Originally Posted by
icepick_trotsky
This is the question I'm getting at. I think everyone has agreed that the Suntour would outshift the Shimano that I have, the remaining question is whether later derailleurs would offer any additional benefit when used with friction.
You know, I seem to have a thing about mid 1980s bikes, but early 90s components.
Where I have used non-indexing era components- and replaced them with indexing era components, the reason has been more of a question of "fashion" than "function."
I'm sure there are many here with much more experience in this than me.
I think SIS's secret weapon for this is that "Centeron Guide Pulley." Where Accushift needed to be dead nutz on, SIS allowed for imprecision- and taking that into account would (in theory) make even a friction shifting system shift better- especially when combined with the slant parallelogram.
I don't know how much more technical advancements of a derailleur can change the quality of the shift- keeping the chain closer to the cogs and once it gets to the cogs, helping the teeth grab into the chain... There's advancements in chains and tooth profiles- but not specific to derailleurs.
The nicest, smoothest shifting setup I had was a newer SRAM chain+ Suntour Barcons>Sachs/Huret DuoPar>Maillard Helicomatic. No ****. The smoothest movement between gears- to the point I wasn't sure that I actually made the shift, until the change in pedaling resistance became apparent.
For What It's Worth...