AWVelocetec86":2k57yl0e said:
Do you think the Suntour derailleurs would work with indexed STI shifters? - Assuming the cable pull is the same ratio I thnk it would, even if they're not designed for indexed shifting, as the indexing is in the shifter?
What the shifter is doing is moving a precise length of cable per shift. What it is expecting of the derailleur is for it to move a nominal lateral distance for each index point, thus lining it up with the sprocket. Alas, you're highly unlikely to get this by chance.
AWVelocetec86":2k57yl0e said:
According to the catalogue it would have had Suntour Cyclone II front and rear derailleurs, Weinmann 405 brakes and levers and a Sugino GS crankset, so i'll keep a look out.
Cyclone 2 is excellent and gives you the opportunity to acquire the (over-rated) skill of changing gear by feel. I'll grant you that indexing is a technically superior solution but there really isn't a great deal in it.
AWVelocetec86":2k57yl0e said:
Out of interest, why the irrational bias against Raleigh and Shimano?
The Raleigh thing is probably just an adolescent bias which likely came from the time when I was riding a scrappy looking Harry Quinn when all the cool kids had new Raleigh Grifters or Bombers etc., and were determined to let me know how much better their bikes were. Mine weighed less and was easier to ride, so although they could pull wheelies (sort of) I developed a snobbery about what constituted "good" and "bad". If I were to be more mature about the thing (it's about time) then Raleigh also made some pretty good bikes too and not all of them used proprietary thread sizes etc.
I also was an avid reader of bike magazines and the Freewheel catalogue at the time and with the same snobbish attitude felt quite strongly that Shimano basically ripped off Suntour's technically superior designs and then "won" with a bigger marketing budget - in much the same way that VHS triumphed over Betamax. Shimano pretty much pioneered the concept of the group set in everyday bikes, which eventually led to the demise of component specialists.
In summary, the teenager in me is rooting for the small guys with the clever engineers.
I think I read on Velobase that the Suntour Cyclone 7000 chainsets I recommended above were re-badged Sugino, released at a point when Suntour were trying to join in the groupset game.
Incidentally, I may also have a set of 405s knocking around in the spares bin, and have a good workaround to the all too common missing Cyclone 2 pinch nut problem if you decide to go this route.