as being a clever idea that raised the arm out of harm's way – they were for mountain bikes – but that shifting was not always good.

But, of course, our own experience would be best. I almost bought the prior RD listed, until I had doubts looking at it. The seller doesn't have perfect feedback, either. A bit of searching reminded me of the dates of the ARX being well before the three pulley idea came up. Thus...

As noted, it could be a good buy, particularly if you have an XC RD to swap the cage onto. The ARX was certainly not optimized for this cage, so I'd think performance would certainly not be as good as on the XC body. IMHO, of course.

If anyone DOES buy this thing, do please report.

nlerner

It would be nice to see what the box says in that auction. Certainly, the seller might have grafted a triple pulley from a LePree on to an ARX.

Neal

that_guy_zach

The box is for a Superbe. There was a 3 pulley Cyclone on there a while back also.

rhm

I have a LePree but haven't yet used it. I assumed it'll take up more chain slack than a GT... is that right?

cudak888 

More accurately, the box is for a SuperbeTech.

-Kurt

Chombi

Like rhm noted, Velobase has a lot of "in progress" refinements going on and the comments section for each component really helps the owner eventually narrow down exactly what model the items are. I've seen a lot of posted items where the owner did not really know very much at all about it and the blanks are filled slowly as time goes by. But in the end, there are items that just cannot get totally pinned down sometimes because of many running changes a manufacturere will do to certain components within a model year. Heck, I still not 100% sure whether I have LS1 or LS2 Spidel brakesets on my bike........

Chombi

khatfull

Maybe the buyer backed out and the seller relisted? Happens all the time.

khatfull

Here's a reference to another ARX three pulley:

https://tarckbike.com/node/13025

Another:

https://oldroads.com/arch/LTW2003_12_134_56_22_AM.html

"AGE / VALUE: Unusual Derailleur posted by: Rob on 12/10/2003 at 1:12:21 AM
I came across a rear derailleur of design I hadn't seen before. The main body is a SunTour ARX (date coded "AH"...Aug 1984, I think). It has three pulleys in an alloy cage in a roughly triangular arrangement...the furthest one out is slightly smaller than the other two. What would this arrangement have been for? Must be something to do with chain wrap?? A wide range touring bike? What make and model of bike could it have been on? Any ideas? Anyway, I decided at $5CDN, it was cheap enough to buy for the novelty factor..."

Another:

https://www.ibikedb.net/bikes/29169-n...-international

Gee, those internetz are damned useful things...

We can get off the conspiracy bandwagon now.

miamijim

BF date code = June '85

clubman 

I've seen triple pulleys on an Arx. Can't prove it with pics but it looked like the same gear as a Lepree, no? I ride a 3 pulley Cyclone MKII...works great.

I think the XC was a latecomer to the 3 pulley game.

LeicaLad 

Well, I'm happy to learn more. As I said, "I may be wrong"...

Thanks for all the responses.

nlerner

Ah, but none of those links included pics! First we had the "birthers," then the "deathers," now the "three-pulley-ers"!

Neal

khatfull

Touche' sir!

LeicaLad 

Actually, page 5 of the derailleur eye-candy thread features "The Return of Shin", who posts a gorgeous Cyclone II w/3 pulleys.

Wow! Does it look nice. The good photo helps.

:-)

JohnDThompson 

They do work well, but are only adventitious when you need more ground clearance than a long-cage two-pulley derailleur can provide.

cudak888 

Raleigh Twenty.

-Kurt

Grand Bois

Adventitious?

MrEss

It's like "Advantageous" but faster.