jjames1452 

Wow!!!
Someone just paid $243 for a set of gently used Suntour sealed beating 6/7 speed hubs on eBay.

I have two new wheel builds with the same hubs. They are spectacular for sure. That is why I hung in the bidding to $180.

I have to ask, and I understand supply and demand and economics, too much?

bikemig 

Wow, I have a few of those lying around. I thought they were awesome.

wrk101

Enjoy the set I sent you a couple of weeks ago....I have a couple sets more to go given those prices......

If they came complete as wheels with nice rims and stainless spokes, I can see that price. As hubs alone, I am not seeing it.

plonz 

I was watching those as well. Crazy money. It seems like Superbe stuff has skyrocketed in the last 12 months.

The Golden Boy 

I was eyeing up that XC Pro FD you had (have) up.

smontanaro 

Yow! I think Specialized hubs from that period were basically the same thing (both SunTour and Specialized apparently contracted with Sanshin for their hubs).

plonz 

It's your lucky day, I see they're re-listed and currently sitting with 1 bid at $59.00 Maybe the first buyer got cold feet (or read this thread and came to his senses!)

I'll put the over/under at $204 all in.

Suntour Superbe Pro 7 Speed Hubset New Front Rear 36 Holes Vintage 1987 1990 | eBay

jjames1452 

Maybe the seller has several pairs of hubs???? Can't believe over $200. They do build into sweet wheel sets.

bikemig 

I have one pair of cyclone, two pairs of specialized sealed bearing, and 2 or so sets of superbe pro sealed bearing hubs.

I really thought they were great hubs which is why I stockpiled them back in the day.

I have built some of these into wheels and I have been impressed with how long they have held up. They still spin freely even after long use.

jjames1452 

Agreed. I am still riding a set of Suntour Sealed Bearing hubs, on their second set of wheels, that I purchased and built when I worked at South Side Cycle and Mower (a Schwinn Shop) in the early '80's. They would have been ARx level, as they were less expensive than Shimano 600 at the time. They still spin like a dream!!

bikemig 

You can still get suzue sealed bearing hubs. https://www.universalcycles.com/search.php?q=suzue+hubs

miamijim

Correct me if I'm wrong but Superbe Pro hubs are loose ball NOT sealed cartridge?

bikemig 

Yes, you're right. Funny I had assumed that superbe were sealed cartridge because I have other suntour hubs that are (cyclone level) but the superbes I have are loose ball.

jiangshi

Sprint is the highest level sealed cartridge hub in the Suntour lineup.

The Golden Boy 

I was a kid "back then" and not into cycling- but I recall reading that a lot of 'pros' preferred loose ball hubs because there was less resistance... true?

My nicest spinning hubs are Phil Wood sealed hubs. Like butter on Teflon, on a layer of grease...

masi61

The Superbe Hubs I have are sealed cartridge as far as I know.

jiangshi

Only if you have the 8s freehub version.

Cougrrcj

STOP IT!!! You're killing me!!!

I regret to this day trading off my personally hand-built wheelset that used Phil Wood hubs. I had taco'ed the rear wheel on a deep pothole while on tour and having no cash (I was unemployed at the time) I horse-traded my used/damaged Phil wheelset for a new set of cheapies to get me home. I'd love to find another set that aren't priced astronomically!

My two Univegas have Sansin/Sunshine Gyromaster sealed hubs.

The Golden Boy 

Sorry!

I got these (40 spoke/Super Champion) wheels in a most excellent trade with @jmeb.


In accordance with the thread- I do have a set of Suntour sealed bearing wheels (40 spoke rear, 36 front/Wolber Model 58). Great wheels.

Pars 

Tell pb bikes that
Suntour Superbe Pro Front Hub 36h Vintage Bike SEALED Bearing 8 Speed | eBay

RobbieTunes

I can definitely vouch for the Suzue sealed (6sp) hubs that were on cb400bill's, and then my, and now sloar's, Centurion Semi Pro. Almost the identical hubs, labeled Suntour, were on my Lotus Classique, and yes, I'd say "awesome" is an apt description (and I dislike the over-use of "awesome.") The hubs, however, did pretty much defy descriptions other than "zero defects, spin smooth, quiet, etc etc etc."

As far as Suntour's ball bearing hubs, I just finished a nice 3 hours in the garage.
1-Repacked and adjusted a Suntour GPX front hub.
2-Ditto the rear, Suntour GPX 6/7sp.
3-R Suntour GPX pedal, and
4-L Suntour GPX pedal.

It certainly appears Suntour used good basic stuffand kept it smooth and simple.
It all cleaned up very well and went back together like new.
During the last couple of months, I'm sort of re-visiting Suntour.
It has occurred to me to try an XC long-cage RD with a wider freewheel.

Of course, the black Superbe Pro on Henry III's Cannondale would be...um, "awesomer."

jiangshi

Those are 8s, not 6/7s. Geeze people.

bikemig 

Is sprint and cyclone more or less the same (both 2d in the line)? Or is sprint "better"? I've been very impressed with the cyclone parts I have owned including a pair sealed cartridge cyclone hubs.

67tony 

Thanks to Sheldon Brown:

In 1986, the Sprint group appeared, a friction group placed in between Cyclone and Superbe (Superbe Pro was dropped for a year). The Sprint shifters included a ratchet mechanism (Sun Tour Power Shift) that disengaged the friction mechanism as you pull back. A lot of people like this design, and it is often compared to Simplex retrofrictions. There are Sun Tour Barcons that use the same design. There had been ratcheting models on lower end Sun Tour groups previously, and future Accushift models would also have ratchet modes.

In 1987, Sun Tour's Accushift index shifting was introduced. There were technical problems. Further market share was lost to Shimano. Accushift groups included Superbe Pro, Sprint 9000, Cyclone 7000, α-5000, and α-3000. Non-indexed versions of the second- and third-best groups' RD and levers were referred to simply as Sprint and Cyclone. Superbe was dropped. The easiest way to tell the difference between the newer and the older Superbe Pro groups is the logo font. Newer cranksets used a 130 mm bolt circle diameter instead of the old Campagnolo standard, 144 mm. Aero brake levers were introduced.

In 1989 the lineup was changed again. From top to bottom: Superbe Pro, Sprint, GPX, Olé, and Blaze. Olé was a response to Shimano Santé and featured white details. Didn't really take off.

jiangshi

Sprint is really nice stuff. The hubs are fantastic.