With the second version of the V series SunTour made a giant leap into modernity, the knuckles became more curved and organic and the adjustment screws moved to the rear knuckle, out of the corrosive spray from the front wheel. The large, chromed, screw-driver slotted bolts are an unusual touch.

In this version the GT pulley cage is a three piece construction (somewhat reminiscent of SunTour’s adjustable pulley cage plates on the Grand Prix and some versions of the Skitter), but it introduces the ‘Quick Cage’ design, with an interrupted inner pulley cage plate so that the chain can be fitted into the gear without splitting it.

The V GT was not light, but it was an astoundingly affordable, virtually unburstable and frighteningly reliable mechanism that could handle heavy use with a freewheel with a 34 tooth cog - and as such it made comfortable cycling available to millions.

• Derailleur brands: SunTour
• Categories: SunTour - the V story
• Country: Japan
• Date of introduction: 1970?
• Date of this example: 1970 (no two letter date code, but both pulleys and parallelogram plate are stamped ‘Maeda Industries Ltd.’)
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 348g
• Maximum cog: 34 teeth
• Total capacity: 36 teeth
• Pulley centre to centre: 65mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 3/32”
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: unsprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: aluminium knuckles, steel parallelogram plates and pulley cage plates.