I'm building a new tourer for long rides in out of the way places, so I want sprockets which last for ever, and reliable crash-proof levers. I ruled out a Rohloff for various reasons and have plumped for 8 speed Uniglide Dura Ace with downtube levers. Been busy stocking up on NOS cassettes and hubs and other bits and bobs for the last couple of months. Am I alone in this Uniglide obsession? It all seems like fantastically made, good looking kit - Shimano's finest hour, when they were busting a gut to outdo Campag, instead of sitting back abusing their market dominance with disposable stuff.
Are there any other Uniglide Dura Ace 7400 fans here?
- Thread starter eurostar
- Start date
lelobysfoot
Retro Guru
DuraAce
Thats the one I would recommend.
I've bumped into a load of nutter touring guys over the years using this setup - some with XTR / DuraAce combos and this gear just performs faultlessly. Some prefer the Ultegra shifters but that a personal choice.
These hubs are extremely durable and if properly looked after will last for YEARS. I get the impression that the latest stuff is not as good. Certainly, some batches may be dodgy. Not surprising given that manufacturing bases move around like EasyJet nowadays.
Japanes QC is not what it was in the recent past. Not for everything anyway. Probably due to outsourcing.
Thats the one I would recommend.
I've bumped into a load of nutter touring guys over the years using this setup - some with XTR / DuraAce combos and this gear just performs faultlessly. Some prefer the Ultegra shifters but that a personal choice.
These hubs are extremely durable and if properly looked after will last for YEARS. I get the impression that the latest stuff is not as good. Certainly, some batches may be dodgy. Not surprising given that manufacturing bases move around like EasyJet nowadays.
Japanes QC is not what it was in the recent past. Not for everything anyway. Probably due to outsourcing.
Good stuff. One of the things I like is that the bearings are ordinary ones you can get anywhere. I wouldn't want to need a new cartridge bearing in Laos.
I also like the old non-aero brake levers with the cable coming out the top, not because they're comfy (they're nowhere near as comfy as the huge STI brifters) but because they let me mount a Mirrycle up on the hood where it belongs. I can't get along with a mirror on the bar end. And I'd hate to tour without a decent mirror.
I also like the old non-aero brake levers with the cable coming out the top, not because they're comfy (they're nowhere near as comfy as the huge STI brifters) but because they let me mount a Mirrycle up on the hood where it belongs. I can't get along with a mirror on the bar end. And I'd hate to tour without a decent mirror.
