newbi

I am new to biking (not had one for over 20 years) and have been given an old bike by my neighbour.
It has an old Shimano Altus 7 gear rear unit which is broken and needs replacing.

As I don't want to spend lots on the bike (may get a new one in the spring) I was considering replacing it with either a 'Shimano Tourney RDTX55B' or a 'Sunrace M2T 6 / 7 Speed'.

My question for the knowledgeable is - which would be the one to go for.

Anyone any preferences - and reasons.

Thanks

Retro Grouch 

If it was my bike, I'd get the Shimano just because it's Shimano.

One thing to check on is how it attaches to the bike. Some rear derailleurs attach to a projection on the bike frame, others attach with a "claw" on the derailleur that bolts onto the rear axle. Shimano Tourney derailleurs come both ways so be sure to get the one that matches your bike.

newbi

Thanks Retro - Both units I am looking at have the 'claw' attachment - which is the same as the current one.

Kimmo

Any Shimano MTB derailleur except 10s models will work.

azgreg

The Tourney will work just fine and the price is right.

Bill Kapaun

ALTUS with a claw********************
I thought Tourney and the box store crap were the only ones that came in a claw version.

Kimmo

I've seen claws you bolt a proper derailleur to, so there's no reason you couldn't hang XTR or DA off a claw, other than good taste.

newbi

Your comment is a bit ambiguous. Are you suggesting the Tourney range is c**p. If so I'd be interested in technical detail to support that - particularly as on this very forum I have seen others recommend it.

Another ambiguous statement. Are you suggesting that the use of a claw attachment is not in good taste, or is it hanging an XTR or DA that is not in good taste.

Further, are you inferring that the Tourney and Sunrace are not 'proper derailleurs'. If so - what are they?

Burton

Shimano Tourney is fine. Its a six/seven speed derailleur intended for city bike use and is standard equipment on some decent e-bike that cost several thousand dollars.

The option of with or without claw is offered because many kids bikes and inexpensive city bikes don't have derailleur hangers incorporated into the frame design. That keeps both the initial and the maintenaince costs down. Its NOT intended for offroad use and its undeserved reputation for being 'cheap' is largely due to kids using mtb styled city bikes offroad and trashing the components because they didn't read the owners nanual.

Every Shimano component has a full one year warranty. Components like XT and XTR are lighter and made to closer tolerences because they have to manage more movements within the same space. That means gears need to be more concentric and pull ration need to perform to closer tolerances. So they're more sophisticated. It certainly doesn't mean everything else in the world is junk. There's no advantage to paying for sophistication you don't need, except maybe for the vanity factor.

newbi

Thanks for that clear and detailed info Burton - much appreciated.

gilaasepeda

there is no problem with tourney if you can make proper adjustment. i will chose shimano, maybe you should take a look shifter SL-TX50 and derailleurs RD-TX70, with new outer casing and inner cable should work perfectly.

gilaasepeda

+1 there is no need realy for xt or xtr if we use only on road or small bump

Bill Kapaun

Maybe you should read AND comprehend my statement.
I didn't say Tourney was crap. In fact, I use one with a 9 speed on one of my bikes and it shifts fine.
The box stores carry a level below Tourney that is crap. It's not even available for sale to the general public.
THAT line AND Tourney are the only RDER's that I have seen with a claw mount.

Monster Pete

I've never encountered a derailleur yet that can't be set up to function correctly- even the very basic old SIS ones. Seems to me all you get for the more expensive ranges in practical terms is a few grams less material and some snob value.

mconlonx

We do trade-ins on used kids bikes. Tourney derailleurs are solid. If anything works on the bike, it's the derailleur.

That said, I'll come right out and say they suck. There's at least one joint too many and when you actually mount it on a bike it does not hang down perfectly straight. There is a lot of wobble to it if you just grab it and start moving it around side to side. Adjusting them is more about getting things pretty good than perfect.

However, on 6/7 speed systems, they can be made to work just fine. And if the bike isn't equipped with with a derailleur hanger, the only Shimano option.

For a bike that came equipped with Tourney or lower, I'd certainly opt for cheap and go with a replacement Tourney derailleur at very little $$$. Save my money for a better overall bike while riding that one into the ground. No reason I'd shy away from SunRace, either.

Bill Kapaun

I've never had problems with a Tourney or better.
I HAVE had problems with several bottom end Shimano's found on the Xmart bikes when trying to use them indexed.

Bill Kapaun

i am not your friend!

Burton

Yup! The question is - exactly how much derailleur does the consumer want to putvon a bike their kid is going to outgrow in two years and treat with typical kid abuse in the meantime?

These will stand up to thousands of kms of adult usage (actually tens of thousands), and they're seldom the 'weakest link' I see on the bikes that come in with them attached.

Monster Pete

Reminded me of this
https://www.funnyordie.com/videos/b12...r-buddy-friend