Originally Posted by
Ken Brown
... I think two things can be described as "revolutionary", brifters and clipless pedals. Well, I guess they are evolutionary as well, but I found them to be the greatest innovations when I upgraded from my old 10-speed....
Even these 'modern' innovations are not all that new. I bought my first serious road bike in '93, a no-name steel frame from Nashbar with Shimano 105 components. Those components included 8 speed brifters and Shimano 105 clipless pedals (licensed from Look). So brifters and clipless pedals have been around at least 15 years.
The 9 speed Ultegra shifters have a shorter throw and crisper feel to them, but to this day the old 105 shifts just as well, in spite of the difference in feel.