Keefusb

Seems to me that Shimano 600 tri-color components have a pretty loyal following here on bike forums. I know I have been partial to tri-color since about the time it was introduced.
I really like how tri-color stuff works, it looks good with the highly polished hubs and the gray paint/anodizing on the brakes and rear mech. To me, it is very close to Dura Ace from a functional perspective but not quite as light and not nearly as fussy as DA. My two road bikes have a combination of 7700/7800 DA and tri-color bits. All of my hand-built wheels have the 600 tri-color hubs. They perform especially well going downhill as they spin really fast. There is something about the seal design that keeps crud out, but adds very minimal drag.
Let's hear it from the other tri-color fans on BF.

IAmSam

I like my Tricolor too

embankmentlb

My first real bike way back in 1982 was a Panasonic with Shimano 600ex. Great bike that logged tens of thousands of miles. Several years ago I found a bike with Tricolor 7 speed. It has become one of my favorite bikes. I can certainly understand why people think so highly of 600. I also have a dura ace 7700 bike. Dura ace is wonderful but it can be finicky sometimes, bottom bracket, freehub, front mech. In my opinion TC has all of positives of DA without the nit picky negatives.

smd4

I definitely think it's cultish to call Shimano 600 Ultegra parts "Tri-color."

icemilkcoffee 

I love the flexibility of the tricolor series. 8 speed, 7 speed, brifters, DT shifters. Single pivot brakes, dual pivot brakes. Aero brake levers or non aero brake levers. They can all be found in the 6400 series. And unlike the 7410 series, the 6400 is compatible with other Shimano groupsets too.
Recently though I did something heretical- I paired Claris R2000 brifters with a 600 tricolor groupset. I figure the Claris brifters being grey in color, would match the grey 600 series. But as it turns out, the Claris is quite a bit darker:




On the bike they look almost black unfortunately:

IAmSam

Cool bike - when I mentioned this fact to a Dura-Ace adherent in another fan thread he replied that they look at that as a feature not a bug...

embankmentlb

Sometimes I think that Dura Ace would be more fitting with the quality of this frame. Then I take it for a ride only to realize that the tricolor is simply excellent. The dark gray finish goes wonderfully with this color way. Certainly a fan!

RiddleOfSteel

Still a big fan of 6400. I'm at the point where I'd like to put together another groupset of them, hubs included, for a bike. It can be difficult finding clean examples of cranksets in the 175mm length that I run, so that usually slows progress on such an endeavor considerably. All this pesky 7400 and newer Dura-Ace making claims to any and all frames I pick up. How rude. I've put pretty new Dura-Ace on my OS Paramount, which was really cool, quite light, with some great characteristics...but 1) I'm easing back to period correct setups 2) I have found that matching the frame with its era of tech can yield a more harmonious riding experience (not always, of course, but lately I've had it happen to me more) and 3) If 6400 was good enough for a Paramount in the brochure picture, well then why not?

[well here goes another build idea to put into the queue....]

embankmentlb

There is much dislike for Shimano on several levels. I get it. I was in that camp for years.
However, if this iteration of 600 was Shimano’s top group it still would have been better than what everyone else had to offer in most ways.
That being said, I love 80’s Campy.

georges1

Quality wise the shimano 6400 offered as much as the Chorus and Athena for less money and with a lighter weight. Campy has been always very high in prices in the 90's and not always easy to find regarding older spare parts availability. Shimano top group in the 80's-mid 90's was Dura Ace 7400.The Ultegra tricolor 6400 offered as much performance as the Dura Ace 7400 for less money.

RiddleOfSteel

Update: Building the OS Paramount with 6400 as we speak! 7-speed, downtube shifting, so no brifters here. Hubs are 8-speed, just in case. Front of the queue this time. Working out BB spindle lengths presently. Thought I'd need a wider one since 7400 cranks don't flare too much (goal is a 146mm Q-factor because my knees are picky) and ended up being wrong. Tried with a 118mm and need something like 111mm or 110 with a pedal washer to get that number right. Goal for the Paramount is full 600, from groupset which includes hubs, plus headset and seatpost. Everything used, but for a good deal, if not a great deal. I got the frame a lot cheaper than it should have been, but it needed decals so no one knew what it was--that is the impetus to have a 'bargain' themed build (that still has parts in nice shape!) as opposed to searching for NOS stuff and paying whatever money to get it. Presently the hardest part is getting a stem and bar setup that is the correct length and width...without chucking lots of money at eBay or some place.

I normally don't like cannibalizing complete bikes for parts for various reasons, but this is 2023 and vintage rim availability is low, doubly so for good/great condition, and triply so for a price that doesn't bum one out. Found a complete bike with a full 105 (8-speed) groupset, down to the hubs, for a good deal. The prize was the Matrix Iso C II aero rims. I've run them before, on 6400 hubs no less, and really liked the way they looked. They performed well, too. I know these are technically Trek rims going on a Schwinn, but Wolber aero rims of the same era don't exist at modest prices or condition. I will try to do right by the bike, or at least the wheels, and keep them built up. We will see.

Zara Sp00k

I have a 1985 Trek model 600, it came with Shimano 600 drive train, brakes and pedals. When I got it my friend who was a Campy nut marveled at how quiet, smooth, and trouble free it was.
The next bike I bought was a 1996 Trek 2300, with complete Ultegra group. Still own and use both bikes.

georges1

Campy was never as smooth as Shimano but always more on the finicky side. Also price wise campy is more expensive than Shimano

smd4

Campy considered index shifting to be a complete gimmick for inexperienced riders...

That hubris sure bit them in the ass.

Zara Sp00k

It sort of was, when they moved the shifting to the brake handles on the other hand, that was brilliant.
The original indexed shifting still required you to take your hand off the handlebar, so it really was, shifting for the inexperienced.