I (perhaps erroneously) regarded the SunTour U (and the very similar SunTour Hero) as being versions of the SunTour Honor manufactured down to a price, and fitted as original equipment on Japanese made bicycles.

This later SunTour U seems to me to differ from my fourth style of Honor in that it has a particularly ugly pressed steel rear knuckle and a non-standard and very crude hanger. It also has no plastic spring cover - which seems to be the defining mark of a U as opposed to an Honor.

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• Derailleur brands: SunTour
• Categories: SunTour - the Honor story
• Country: Japan
• Date of introduction: 1982?
• Date of this example: 1982 (two letter date code is YB)
• Model no.: unknown
• Weight: 349g including hanger plate but excluding drop-out bolt
• Maximum cog: 30 teeth (Sutherlands 4th edition and SunTour)
• Total capacity: 28 teeth (Sutherlands 4th edition and SunTour)
• Pulley centre to centre: 57mm
• Index compatibility: friction
• Chain width: 3/32”
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: unsprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: steel

Ref. 146