Suntour Vx bottom brackets

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I'd like to know more please.

Were they made concurrently with the early XC stuff and then dropped for the cup 'n cone Grease Guard system? $_57.webp
 
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It's time to resurrect this post... I finally had a need for one and it arrived yesterday.

Not sure which version it is as there's nothing printed on the label but I'm guessing it's either a DS-220 or DS-230. I had thought the spindle length or weight might have helped the identification, but I couldn't see a relationship.

Construction wise, the unit is pretty robust. It uses two 6903RS bearing which are only £3.47ea and as you can see they're just pressed into the sleeve.

Why Suntour stopped producing these is anyone's guess but I can't believe the performance/longevity is better with a cup and cone.
IMG_6359.jpg IMG_6372.jpg IMG_6371.jpg IMG_6373.jpg IMG_6363.jpg IwewDHq.jpg
 
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Vx is the taper spec, that didn't change.

But nice bottom brackets, standard bearing size for them and simple sealing used by others later.
Pretty much like all that followed.

6 speed era?


The lightweight an XCPro are cartridge bearing stayed around (in this style, but went to stupid traditional holes to remove, no idea why.)
Looks like the lower end get 'cartridge' in 1993, cheap and chearfull cb-00.
 
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Okay, so what's the difference between a Vx and Superbe taper? I'm assuming that they're JIS variants but could do with some confirmation. Screenshot 2022-10-10 at 10.47.04.png
The table doesn't help the identification, as mine has steel bearing cups and lockings (DS-230) but it's 18grm lighter than the DS-220 which uses aluminium.
 
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No idea, assumption is Vx is just JIS
Superbe is designed for track, so longer tapers? No doubt whoever lead the way, Campag?
 
I did a bit more rummaging on the internet and apparently a Vx taper is a "super-precise JIS size"... But why not say so? Maybe the Vx term predates the JIS acronym?

I fitted this and an old UN53 to a spare crank today and the end of the spindle (with both BB's) sits at 6.6mm below the washer/bolt surface in the crank, which (I think) confirms that they're the same i.e. JIS.

Also found an interesting article on Sheldon Brown regarding ISO/JIS interchangeability; https://sheldonbrown.com/bbtaper.html
 
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