What can I tell you about the mysterious FM FMaiaL 777?

The parallelogram is a copy of the SunTour Vx, right down to the go-faster stripes - with the curious exception that the adjustment screws have been repositioned onto the outer parallelogram plate. The built up area on the rear knuckle (where SunTour put their adjustment screws) has ‘777’ written in the space. It will not have escaped your notice that, for many years, SunTour used ‘8.8.8.’ as a model/sub-brand name (and Shimano used ‘3.3.3.’). Where SunTour put a ‘V’ logo on the front knuckle of the Vx, this has ‘FM’.

The pulley cage on the mid length models was similar in geometry to that of a mid length SunTour Vx S, so these should give a very decent gear change. However, for the long pulley cage versions, FM went totally bonkers and adopted something completely novel and very weird - not at all like any SunTour. God only knows how good the gear change will be on these models!

This is one of two long cage versions of the FM FMaiaL 777 in this collection. It has:

• A logo composed of the the word 'FMAIAL' within an oval border.
• A fairly inexpensive plain aluminium finish.
• Steel pulley cage plates.
• Two large perforations in the outer pulley cage plate.
• Grey pulleys with 'FM' embossed on them.

• Derailleur brands: FM
• Country: Portugal
• Date of introduction: 1985?
• Date of this example: unknown
• Model no.: 777?
• Weight: 277g
• Maximum cog: 34 teeth?
• Total capacity: 34 teeth?
• Pulley centre to centre: 70mm
• Index compatibility: friction?
• Chain width: 3/32”
• Logic: top normal
• B pivot: unsprung
• P pivot: sprung
• Materials: largely aluminium, with steel pulley cage plates

Ref. 789