Shimano Crane Derailleur?
01-26-05, 08:52 PM
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Shimano Crane Derailleur?
I picked up a rear derailleur at a swap meet a couple of weeks ago. It is a schwinn approved "le tour" shimano gt-300 - long cage. Looks like an shimano crane. Is that what it is? It also resembles an old campy rally. Has anyone used this derailleur? If so, how is/was it?
01-26-05, 09:48 PM
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The Schwinn approved GT300 was actually a rebadged Titlist GS, which was one step below the Crane GS. All these derailleurs used the same body castings, with a different mould insert for the nameplate. This accounts for the resemblance. However, the GT300/Titlist GS used more steel than the Crane GS, resulting in an extra 34g of weight. I believe that if you check the cage with a magnet, you will find that it is steel, whereas it is aluminum on the Crane GS.
All these deraileurs have the same specs, except for weight, so they should perform identically. FYI, the maximum cog size was 34T and the maximum chain wrap was 38T. The derailleur was well respected in its day, though most tourists preferred its competition, the SunTour VGT.
All these deraileurs have the same specs, except for weight, so they should perform identically. FYI, the maximum cog size was 34T and the maximum chain wrap was 38T. The derailleur was well respected in its day, though most tourists preferred its competition, the SunTour VGT.
01-26-05, 10:34 PM
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Thanks for the information! I've always loved the ST VGT (I use it on the 3 bikes I ride most). I didn't realize others felt the same way. I have a new Mercian that I'm setting up for loaded touring. What would suggest for a rear derailleur? I'm looking for durability and performance. 7spd... bar-end... friction.
01-27-05, 08:46 AM
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What's the largest cog on that 7 speed? It might matter.
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01-27-05, 06:05 PM
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My Voyageurs have the Crane GT rear deraileur. The large cog on my freewheel is a 34. No worries!
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01-28-05, 04:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Noah Scape
The cage is aluminum...
If you're going with friction based shifting, either the GT-300 or the VGT should work well. I'd give the shifting edge to the VGT, but the durability edge to the GT-300.
01-29-05, 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
I guess this is one of those times where even the reputable sources are wrong. I'll be adding a correctional post-its to a certain book.
