Did 7700 have an octalink BB? If so that's a big put off, tiny bearings in a BB
What is the best groupset over the past 25 years (1998-2023) in your opinion?
- Thread starter otherself
- Start date
I know what you mean about Shimano s exposed gear cables. The flip side to that is no tight angles on the cable making it a silky smooth light action. The 6700 and 7900 which followed 6600 and 7800 had a crap sticky cable shift with a mega wide hood top. Not good for arthritic hands
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synchronicity
Senior Retro Guru
I... don't really like any group. Some part of them always bother me.
I like the modern campag groups (shifter ergonomics) but not the horrible exposed BB bearings and 4-arm cranks.
I don't like any modern cranksets. They've gone silly with their 4 bolt spiders. I've only just gotten used to 4 bolt mtb crank arms. I'll never get used to it on the road.
Overall I'd say shimano deore M590
Saint M810
ultegra 6600 with 6700 shifters? (those alloy ones corroded)
I like the modern campag groups (shifter ergonomics) but not the horrible exposed BB bearings and 4-arm cranks.
I don't like any modern cranksets. They've gone silly with their 4 bolt spiders. I've only just gotten used to 4 bolt mtb crank arms. I'll never get used to it on the road.
Overall I'd say shimano deore M590
Saint M810
ultegra 6600 with 6700 shifters? (those alloy ones corroded)
For function with only slightly compromised looks (fat crank) it has to be Shimano 7800.
For looks with compromised function it has to be the original 10-speed Campag Veloce ... as far as I can tell the last decent group with (almost) no black bits.
I like polished alloy, can you tell?
bm
For looks with compromised function it has to be the original 10-speed Campag Veloce ... as far as I can tell the last decent group with (almost) no black bits.
I like polished alloy, can you tell?
bm
squirrelchaser
Old School Grand Master
Limited experience here but the Shimano XT m 750 always worked well looked ok and didn't cost the earth . I'm a big fan of the Campag Racing Triple earlier iterations .
Shimano lost it for me after square taper - Octalink was simply a terrible solution and the later stuff all looks as though it's designed by the Power Rangers.
Pre-01 9s Campag has long enough cable pull that it simply never goes out of adjustment. It took Shimano a long time to work this out.
1998-99 Campag got the Ergos right, the stuff is nicely finished, it's repairable and rebuildable and just LASTS.
Pre-01 9s Campag has long enough cable pull that it simply never goes out of adjustment. It took Shimano a long time to work this out.
1998-99 Campag got the Ergos right, the stuff is nicely finished, it's repairable and rebuildable and just LASTS.
eightyeight
Retro Guru
On low end octalink BBs yes but the 7700 has needle roller bearings. One of the most beautiful BBs ever made and will have a larger bearing area than modern external BBs.
In my own (humble) opinion, it would be the Shimano Dura-Ace 7700 25th anniversary; I got mine back in 2000-odd and it has been on my summer bike ever since. Cosmetically, the components look absolutely stunning, the polish hasn't faded, on a bright sunny day is a almost dazzling.
Mechanically, it works perfectly, as you would expect; it has covered something like 35,000-40,000 miles.
Durability wise, the brake blocks are still original and show good life left; I am not quite sure how this is possible as over the years I've been down some seriously steep descents and the brakes have always been excellent.
I have a few alterations from the Dura-Ace groupset; I use Rohloff chains, in my view the best chain ever made, the one on the bike was fitted last year, after the one that it replaced was showing a bit of stretch, after some 17,500 miles, which would be totally impossible with a modern setup with 10+ speeds. Also, I have a Thompson Masterpiece seatpost as the Dura-Ace seatpost failed. And also the bottom bracket is a known weak point, as it is designed to be as light as possible, so the bearings fail very quickly, so I have an Ultegra unit which has been faultless.
So with a few deviations, you have a groupset that works perfectly, looks beautiful, and lasts seemningly forever. If anyone can suggest something that can top that let me know.
Mechanically, it works perfectly, as you would expect; it has covered something like 35,000-40,000 miles.
Durability wise, the brake blocks are still original and show good life left; I am not quite sure how this is possible as over the years I've been down some seriously steep descents and the brakes have always been excellent.
I have a few alterations from the Dura-Ace groupset; I use Rohloff chains, in my view the best chain ever made, the one on the bike was fitted last year, after the one that it replaced was showing a bit of stretch, after some 17,500 miles, which would be totally impossible with a modern setup with 10+ speeds. Also, I have a Thompson Masterpiece seatpost as the Dura-Ace seatpost failed. And also the bottom bracket is a known weak point, as it is designed to be as light as possible, so the bearings fail very quickly, so I have an Ultegra unit which has been faultless.
So with a few deviations, you have a groupset that works perfectly, looks beautiful, and lasts seemningly forever. If anyone can suggest something that can top that let me know.
