I'd heard very bad things about the Synchro shifting system, but the Croce gruppos I've ridden (under intense usage) performed pretty well.

The shifter clicks must click 2 spring detents (2 springs) for each shift, which are supposed to occur simultaneously, but somtimes don't.
Still, with the shifter lubed, and a good chain and freewheel, the shifting is generally quite easy to use in both the 6 and 7-speed variants. As with almost all older indexing systems, narrower modern chain really helps.

I learn something here every time I check in. I had believed that the first slant-para, indexing Record derailer was called Record Ergo, but now realize it was first part of the C-Record group and so was called a C-Record derailer.

Perhaps someone can tell me what this bike's derailer is called:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eddy-Merckx-...E:B:SS:US:1123

The white Sante paint was at least super-durable. Some painted Euro cranks (other than Campag) and pedals had a comparatively very delicate finish applied.
Sante was quality, but the 9t lower derailer pulley was dumb (and the "remote" limit screw perhaps even dumber).
The light-grey hoods also soiled easily, which was excusable.