Rob63

Hey everyone
I've been slowly putting this bike together after buying the frame and a few parts during covid days. It came with what I think is the original Shimano TRIPLE crankset FC-A413, and I added a new 7 speed cassette as well as some used shimano bar end shifters. Now I'm looking for rear and front derraileurs that reflect the time period and is true to the simplicity and dependability of this mid 90's Trek 520. I could go online but that can get messy at times, and I'd rather listen to the advice of you learned bike sages. Any recommendations on derraileurs is much appreciated.

Doug64

What chain rings and cassette are you using? I think a Shimano Tiagra 4503 will work well on the front, and a Shimano Deore or LX will work on the rear. Those rear derailleurs will handle a 34 tooth rear cog. The Tiagra components came out in the late 90s, and the work well for touring. The 520 always seemed to be a little high geared. I believe that their cranks often came out with something like 46/36/26.

MarcusT

For me Deore LX. Right in the middle, though I can say that the present Deore line is leaps and bounds better. It is even much better than the XT line of the 90's

Tourist in MSN

You said you already have chosen to use a 7 speed cassette. If it would be easy to go to an 8 speed or more, I think that is the better option. A modern 10 speed hub can take 8 or 9 or 10 speed cassettes. Replacement 8 speed cassettes are still plentiful, I use Sram 11/32 8 speed cassettes on several of my bikes. But, if your rear wheel is 7 speed, you probably are locked into that.

I really like the XT rear derailleurs from the 1990s, M735 or M737 or M739. Should work with 7, 8, or 9 speed. Just a personal bias, but I like the looks of them. Some later ones would function just as well. I do not know what derailleur your bike came with, but this would be the right period of time. That said, used ones often come with incorrect replacement jockey wheels, but usually they still function ok.
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...108&AbsPos=431

That said, there are many models of rear Shimano derailleurs that would work just fine, but you want a cage long enough for the wide gear ratios you want for a touring bike.

The bar end shifters, what model do you have? BS-64 are 8 speed, BS-77 I think are 9 speed. I think the BS-50 is 7 speed, but there were a couple different BS-50 and the Dura Ace one is the wrong one.
https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...104&AbsPos=191

Shimano bar end shifters, the front is friction, not indexed. Thus, you can use a lot of different front derailleurs without having to worry about the indexing. I have no specific recommendation, as I am using a wide variety of derailleurs (Suntour, Shimano, Campy, etc.) with friction front shifting on triple cranks.

This is the wrong year, but is close.
https://www.vintage-trek.com/images/trek/95/Trek95.pdf

mstateglfr 

- are you saying you could go online for purchasing, but dont want to? or are you saying you could go online to ask the question(which you did), but you dont want to?

- regardless, not sure why you are choosing 7sp for the drivetrain if you are building it up now. if you want to make it look more classic, cool I guess. I dont really think of mid90s tig'd Trek bikes as classic, but if thats the project you want- awesome. if you chose 7sp because you think it will be simper or something like that, it really is not simpler or more reliable than 8, 9, 10, or even 11sp. 9sp especially is going to be dead simple and reliable. Just food for thought.

- buy any long cage RD and triple ring shaped FD that is made for 9sp or lower.


RD-
Shimano XT M750 and Shimano LX M570 are both from the late90s/early 00s and gray so they will look the part of being old, but still work just fine. My tour/commute bike has an M750 RD on it.
...or, use really any long cage RD that is made for 9sp or less. M3100, M592, T4000, M591, etc

FD-
Nothing will look out of place- all FDs are silver and curved. Get a Sora triple FD- R3030, Sora 3403, Microshift R539, etc

veganbikes

My favored derailler is the Shimano XT RD-M737 probably one of the most bombproof derailleurs out there. If not one in the parts bin you can usually find one for $20-40 used. I got mine used and have since absolutely abused it and it hasn't faltered. Some people have said it is ugly but I wholly disagree. I personally would run 9 speed as that derailleur handles it super well and nine speed is more available in higher quality stuff these days and more gears with that wider range is quite nice.

For front derailleurs I liked the CX-70 which was an Ultegra level 10 speed CX derailleur which shifts a triple like a champ as it is a little shorter cage but those can be tougher to find but as mstateglfr said one of the Sora triples would work or IRD makes a nice triple FD called the Alpina. My old Disc Trucker had a Sora front derailleur and it was fine. I wouldn't have personally spec'd it but for a derailleur you are using less it is fine.

