Conference noted::bicycle

    Hi folks,
    
    A related question:
    
    I should admit immediately that I'm almost totally unfamiliar with bike
    components.  I recently (~1.3 years ago) bought a Bianchi Tangent (a
    hybrid -- a religious follower of this conf will know more about this
    bike) and I have been getting to know it very well, as I had to move
    the components from the old frame to a new frame.  All the components
    are Suntour XC 9000, which seem to be ok (except for the BB, which
    seems to be real shit.  it's almost impossible to adjust correctly.  It 
    goes almost immediately loose.  -- i had it replaced with a shimano BB
    that *seems* to be better [I haven't ridden it yet...]).  
    
    ANYHOW, the question:  wherever I go in Munich, I see shimano parts.
    Only rarely do I see Suntour.  is this because Shimano simply has
    better marketing in Europe, Germany?  Is Shimano better?  Is Suntour
    crap?  Should I begin to piece-wise replace my parts with shimano, if
    for not other reason, than because I can get spare parts more easily
    here?
    
    thanks,
    
    -Rob Urban

    I just installed some X-C Pro components on a friend's touring bike and
    as very impressed at initial trial.  I would like to see the hubs,
    Shimano XT's certainly aren't the workmanship of Dura Ace.  The cones 
    are not polished and chromed? like Dura Ace or Campy.  BB on XT
    certainly isn't as smooth as top end road equipment.
    
    Based upon my previous success rate of working on high end Suntour
    equipment, I wouldn't hesitate in buying X-C pro equiped bike.  I am
    thinking about it for my Tandem purchase.
    
    steve

    Both my  bikes  are  Suntour  XC-mumble  equipped,  and  I'm  very
    impressed. I don't have the grease guard hubs, so I don't know how
    well they work, but the idea sounds good.

    Suntour is  a  smaller company than Shimano, and has traditionally
    been  a little bit slower about bringing out new technologies, but
    a lot better about remaining compatable with last month's model.

--David

    
    Suntour does have a good reputation, especially at the high end.
    It's probably a marketing thing (not only in Munich but also in
    the States!) that Shimano is more in the public eye.
    
    I'm using a couple of Suntour components on my bikes.  For example,
    some Suntour ratchet shifters dislodged my C-Record original equipment.
    
    -john

    My impression is that Shimano represents the leading edge of bike
    technology, thus, for example, the Dura-Ace STI brake/shifter is one of
    the highest-tech bike parts around (at a price). Suntour brings out
    many similar components but they are often engineered in a simpler way
    (they also have a handlebar shifter for road bikes, but it's easily
    affordable). For the same price, the Suntour component is often better
    made.
    
    I think Shimano can charge a premium for their products because they
    have the name, they have a massive 60% of the worldwide market, and
    they have many bike manufacturers by the short and curlies.
    
    If I was buying a bike, I wouldn't hesitate to buy Suntour. That said,
    when I equipped my road bike last year I bought all Shimano, simply
    because it works. I accept that it may be less durable, but because I
    care about the performance of the bike, I won't jib at replacing some
    components after a couple of years (a marketing man's dream, I must
    be). I bought Shimano 105SC. I was very tempted by Campag Athena but
    I've read many bad reports on Campag index shifting, and the brakes
    just didn't feel as good. Perhaps they're better now, Campag seem to
    have brought out some impressive products in the past year or two.
    
    
    Rod
             

                                       
    	I have used Superbe pro for 4-5 years, and its getting looser than
    my old Nuovo group is at 20 years.  Friends who bought New Dura-Ace at
    about the same time I got my Suntour stuff seem to be having better luck.
    My indexing stays on target for shorter periods of time than it used to, 
    while the DA stuff seems more solid.  My chainring teeth appear to be 
    rounding off faster as well.  At the time, Superbe cost a LOT less, and I 
    suppose that I got what I paid for.  It worked fine, but seems to have 
    worn faster.  It will be interesting to see how Ultegra ages.  If you're 
    buying Mtn Bike parts instead of road equipment, this is probably 
    irrelevant.  Off-roaders are SUPPOSED to break derailleurs and frame 
    hangers right off the bike, so long life is not possible with any
    brand.
    
    
    	Something that I never expected from Shimano, of all companies, is
    that they have become a de-facto standard in a couple of areas.  One
    is chainring compatibility, and the other seems to be their 7-speed
    index  spacing.  It's getting harder and harder to borrow wheels from 
    teammates these days.  They're all running Ultegra or DA 7-Speed with
    one or two Super Record exceptions.
    

    
    What .6 says about breaking derailleurs is true: I've broken two in the 
    last 3-4 years, and bent my derailleur hanger once. The top of the line
    components for both Shimano and Suntour (I have used both) are good, 
    and I don't think you would really notice the difference. 
    
    Doug
    

    I have a Suntour XC pro gear set and have lost a jockey wheel bolt.
    I cannot find one anywhere does any one know of a place I can get hold
    of one in the U.K.
    
    If not what shimano mec unit is of equal quality to the Suntour XC pro for
    a replacement.
    
    ..Simon