Originally Posted by
FBinNY
Despite Index shifting being unbelievably crisp these days, it wasn't always that way. Early on there was resistance from seasoned riders that went beyond retro-grouch attitude. Skilled riders didn't convert for the simple reason that they were shifting and trimming better with friction than what the index systems offered.
First generation Shimano SIS was pretty good but, as you said, not nearly as good as their current stuff.
First generation Campy indexing (Synchro) was very poor and it took them three trys to get it right so the riders using Campy tended to stick with friction. Sun Tour's first indexing attempt wasn't all that good either and by the time they got it right, they were nearly out of business and no longer a factor.