Rob63

​​​​​​I'm using a 46 36 26 and Sunrace 28 14 7 speed cassette. Do you see any problems with this?

Rob63

I'm using the SL - BS50 bar end shifters. Because you say they are 7 speed, that doesn't mean I must have a 7 speed cassette, does it?

Rob63

Yes confusing I agree. I should have said I don't want to randomly seek out the plethora advice out there - but would rather stick to one forum, like this one.
I chose the 7 speed because I was/am ignorant, and also it was in the middle of the pandemic, parts were scarce, and I took whatever was available - but I appreciate your food for thought and your recommendations.

Doug64

If you plan on touring in areas with hills a 24 small chain ring and a 34 large cassette would make life a lot easier.
SunRace CSM40 7sp Cassettes

Having said that, one of our daughters tours with a 26 small chain ring and a 11-34 tooth rear cassette. She has climbed a lot of hills with that combination. The rest of our family uses 44/32/22 with an 11-34 cassette.

Tourist in MSN

A small number of people set bar end shifters to a friction setting instead of indexed, with that you can shift over any number of sprockets. Thus, that shifter could be used for 8 or more speeds. I however used friction shifting half a century ago because that was the only option. Indexed shifting is so much better in my opinion.

That said, a 7 speed cassette fits on a freehub for a 7 speed cassette. If you have a rear wheel with a hub that is for 7 speed, you can't put an 8 or 9 speed cassette on it.

Rob63

So does Shimano come out with a newer version of Deore LX every year? Every few years? How does this work?

MarcusT

It's a long and complicated story. I wish I had the time and energy to tell it. There is no specific time lapse between models. Some changed after 4-5 years, others after 1 year
The 80's-90's Deore line comprised of (In order of quality) LX, DX and XT, Then they eliminated the DX line and moved in more economical components such as 500 LX.
In the new millennia, LX was lost and the line became Deore, SLX, XT and XTR. There are also the more economical lines like Saint, Alvio, Acera, etc
There are many more details in the timeline, but it' is long. Maybe, there is a member who can document the story more thoroughly

Rob63

This is helpful thanks. Just knowing that it's complicated is knowledge enough for me. I'll go with the recommendations here. And buying a 90's Deore LX? I'm assuming the usual places...craigs list, ebay, community bike shops etc. Or is there an online shop that sells such models that you recommend?

djb

if you are going to put panniers on this bike and carry camping stuff etc, your small 26 tooth front chainring (often called a granny gear) and the 14-28t cassette will not give you really low gearing and will be harder on your legs and knees getting up hills--depending on how heavy your bike is, how steep the hills are etc.

an example, my first real touring bike had a 28t granny and a 30t cassette, 7 speed 13-28. This gearing was not low enough for touring in hilly areas, so I changed things. This was also well over 30 years ago.

but youve already started this project, and who knows how much you want to spend on this bike, if you've toured before, etc etc

as mentioned earlier by someone else, it would have been worth looking into if the rear wheel hub can take 8 speed cassettes, going 8 spd would be worth it, but then you have to get 8 spd shifter.....but then, if the rear wheel freehub can take 9 spd, then heck, go for 9 speed. The more the merrier.
My commuter bike is an old 7 spd bike that the rear wheel freehub is not long enough for 8 spd, so I just left it at 7 speed, not bothering to make the changes given the use of the bike.

but hey, many of us starting touring with 6 and 7 speeds or lower, and we had fun, so if you are new to touring and want to try it without spending too much money, this will work. And then you can go from there if you find you really like it.
but we cant know your specific details, this is afterall, only the interwebs.

Tourist in MSN

I bought my vintage XT derailleurs at Ebay and at swap meets.

If there is a bike coop or bike charity in your community, they often have bins of used parts that were donated, but I usually found these to not have the derailleurs or shifters that I was interested in. If there is one nearby and you have the time, go for it. Such bins are usually full of dirty and greasy parts, assume you will need to wash your hands later.

Pratt

What dub said. Low is beautiful on hills and when loaded.
My 1990-91 bike has 7 speed Suntour cluster and a 46-36-22 triple up front.