Full Groupset or Heinz '57?

[legrandefromage]

My posh builds have been painstakingly groupset orientated but when a bike has to be worked, it was whatever was about.

I knew the shifters, mechs and cassette would all work. It looks pretty and does an excellent job.

 

[David B]

If you insist on mixing then use the specialists in each area i.e Simplex gears, Dia-Compe brakes, Stronglight cranks, etc.

Pretty much the route I took when I built the Ribble up, especially as it actually has to work (I do local TTs on it) rather than just look pretty. Campag for shifters (I like mine integrated and Ergopower ones look better and in my hands are more "intuitive" than Shimano), Sachs for derailleurs, Stronglight for crankset and headset, Look pedals, etc. For similar reasons it's not an out & out retro build.

My CX bike is even more "pick & mix", but then 'cross machines tend to be like that due to the battering they get - definitely not a case of "form over function"!

David

 

[thecbell]

I think it depends on your budget, and how much time you have to trawl through the bay or on here. otherwise its a load of bollocks. My build was a 501 raleigh 1982 something or other with simplex cranks, a bit of 105, carbon forks, campag front derailleur and mountain bike rear derailleur. this was due to having wheels which were far too modern for the frame and resulting in needing to cold bend the rear dropouts to fit the extra 4mm wide axles in. Oh, and a headset made by a company ive never heard of.

and i was very proud of it. although that said, it is now a single speed.

but thats just my opinion.

 

[thecbell]

sorry, just to be clear, if i had both the time and the money i would have undoubtedly gone for a thorough bred shimano 600.

 

[lae]

My Gazelle's a right mess:

Campagnolo:
Headset

Shimano:
Dura Ace - BB cups and axle
600 - Brake calipers, brake levers, seatpost
Deore (80s touring) - front and rear mechs, triple crankset, 7sp hyperglide cassette body
Santé hubs (except with replacement cassette body as above)
Unknown 8sp bar-end shifters

Other bits:
Nitto stem
Deda bars
Stronglight chainrings
H+Son rims
Rivendell tyres
Rolls saddle

Does it matter? No, it all matches aesthetically and mechanically it suits the kind of riding I do (slow and usually with a heavy saddlebag). The Deore drivetrain is really reliable and gives a massive gear range, and I've stripped the black anodizing and mirror-polished it all, too.