Jim, I see the D-A top mounted shifters on your bike. I didn't see any top-mounteds until ~'85 but wanted them from the moment I saw my first. I wanted them in 1977 when I was banging the Power Ratchet on my Fuji Pro into the 13t climbing any wall to be had. I've been running SunTour, both clamp-on Symmetric and braze-on (well ti weld) Superbe on my custom. So question - are the Shimano braze-ons compatible with SunTour? Could I use Shimanos on either my custom or on the SunTour DT strap?

I don't think we've met yet but I've been hearing about you, seeing your bikes and occasionally riding with Merz inclined forumites. I believe you were building out here when I was racing back east. (Club mate Peter Mooney riding his frames at NEBC races before Belmont Wheelworks started. And my little claim to fame - I was the guy who put Bell helmets on Boston heads after my Lambert fork failure.)

Ben Jeffries