I was, of course, making a sweeping generalisation... But Mavic or Campagnolo ten-speeds seemed to be more resilient to neglected maintenance.

I spent my early days riding whatever used machines papa could obtain... Peugeot, Gitane, Raleigh, and one bright yellow mystery frame, with no label or decals... that, predictably, was the best bike I ever had. I don't recall ever changing a worn-out chain back then, perhaps because my bikes were usually stolen long before the parts wore out!

Also... and this is a documented "fact"... MILES cause more wear than KILOMETERS!