Originally Posted by
repechage
mostly Gran Sport as stated, the 980 derailers are 80's with the front being after Victory was introduced. Gran Sport derailers at the end did not look as "pricey" as they cost, the 980's function well, and look a bit more modern. There is more than one 980 design, the earlier front derailers look scary.
note derailer spelled as Mr. Brown did, just for this post. I bantered email with him on that long ago, I thought it was interesting a guy who could translate French and shifting history spelled it that way.
Older bikes, as sold, custom-built, or customized by experienced cyclists, tended to be more eclectic in the set of components found on them. Component manufacturers often made only a few of those needed to complete a bike, as opposed to the 80s onward, when every manufacturer seemed to have a more or less complete gruppo, or should I say, a range of them at different price/quality points.
Maybe a fitting tribute to Sheldon Brown would be that everyone in cycling, going forward, resolves to spell "derailer" the way he did. A memorial by orthography.