Kilroy1988 

Hello all,

I've found official documents that state the max cog capacity for a 1st-generation Suntour Cyclone short-cage derailleur is 24-teeth. I have found slightly conflicting information about contemporary derailleurs such as the short-cage V series stating that they can actually handle 26 teeth comfortably. Does anyone have experience running a Cyclone with 26 teeth? My front rings are 52/42 and I would be keen to know if the derailleur could handle that spread. Thanks!

-Gregory

jetboy 

it can depend upon your frame/hanger - with some giving room than others. you may have to just try and find out!

Kilroy1988 

Thank you, jetboy . I don't currently have the derailleur and would purchase one if there's an inkling of hope given by others. The frame has a standard horizontal Campagnolo hanger with 126mm spacing and the freewheel is a 6-speed Suntour New Winner.

-Gregory

steelbikeguy

short answer: can't say for sure.

slightly longer answer: I used to run a Superbe short cage derailleur with a 13-26, but I can't swear that the cage geometry was the same as the Cyclone. In general.. racing freewheels were rarely even as large as 24T, and I can't imagine that many folks messed around by pushing that limit. SunTour made so many medium and long cage derailleurs that there wasn't much point in trying to make a short cage derailleur do the job of the medium or long cage versions.
However... I've got a Cyclone GT being used with a 13-26 freewheel, and it might be nice to have a derailleur where the upper pulley is closer to the freewheel. I'm using it with 34-50 chainrings, so the long cage is needed to wrap up that extra chain.

Steve in Peoria

Kilroy1988 

Howdy, Steve,

That's exactly the scenario I'm hoping to avoid. I'd like to optimize the pulley distance from the freewheel. I am currently running a Cyclone GT with a 14-28 and find that unless if I'm in a really low gear there's quite a bit of excess chain and potential slack while I'm pushing it. I'm far more likely to be sprinting on flat ground than climbing but I like the idea of having a 26 in the rear just in case I do get into the hills a bit.

-Gregory

Aardwolf

RD-1700 (mark 1) rear: 13T - 24T, capacity 24T
RD-3500 (mark 2) rear: max 26T, capacity 28T

I'd say you've got a decent chance of making it work with a bit of adjusting.
Alternatively just get the GT version - alows bigger cogs later
I'm using 52/36 + Cyclone II GT with New Winner 13-28 and New Winner 13-32 (both Ultra 6).

1978 Catalogue


1984 Catalogue

Vintage_Cyclist

I have a short cage Superbe Pro RD on my 1884 Trek 760. I was able to get it running a 13x28 7 speed freewheel (52/42 in front). If memory serves, I had to make some B screw adjustments until I got it to hit the 28 tooth cog.

I'll also second the Cyclone GT recommendation. I'm running them on several bikes with 28 tooth cogs and they're flawless performers.

sd5782 

Not much love, but the VX in the mid cage S version is perfect for that. It is a light and pretty unit too. I really like that model.

daka

Since you have the benefit of the horizontal hanger I'll bet you can get away with it. The trick to go over-capacity with the Campy NR is to slide the axle back in the dropout so the upper idler pulley doesn't tangle with the freewheel sprocket. Running 52/42 up front and a 13-26 in back means you need to wrap 23 teeth of chain, and the listed capacity is 24 teeth, so you should be okay.

jetboy 

one trick is to adjust the position of the rear axle as far back (and up) as you can: in extreme cases I have removed the drop out adjustment screws entirely so the axle can be slammed completely to the rear. (but that was trying to sneak like a 36 tooth in or something)

steelbikeguy

I've swapped the GT cage and spindle onto the body of a short cage Cyclone in the past. Maybe you can pick up a beat-up short cage Cyclone for cheap and try the cage on your Cyclone?
For me, I needed the spring(s) off of the short cage Cyclone.
Or maybe I've still got that short cage and axle?? If you are interested, and I have it, you could have it for the cost of shipping.

Steve in Peoria

John E

I have a short cage SunTour Cyclone II with the 4532 claw on the UO-8, with a 13-26 6-speed freewheel in back and a 45-42 half-step in front Works like a champ.

Schreck83 

Another option is the RD3600 Blue Line S RD with a mid cage. Disraeli Gears website has documentation. The S cage looks like it could be swapped onto your Cyclone if you wanted to keep the Cyclone vibe. The cage is longer, so more chain wrap, but the upper pulley is in the same position as the short cage, so you aren’t likely to clear a larger cog. Rated for 26T rear.

1989Pre 

If you can't get it to fit a 26T, get the dropout extender from Wheels Manufacturing. It is about twelve bucks.

jeirvine 

I actually did that once. I think I sold it to a member here.
-John

jamesdak 

Well if you confirm the Superbe geo is the same as the Cyclone then my situation may help. I'm running a SRAM 11-30 with a short cage Superbe on my Team USA bike. That's even with a broken off, short B screw on the RD. Originally I was running a 52/39 crankset with it and the only issue was the 30/11 combo. Then I swapped in a 48/34, adjusted chainlength better and now all gear combo's work just fine.


With the 52/39 crank and the 11-30 cassette

With the 48/34 crank and the 11-30 cassette

ShannonM

Not quite on point, but data nonetheless:

I've got a 1980 Superbe (same specs as your Cyclone) on my '85 League Fuji, shifting a 14-26 6-speed Suntour freewheel. The frame's got Suntour dropouts, and with the wheel all the way back, I've got enough clearance that I'm pretty sure I could run a 28T.

Suntour's specs seem to have been very conservative.

For that matter, that short cage Superbe is the back end of a 14-26 x 45/42/30 half-step triple, and the only gear I can't use is the 14 x 30... the chain drags on the front derailleur. The 16 x 30 is noisy and wonky and lame, but it's rideable if I ever shift into it by accident.

I'd say go for it... I think it's gonna work fine.

--Shannon

Kontact

I think you might be confusing capacity with max cog size. It appears your Cyclone has a capacity of 24, which is the sum of the smallest two cogs subtracted from the sum of the largest two cogs. This capacity is largely predicted by the distance between the pulleys.

The max cog is based on the vertical distance between the B pivot and the upper pulley, but it is affected by other things, like chain length and B pivot adjustment when applicable. Shorter chains on a Cyclone will pivot the top pulley to the rear, creating more clearance.


You really need to try it if it is going to be close. And you can adjust things with your adjustable horizontal dropouts as well.


Cool derailleur.

Kilroy1988 

Cool assumption. I can see where I used the word "capacity" in the wrong place in technical terms, but I did mean max sprocket size because that's what the catalogs state.

Thanks for the feedback, folks! I've got it covered.

The Golden Boy 

Good luck with it!!!

rustystrings61 

You did, and the SunTour Cyclone with the VXs cage works perfectly on the 6-speed SunTour Ultra 13-28 freewheel on my '76 Puch Royal X -

Fredo76

Early Suntour Cyclone

My early Suntour Cyclone (shown above, not sure which "generation") handled a 13-26 just fine without modifications. When I needed to go to a 14-28 (and a 28T front chainring, too), I switched to a Suntour V-GT Luxe for the size and wrap capacity.

Kontact

Some Suntour documents list varying max cog depending on the hanger length.

Kilroy1988 

Thanks for your response. Although I obviously appreciate all of the insight and considerations above, I think yours is the only direct answer to the question I was asked based on experience with the same derailleur I asked about. Cheers!

-Gregory

Fredo76

Perhaps I should qualify that it worked in the vertical dropout pictured in my avatar...