Originally Posted by
alexdi
Shimano's 'specification handbook' PDFs only appear to extend to 2005. Schematic breakdowns mostly just confirm a derailleur existed; they don't, unfortunately, tell me the numbers to fill in the table. The ADFC link is the most useful so far.
As I said, Shimano provided paper notebooks with parts specs and often exploded parts diagrams, updated every year or so. Here's one in electronic format (UK market version):
Shimano Spare Parts Catalogue - 1994 to 2004
Not sure when they stopped providing paper copies, but I have US 1984 through 1998 or so, with a gap or two.
Originally Posted by
alexdi
I've arbitrary excluded derailleurs below 8 speeds or that won't fit standard hangers, both because the information is hard to find and I couldn't think of many circumstances where someone would care. Are people pairing 6-speed derailleurs with new cassettes and shifters?
Again, not that hard to find if you broaden your search beyond electronic copies. Perhaps you should check out the C&V forum. Lots of people are still using these derailleurs with modern cassettes, or trying anyway. Obviously they won't work with index shift levers, but some folks use them with friction shifters.