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Suntour Accushift derailleur - reviews?

Old 07-16-14, 08:12 AM
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Suntour Accushift derailleur - reviews?

the bike I'm currently looking to purchase has had the original Sachs Huret Rival derailleur replaced with a Suntour Accushift (model unknown), I know Suntour is Japanese and have read the Accushift was an attempt to counter Shimano's new models but in general the reviews and comments I have read are all unfavorable. Do any members have personal experience with these and if so what are your opinions?
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Old 07-16-14, 08:22 AM
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It works and it is well made. It does not index as nicely as Shimano. I currently have two accushift bikes and run them both in friction.
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Old 07-16-14, 08:40 AM
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The OP doesn't say anything about the shift levers and whether they are only friction or are indexed. The Sachs indexing specs are a match to Shimano, the Sun Tour isn't. If one tries to mix and match with indexing shift levers the Sun Tour rear der will kind of but never really index across the entire range. Maybe a couple or three shifts will sort of be Ok at best. With friction all will be good.

Also not mentioned is which grade of Sun Tour der is at play. Like other brands Sun Tour used a series name (Accushift) on a number of ders. From inexpensive stamped steel units to finely made forged and machined Alu ones. The low cost ones were, well, cheap and have less precision in their function. The nicer ones were nicer. But as an indexed system all were a step behind the Shimano counterpart. Andy.
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Old 07-16-14, 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
The OP doesn't say anything about the shift levers and whether they are only friction or are indexed. The Sachs indexing specs are a match to Shimano, the Sun Tour isn't. If one tries to mix and match with indexing shift levers the Sun Tour rear der will kind of but never really index across the entire range. Maybe a couple or three shifts will sort of be Ok at best. With friction all will be good.

Also not mentioned is which grade of Sun Tour der is at play. Like other brands Sun Tour used a series name (Accushift) on a number of ders. From inexpensive stamped steel units to finely made forged and machined Alu ones. The low cost ones were, well, cheap and have less precision in their function. The nicer ones were nicer. But as an indexed system all were a step behind the Shimano counterpart. Andy.

Image of derailleur in question:
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SunAcc.jpg (97.6 KB, 207 views)
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Old 07-16-14, 08:56 AM
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The photo shows a der with some stamped steel and some machined Alu. It looks to be a mid grade der. Maybe an Alpha 3000, or it's variant.

Still out there is the shift lever issue. Andy.
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Old 07-16-14, 09:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Andrew R Stewart
The photo shows a der with some stamped steel and some machined Alu. It looks to be a mid grade der. Maybe an Alpha 3000, or it's variant.

Still out there is the shift lever issue. Andy.
Raleigh levers:
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Old 07-16-14, 10:09 AM
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they wanted into the index shifting game & OEM Build spec list too ..

Sun tour had the Patent on the slant pantograph , to them selves for many years .

when it expired everyone else adopted it ..
Parallelogram pivot pins on shimano's were vertical as was My old Rally Campag..

sun tours design let the pulley assembly move at an angle closer to the shape of the freewheel/cassette cluster.
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Old 07-16-14, 10:29 AM
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I have a bike which has SunTour XC Sport 7000 rear derailleur, Suntour XC 6-speed freewheel, and SunTour 6-speed index/friction thumb shifters, and it all works well.

In order for Accushift to work well, you'll need shifters, derailleur and freewheel designed for Accushift. I do understand that many have gotten various combinations of different brands of shifters/derailleurs/freewheels to play nicely with each other, but I have no experience with that.
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Old 07-16-14, 10:43 AM
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Originally Posted by Velocivixen
I have a bike which has SunTour XC Sport 7000 rear derailleur, Suntour XC 6-speed freewheel, and SunTour 6-speed index/friction thumb shifters, and it all works well.

In order for Accushift to work well, you'll need shifters, derailleur and freewheel designed for Accushift. I do understand that many have gotten various combinations of different brands of shifters/derailleurs/freewheels to play nicely with each other, but I have no experience with that.
I guess only time will tell how well this cocktail works together, I have a niggling urge to return it back to the original component line up however.
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Old 07-16-14, 10:51 AM
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The levers look to be friction so I suspect the shifting with the ST der will be fine. Andy.
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Old 07-17-14, 08:15 PM
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I have used Suntour Edge and it works perfectly.
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Old 07-17-14, 09:01 PM
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My C'dale has an Accushift drivetrain and it works great. Has a very loud, crisp click to the shifters (Ole shifters, to be exact), though the shift action at the freewheel/RD isn't the most refined thing in the world compared to Shimano indexed downtube shifter drivetrains I've heard. However, it works every time, clunk and all.
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