Originally Posted by
embankmentlb
My opinion is that Victory is a great group if you are honest about your expectations. Victory is old school and may feel very unrefined compared to Shimano groups from around that same period or shortly after.
I like Victory and Triomphe because of the groups simplicity and ruggedness. That also puts more responsibility on the rider in regards to shifting accuracy and stopping in moist conditions. Part of the fun in old bikes. No indexing or duel pivot brakes here.
The purists will kill me for saying this, but by far the best thing I ever did to my Bianchi was to replace the single-pivot Modolo or Campag. sidepull calipers and Modolo levers with dual-pivot Shimano calipers, KoolStop pads, modern cables and housings, and Shimano aero levers. Now I actually feel safe riding it.
(Second best change was replace the original 52-42/13-23 gearing with 46-38/13-26 "geezer gears."
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069