embankmentlb

What is your favorite C & V road group and why? I don’t have one single group that does it all for me. I am riding a new to me 6400 7 speed equipped 3Rensho that I am enjoying. C-record, 7700 also come to mind. First Gen C-Record would possibly be my all time Favorite because of it’s beautiful lines and old school functionality. What is yours?
Enjoy!

bwilli88 

I like mostly Shimano, Arabesque flips my trigger for old school, freewheel, DT shifter bikes. I like the 9 speed Ultegra i think 6700.
For pretty, a long cage Huret Jubilee takes the first place.

P!N20

Campy 8 speed - early 90's Chorus and Record.



Why? IMO it's robust, operates smoothly and looks great in that unmistakable Campy way with a high level of polish as inherited from its C-Record predecessor. I also like that it marks the transition period between DT shifters and brifters, so it's the groupset equivalent of sitting on the fence.

SurferRosa

Yep. Lately, I'm into an '80s Italian Hodgepodge Grouppo.





But it's sorta specific. Hubs have gotta be Record. They're the best component ever. I'll take Triomphe in places, but not the brakes, hubs or rear derailleur. I've had success with Victory or Super Record shifting over a 7-speed cluster. Chorus cranksets are my new found joy. And I really like Modolo brakes. They feel great and they have a pleasant action. Bars and stem are either 3ttt or Cinelli. Miche hubs will do in a pinch.

nomadmax 

Campagnolo CDA.

In my opinion, all the beauty of Corsa Record but with better Delta brakes that provided more tire clearance and the push rod rear derailleur.

thinktubes 

Tri-color - cuz it's awesome!

Wileyone 

Definitely not a fan.

Dura Ace 7700 for "newer" stuff and 1st generation Cyclone for the older.

Classtime 

That Merckx wins with my new favorite everything. Before I saw that, it was 7700.

jdawginsc 

1. First generation Ergo Chorus 8 speed with dual pivot.
2. Dura Ace 7700
3. Nuovo Record drivetrain...not because they function well, but because they are classic in beauty and form
4. Tri-color 8 speed. Bulletproof.

thinktubes 

Thanks for "weighing in" on that - good to know.

jamesdak 

I've got to admit that I do like the look of the the tricolor and have it on several bikes. It works beautifully and is trouble-free.

jdawginsc 

Funny thing is I really don’t like the looks much...would rather the silver, but the lines are fine...it’s purely function that puts it on my list.

jamesdak 

Well, when you have as many old steel bikes as me you tend to wind up with a lot of different groupsets. If I had to pick a preference I'd say Campagnolo for sure. It's also what I've been picking when I "modernize" a ride.

But as I think of everything I'm running I'd have to pick the Suntour Superbe stuff as my fav. Just something about how it looks and feels as I use it. So dang sexy!


On the Opus III, I love this ol' bike even though it is a tad small for me.

jamesdak 

I actually like the grey, something about it works for me on most bikes.

rccardr 

Big, big, big Tricolor fan here- especially the later 6402 8 speed with dual pivot brakes. Have used it on dozens of bikes, never disappointed with performance.

But my all-time fave is Dura Ace 740X. Looks great, shifts flawlessly, 6,7 or 8 speed, super reliable. And pretty. Love to put the 7410 crankset with the downtube 7402 shifters and related components:


.
However, the classic 6 speed 7400 stuff is lovely as well:

DMC707

My favorite is whatever this one is --- I just know it as a Record group from the early 90's with Delta brakes . but there were a few derivatives that I cant keep track of (C-Record, CDA, etc. ) ---

Runner up - any other late 80's early 90's Campy group - until they started stenciling the heck out of everything - Even Veloce because the painted finish looks cool until the cranks start getting scuffed

jamesdak 

Can't really argue with that. Was out on both of these this week rocking the 7400 stuff and it worked great. The red Polaris just kept wanting to launch into space each pedal stroke. What a fun beast.


Polaris with a sweet 7 speed setup


Antares with 6 speed Dura Ace


Reality is I find a hard time finding fault with any properly setup groupset.

RobbieTunes

Friction: Suntour Superbe Pro, but Cyclone II, aRX and LePree are smooth and pretty enough.
DT index: DA 7700 is light, polished well, and smooth, entirely predictable and dependable.
Ergo: 8sp Chorus, given a really smooth cable set with lined housing and careful routing/installation.
STI: DA 7700/7800. Routing away from the bars still makes a difference IMO, and the 7700 is so darn willing.

Beauty category:nomadmax has it right. The white hoods make a difference.

My go-to, no regret, take-it-to-the-bank group for C&V that I can ride anywhere:
DA7700 DT on 7403 hubs for 9-sp, using a 7700GS RD and a Wolftooth Roadlink to move chain on an 11-34 cassette. Pull the flaking 53/39 rings for 52/38 Suginos or TAs and you have yourself the classic look with the range and performance equal to most of today’s compact OEM setups. Seriously, you hunt for this, spend the extra $$ and you will agree. If the hard to find brake levers interfere, go ahead and go STI if you have to. Little downside. Lord knows I’ve spent enough getting to this decision...

blamester

Can't argue with any choice on here but I've got 7700 with at least 30000 miles and it still looks new and works like it did the first day I got it.
And it was second hand when I got it.

RobbieTunes

I’d plug the 2x6 DA with an RD long cage swap and a wide-ass freewheel, but Doc keeps kicking me to the heresy curb.

RobbieTunes

SJX426 

Although I am a Campagnolo fan, I can not disagree with DA 740x 8V group that was on the Pinarello. DT index worked flawlessly. The replacement Chorus 8V group is equal to the task so far.
I am going to build up the Trek 760 with Superbe Pro Index and have high expectations!

Sedgemop 

Uh, yeah, the bikes aren't bad, either.

Wileyone 

Anytime I can be of service.

bikemig 

I've been a suntour fan for a long time and prior to 1984 when their patent on the slant parallelogram design ran out, they had the best shifting rear derailleur in the business.

I really like the top end French stuff from the 80s (maillard 700, atom 700, super LJ, etc.) This is my 1982 Peugeot PXN 10 that I've been riding and working on. The rear derailleur, a simplex SX 410, can handle a 13-30 freewheel which is pretty sweet for a short cage rear derailleur. Simplex Super LJ shifters were some of the best in the business. Maillard 700 hubs and atom 700 pedals are good. I like the big and comfy brake levers that came with the spidel LS 2 sidepull brakes. The quality of the better French bottom brackets and headsets is really good.

Best of all, you can get good climbing gears. I'm running a 52/42 with a 13-30 freewheel. If I swap out the stronglight 106 crank for a stronglight 99, the spindle length won't change but I'll be able to run compact gearing (say a 50/34 or even a 48/32) and have some fine climbing gears on an old racing bike.