# Who made a high-quality front derailleur to fit a 1" seat tube?



## bloo (Oct 3, 2020)

The title sums it up. What front Derailleur options exist for a 25.4mm/1" seat tube? I am not having a lot of luck on Ebay. 

I am putting together a duplicate of a bike I had in the 80s (I'll post a thread about it when I get around to taking a picture of the pile of parts). I used a Huret back then to replace the lousy original, though I don't remember what model that Huret was, and I suspect most of them are for a French seat tube or larger. Ebay sellers don't usually include the tube size.

A Suntour Cyclone II with the endless clamp looks sort of promising, but as near as I can tell those have no housing stop, and I would really prefer a housing stop because I don't want to run the cable under the bottom bracket.

Chainwheels will be 40/34. What are my options? Also, is there anything modern?


----------



## PfishB (Oct 3, 2020)

Decent quality but so-so cachet, probably outside your parameters but - Suntour Spirt FD's came in 28.6 and 25.4  That's the only one that comes to mind off the bat.  Seems to be no shortage of those on the 'bay.


----------



## Gordon (Oct 3, 2020)

I still have these for sale: https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/nos-schwinn-gt290-front-derailleur-s.177232/


----------



## juvela (Oct 3, 2020)

-----

One thing to be aware of with the Suntour Spirt/Compe-V/SL family of front mechs is that they operate "backwards" from all others.  They are referred to in the trade as being "top normal."  This may take a bit of getting familiar with.  The design definitely has numerous adherents.  No wish to denigrate it.

---

Huret produced quite a number of models for 25.4mm seat tube.

Here is the Club II model as shown on a manufacturer's catalogue page of 1978:





---

All of the Shimano models have seen for 25.4mm seat tube are low end ones such as the Thunderbird series.

-----


----------



## all riders (Oct 3, 2020)

A lot of front derailleurs came in two clamp sizes and are often marked as such.---I think the average ebay seller may have no idea, so if you see one you like, you'd have to ask them to look. I might have something, I'll have to look, It would be period as I raced the things from about 78--85. What bike are you building?


----------



## Gordon (Oct 3, 2020)

I also have a couple nos Shimano, an Altus and an FE.


----------



## bloo (Oct 3, 2020)

all riders said:


> What bike are you building?




1981 RaceLine Rainier. It's basically a balloon-tired tenspeed that looks like a giant BMX.


----------



## bloo (Oct 3, 2020)

Thank you for all the responses. I have learned a lot in this thread, and I suspect there is more to come. I am leaning toward the Suntour Spirt simply because it looks like it has the biggest stoutest hinge. I can live with it working backwards, although I see it clamps the cable and the housing moves the derailleur. That might get a little weird with modern stiff cable housing, but maybe it will be fine.


----------



## Chavez (Oct 3, 2020)

Hello,
Wheels manufacturing makes a shim to go from 28.6mm down to a 25.4mm (1 inch) seat tube. If you’re wanting to go more modern, find a derailleur that’s comes with shims to get you to 28.6, then use the second wheels manufacturing shim to get it down to 25.4 (1 inch). That’s what I was going to do on some project many years ago. I bought the shins and still have them. I hope that made any sense to you. Good luck. There’s probably a direct mount adapter that could be used as well. Then you’d have some modern options too.


----------



## bloo (Oct 3, 2020)

I didn't want to use shims because I figured they would slip. Also, it seems nobody makes a direct mount adapter for 25.4. I dug deep for that but it doesn't seem to exist. I would be back to using shims.


----------



## Gordon (Oct 3, 2020)

bloo said:


> Thank you for all the responses. I have learned a lot in this thread, and I suspect there is more to come. I am leaning toward the Suntour Spirt simply because it looks like it has the biggest stoutest hinge. I can live with it working backwards, although I see it clamps the cable and the housing moves the derailleur. That might get a little weird with modern stiff cable housing, but maybe it will be fine.




I may have one of these also, I will look.


----------



## Chavez (Oct 3, 2020)

bloo said:


> I didn't want to use shims because I figured they would slip. Also, it seems nobody makes a direct mount adapter for 25.4. I dug deep for that but it doesn't seem to exist. I would be back to using shims.



Yeah I was thinking a direct mount adapter in a 28.6 might exist and then you could use the shim. Keep in mind that many if not most non-direct Mount modern derailleurs have shims that come with them from the factory. If you don’t like using shims, I totally get it. You want your bike the way you want it. I’m the same way. Good luck on your search. I’m sure you’ll figure out a great if not the best option.


----------



## bloo (Oct 3, 2020)

Pictures of the Rainier project are over here:









						1981 RaceLine Rainier | Project Rides
					

Well Cabers,  I haven't posted anything about the 41 Schwinn lately because I have been a little distracted. You see, I bought a pile of parts on ebay. This is what's left of a 1981 RaceLine Rainier 26 inch "Trail Cruiser".    I had a new one back in 81. It looked like this.    This was a...




					thecabe.com


----------



## Gordon (Oct 3, 2020)

Here is a Suntour Spirt. A little dirty, but no wear, I'm sure it has never been on a bike.


----------



## bulldog1935 (Oct 15, 2020)

late to the party, but I would recommend the SunTour infinite band-clamp, which adjust to any size seat tube
This may have also been marked Spirt (when they meant Sprint)


----------

