mtb-timeline

Shimano Tourney

Tourney is by far Shimano's best selling derailleur family. It started with Sky Lark in 1967 and and continues today with only minor changes.

When the world changes gear - it uses a Skylark. Shimano’s campaign of world domination began with this very model of derailleur. Disraeli Gears : Shimano, Disraeli Gears: Sky Lark

This single component timeline was necessitated while researching Lejeune, a French brand of popular, low-end mtbs all made with seemingly identical cheap derailleurs. Just as some derailleurs haven't changed for 50+ years, many modern mountain bikes look like throwbacks to the 80's with triple cranksets driven with Tourney derailleurs. ¹⁾

The following timeline, using dates from Shimano catalogs & manuals, shows that by 2003 there were nine different Tourney models in production. In 2004 there was an introduction of three new Tourney models and many of these models continue through today.

2024 Kent Airflex Kent International
TIG steel frame, side-pull? brakes (linear pull stated,)
grip shift, 3×7 gearing. 40 pounds. $249.99.
Shimano Tourney (TY-??) derailleurs.


Component	1980s			1990s										2000s
Component	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3
Rear Derailleur : Shimano Tourney	Tourney TY10
	40
			Tourney TY20
			34
					Tourney TY15						Tourney TY15
					34
								Tourney TY30-GS
								34
								Tourney TY30-7
								34
										Tourney TY22-GS
										34
											Tourney TY22-7
											34
											Tourney TY05		Tourney TY05
											34
													Tourney MR40
													40
																Tourney TY18
																?
																	Tourney TY23
																	?
	7	8	9	0	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	0	1	2	3
Component	1980s			1990s										2000s

¹⁾

It's getting hard to find rigid MTBs nowadays, as the cheapest of today's MTBs all come with front shocks. See: Huffy, whose lineup includes disk-brakes & shocks for $96.45.