Hi all -

I was hoping I could get some help identifying the rear derailleur that came on the Nishiki Prestige I recently purchased. The front of the derailleur says KP4K and the back is stamped with the word VIA as well as the letters BL and that it was made in Japan. I've attached a few pictures with all the discernible markings. I couldn't get a good picture of it, but the pulley wheels say Suntour on them.

Anyone have any info on this derailleur or ever seen anything like it? I'm trying to decide if I should keep it or replace it with a Suntour Cyclone to match the front derailleur.

Thanks for the help!

the VIA is (would guess that it's on other brands like Suntour just like Shimano) - "VIA" ("Vehicle Inspection Authority") is stamped on all Shimano parts. It is an official approval stamp used to certify parts of Japanese vehicles – including bicycles. This mark signifies compliance with certain quality standards and is similar to the "UL" (Underwriters Laboratories) mark. - ripped straight from here https://en.wikipedia.org/?title=Shimano

For what the RD is, you could have a trawl through here https://www.disraeligears.co.uk/Site/Home.html to see if anything matches if no-one can give you any better idea's to what it is.

Maeda is Suntour.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunTour

...and the BL date code indicates a 1985, Dec. manufacture date: Date of Manufacture of Bicycle Components can be used to date a bike: component dating

Suntour Cyclone 6200 SunTour Cyclone derailleur (6200)

The "KP4K" sounds like a HAM call sign.. maybe a sticker somebody put on it.

And I don't know if you got it yet, but you have a rebranded Suntour XC.

That would have been Suntour's top of the line mountain bike/touring derailleur for 1985. I'd hang on to it.

It's interesting how bike manufacturers around this time were playing mix 'n match with components. My 84 Voyageur SP would have come with a Mountech front derailleur and a LeTech rear derailleur. I think those both would have been Suntour's best for a MTB and touring bike for that year- the next year it came with a Mountech front and the Suntour XC in the rear.

It's the proverbial "good stuff."


EDIT:

Wow...

I knew Suntour used the same bodies in the later 80s- I had no idea they did in 1985...






"Fantastic - except for the fact that it looked so weird that, as you cycled by, dogs barked, babies cried and your friends laughed. At you, not with you. "




I would definitely say it's a Cyclone 6200 and not an XC. And still among the very best of it's time.

Sorry for the wrong answer!