Originally Posted by
cruiserhead
that's great you like it so much. Shimano inspires a lot of loyalty.
For 10s, like I said, I think DA7970 has better ergonomics/shift performance/efficency/brakes/design.
Overall, they advanced DA with a clear, innovative advancement in most every way.
7900 lever design was poor but the other components worked better than 7800.
The crankset design is up for debate. I think the 7800 looks better but I remember DA loyalists HATED it when it came out.
Of that era, 7800C was the prettiest imo.
I love the ergonomics and shifting of 7800 (except the exposed shift wires).
9000(1) is actually more of a successor to 7800 than 7900.
The lever ergonomics, the crankset design - it looks like a new generation 7800 rather than 7900.
I wasn't convinced about 11s or Di2 when they came out but they are really nice innovations- especially Di2.
I personally think the current gen DA really is the best but... you know, ymmv.
They are all really good groupsets, the DA family. 7900 levers are just a bit of a misfire.
Di2 is good stuff. I still have reasons I prefer mechanical in certain applications (racing - while electronic has few breakdowns those breakdowns usually leave onsite support with no options and keep the rider from competing or completing and in cross - I have seen electronic do some stuff that has left the racer out of luck when if they had mechanical we would have been able to get them back into the game) but for the rank and file 99% of users it's they best.
9000 is really a good group and over time I might decide it's better than 7800 but the whole Di2 thing has pretty much assured that 9000 will never reach the levels of use that 7800 ever saw so unfortunately I think it's going to end up a footnote in the grand scheme.
So...even as you mention yourself in just about every paragraph - 7800 was.is the best.