1980s Super Record Rear Derailleur Compatibility

[lstar24]

My current project is to give my girlfriend's Dad's old training bike a new lease of life. It's a beautIful TJ Quick frame from South London. It's been stripped and cleaned, now I just need to set up the gears and drivechain.

It's fitted with a 1980s Super Record Rear Derailleur...

I've replaced the wheels with slightly more modern Dura Ace hubs (still probably from late 80s, early 90s)

My question is which Shimano cassette and chain are most compatible with the Super Record Derailleur?

Thanks for any advice,
Luke

 

[lewisfoto]

There have been a few threads on this but the main concern is to match the chain, cassette and the shifter, as in they all need to be for the same number of gears. If you continue to use friction shifting then just the chain and the cassette must be equal. At any rate the Super record rear mech will work as long as you stay within the recommended gear range which is most likely about 32 teeth.


Steven

 

[lstar24]

Sounds relatively simple.

I'm planning to keep friction shifting, so would it be okay to use an 8 speed cassette as long as I use an 8 speed chain?

 

[lewisfoto]

Sounds relatively simple.

I'm planning to keep friction shifting, so would it be okay to use an 8 speed cassette as long as I use an 8 speed chain?

Most likely, as long as the shifter pulls enough cable to reach the top gear. It should be fine as 8speed is 130, rear spacing, and that is only 4 mm additional travel for the rear mech.

Steven

 

[legrandefromage]

The mech will be fine but make sure the shifters have enough cable pull to pull the mech across the block in a 'reasonable' shift. By reasonable it shouldnt be touching the down tube by the end of the throw.

 

[Midlife]

Nice mech just use the first 7 cogs of the 8 speed, no one will notice

shaun

 

[glpinxit]

Am I right in thinking that an 8 speed chain is the same width as 5, 6, 7 but with rivets that protrude less? If it is narrower then would the idler cogs need changing. (And I've never worked out why some idlers have more "teeth" than others. Surely they just ... idle.)

 

[legrandefromage]

try using a 9spd chain. they work perfectly well in 6/7/8 systems.

because the block will be wider, you may need to flare the cage where the chain exits the lower jockey wheel to prevent chain rub.

 

[lewisfoto]

What? the nine speed chain is narrower than the 6/7 speed chain so why flare the cage? Also the inside dimension remains 3/32 so the jockey wheels will work?

 

[legrandefromage]

Chainline may be the issue. with the mech designed for a 6spd width block it may struggle with the wider block. The chain may rub against the lower part of the cage at either end of the shifting. It happens a lot on the mtb side.

I recommend a 9 spd chain simply because they work really well with 7/8 cassettes