armstrong101

Not sure why, I'm partial to 6600/7800. Not to say I wouldn't use 6800, but given the opportunity to buy things at FMV, I'd put 6600 and 7800 on my bikes (I have a retro-STI build).

Tricolour is OK too but I find that wheels from that era have at least 32 spokes, and are therefore heavy (I'm really light), so I want more modern wheels.

Sure I could put a modern wheel with a 6400 group but given how easily one can acquire a wheel with 6400 hubs, I'd feel compelled to use them, and hence I do not.

6600 and 7800 hubbed wheels don't seem to be nearly as common on bikes with 6600/7800 (as opposed to bikes kitted with 6400 - they often have 6400 hubs), so I don't feel it's as sacrilegious to use non 6600/7800 wheels with a 6600/7800 build, and can therefore use lighter non-matching wheels.

You folks?

brandon98

What exactly are you asking? I tried adding Shatner pauses or reading it as Walken and I'm still not entirely sure of what you're asking and or attempting to say.

armstrong101

1. I like 6600/7800
2. I would like 6400 as well but I like it less because of the wheel selection. I'd feel compelled to make a 6400 wheel match if I used 6400, but I don't feel the same need if I have 6600 or 7800.

curbtender

Split the difference and go 6500/7700.

DMC707

Go 7800 then. Dura Ace trumps Ultegra anytime. My LBS owner hails my 7800 equipped bike as "the last good Dura Ace before Di2". (He doesnt like 7900).

I do think the charcoal painted bits on tri color are very pretty on the right era bike though - its 8 speed max

7700 might be a good compromise if you want a more traditional looking crankset, - but this is the beginning of the era of separate wheelsets, so if you throw a set of Mavic Heliums on, so much the better

Barrettscv 

I'll take 600-Ultegra 6401 8-speed. Top shelf performance and I can find NOS at very reasonable prices.

I'll also use the Deore XT 730 and 735 on a Cyclocross or Sports/touring bike. These offer great performance and work well with SIS road shifters.

I have 10 speed Campagnolo Chorus and it's aesthetically and mechanically superior to Shimano, IMO. I have 3x10 speed 5603/6703 on two bikes but like the Campy far more.

Wileyone 

Hands down 7700. With Ultegra BB

bradtx

I went with this combo on my first CAAD3 and it was terrific. The 6400 and 6500 groups are a close second on my roadies.

Brad

ldmataya 

I really like my 7800 bike, in fact I'm going to get it out today for a long ride. It works, and it is now easy to find parts at reasonable cost, including 10s Dura Ace cassettes. I did move up to 7900 hubs when I built a new set of tubulars 3 years ago.

elmore leonard

Pretty hard to beat the SIS on the 7 speed and under bikes. Changing the shift levers to the click type make them even better.
Easy to set up and never seem to fail.

gomango

I won't buy vintage Shimano again.

After riding bikes with 5800 and 6800, it's just too good/inexpensive to go backwards.

If I had to choose an older Shimano groupset, 7700 is the sweetspot for me.

A close second is 7400.

bwilli88 

Yellow label 105, nice looking, solid performance, relatively inexpensive. Kind of the Ford f100 of groups. I think it was 5600.

D1andonlyDman

Campagnolo Chorus 9 speed

T-Mar

I'm partial to Shimano New Dura-Ace (7400) because it was so groundbreaking. During it's life it gave use our first exposure to reliable indexed shifting (SIS), brifters (STI), profiled cogs (HyperGlide) and dual pivot brakes. It was, in my mind, the first modern group.

RobbieTunes

I can't say which is my "favorite," because the intended use dictates that a bit.
However, in terms of what I've used.

1. Dura Ace 7700 with the long cage RD and the Dura Ace 11-32 9-sp cassette.
Be it with DT shifters or the STI's, it's light, smooth, and functions as well as anything I've had.
I agree with Wileyone on the BB, a 6500 is more durable.
My only complaint is the crankset that shows every shoe rub right away, and the tendency for the anodized rings to peel.
Other than that, new hoods are nigh impossible to find.

2. Shimano 600/Ultegra, aka "tricolor."
This is a very close 2nd, as again, whether DT shifters or STI's, it's smooth and functions well.
The STI's are mostly rebuildable. There are many cassettes out there that can increase the range.

3. Shimano 5700. Solid, affordable, and available in black and silver. Both look good. Hate the crankset (swap in a 7800 crankset, and you're good).

4. Shimano 6500. Polished nice stuff, also available in long-cage. Nice calipers, best looking crank arms in 20 years.
I have no idea why they put satin finish on the FD when everything else is polished.

I have a friend that runs 7800 on his Tarmac vs. 7900 on his Madone. Says 7800 is smoother. Can't argue with that, or calamarichris's Schwinns with 7800.

Wildwood 

Does a bigger number make it newer and better?

Homebrew01

I assume. I have some ancient Dura Ace EX I am going to part out. Not sure if it has a number.

rccardr 

Pretty much all of it made from '85 onward: 6207/6208, 1050/1051, 6400/2/3, 7400/2/3, 5510 in black, 6500,6600, and 7700. Built a few bikes with 5800 and have been universally impressed with the shift quality.
RX100 and RSX work really well and are often unsung because they came on lower level bikes that were not particularly well cared for.
Not such a fan of 5500 (yellow label) or the 6500/6510 STI's as I think they have a heavy thunk style drop to the small chainring, 6510 and 6600 were big improvements there. 5700 FD/RD combinations work well with lots of down tube and STI type shifters.

And of course, it all lasts pretty much forever.

non-fixie 

First generation Dura-Ace. In black.

plonz 

DA 7800 is my all time fave. Works better than 7900 and 1 more gear than 7700. Plenty shiny for updating vintage framesets too.

cyclotoine

From a classic and vintage point of view, Shimano Deore XT 7speed, 73x series. Ground breaking performance in the mountain bike world and available with thumbies and STI rapid-fire. Also all black option was awesome.

gomango

Definitely agree, if we go to the mtb side.

Love this stuff.

In fact, built my new Yeti with modern XT.

XTR is cool, with great performance.

I get most of that performance with XT though.

Barrettscv 

+1;

FullGas

DA 8-spd STI...

bomb-proof, attractive.

ham

I've got a set of wheels built with 24 hole tri-color hubs front and rear - never seen any others though.