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Old 08-12-19, 02:10 PM
  #16  
Bandera
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Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: TX Hill Country
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Originally Posted by veloz
I don’t remember Shimano offering bar-ends at that time - only SunTour.
Although the ST ratcheting barcons were the most common in the '70's appearing on many Japanese machines and OEM as "Schwinn Approved" and "Raleigh" re-branded models the Shimano barcons became available at about the same time. The ST was favored for 'Cross racing as the ratchet mechanism held well in that jarring environment but the Shimano design with a balance spring much like what later appeared to make the Simplex "Retofriction" DT design, the best of the friction controls, were my favorite for road use. Smooth and very precise Shimano barcons were worth the expense and being uncommon added to that "trick set-up" that gives a well fitted out race bike a certain elegant yet purposeful cache'.
Shimano went on to produce excellent indexed barcons that are still used on dedicated Time Trial machines today.

-Bandera
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