I have to admit, when I started riding back in the early 70s, Campagnolo was what we aspired to obtain. Once I acquired it, I never looked back. I build a few bikes with Japanese components back in the day, including the original Suntour Cyclone rear (without the black paint BTW), and although it worked fine, it just wasn't the same. But I think its just what you get used to, or what your mind tells you to believe, or maybe I'm just a snob. The Japanese stuff is really nice, it just never interested me, and French stuff even less.