So we all know about groupsets like Nuovo Record and Super Record and how they command collector's attentions...but I'd like to see what else there is...so post your heart stirring pictures of classic groupsets on or off bikes, if you've got them!

In my mind, still nothing beats Nuovo Record and Super Record from the early 80's.

+1

Yup, I have to agree with that, but it's not that the NR gruppo is or was the best; it's that with the NR gruppo, Campagnolo turned the Italian word gruppo into an English word with a distinct meaning. Campy NR basically set the idea of what a "gruppo" was, and is; if you call something else a "gruppo", such as Dura-Ace or Superbe, the main thing you're doing is comparing it to NR. If it wasn't for the NR gruppo, we wouldn't talk about gruppo's at all.

For comparison, consider the term "empire." If you call something, anything, an "empire" you are comparing it to the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire defined what an empire was, and that's all there is to it. I don't mean to say the other ones, earlier or later, don't deserve the comparison; maybe they do and maybe they don't, that's another discussion entirely. The point is that the Roman Empire defines what an "empire" is, and Nuovo Record/Record defines what at "gruppo" is.

First-gen Shimano DA, with Crane DR.

I was also thinking first gen Dura Ace such as those components on Scott Ryder's Fuji Ace. Sweet!

Neal

Suntour Superbe

Maybe too old to be a group-set per se, but still pretty classic Stronglight-Simplex

Schwinn Approved is my favorite brand. I'm putting together a set for my Pinarello frame right now. I just need to find a bottom bracket adapter that will allow me to use a one piece crank in a European shell. Seems there's plenty of adaptors to go the other way.

I've spent much of my working life among Brits. I find it hard to think "Roman" when I hear the word Empire.

I've endured far too many Kipling toasts not to think British Empire!

You forgot the winky eye thing.

I personally dig on the black and gold Suntour Spirit stuff on my Cannondale Black Lightning. With the black Sugino cranks, it's gorgeous...just wish it wasn't as dinged up.





Those are the as-delivered pics...don't have any more recent pics with the un-rusty chain...

Zeus 2000 is a pretty sweet group.

I Zeus also. https://www.classicrendezvous.com/Spa...eus_compts.htm

My favorite group is Shimano 600, no handy pictures.

Brad

Sachs New Success.

auchencrow showed all the other good ones


I love the look of 600 Arabesque but i don't like the performance nearly as much as suntour.

other than the original Chorus and early C-Record with those beautiful high flange hubs, being my favorite, all groups are great looking in their own way.

but I am also pretty fond of the Victory crankset too

Two of my favorites:

rhm, very well put.

And there were some serious technical flaws to the NR group. As we all know, the rear derailleur was durable and reliable, but it didn't shift all that well. The cranks had a tendency to break, at least if you were a monster. The headset was very sensitive to installation and would wear out prematurely if not done absolutely right. I don't know what else. Those are the only defects I know of, but that's quite enough!

Also, I find all quill pedals to be excruciatingly painful, because I have big feet.

But the list of merits it had is quite long. I could give it a shot, if yooze are interested.

I have a 600 arabesque group sitting in a box right now. It's pretty but I would ride cyclone or superbe over it any day. I keep the group thinking I'll find a pretty Japanese frame to hang it on some day. I also have a nuovo record rd that I keep just because it is so beautiful and because it represents an era of beautiful lugged road bikes to me.

The 600 tricolor group however (8s STI) is easy on the eyes and performs very well... Not all that vintage but I think 8s stuff sort of bridges the gap.

It's not a group thing, but I enjoy the looks of the ofmega mistral cranksets as well.

Initially I was thinking "MAVIC", but then it came to me: the mid-70's Spidel "group" as used on the Peugeot team bikes: Maillard hubs, MAFAC Competition brakes, Simplex SLJ derailleurs and Stronglight 105bis crank, all gold-anodized. 'Course I'd want the PY10CP frame to go with it: 531sl with brazed-on brake pivots. Some nice pics of one here: https://www.jimlangley.net/ride/py10.html , but not gold-ano, and not the silver team paint job. Here's one in action, but the detail's not so great:


SP
Bend, OR

I remember when the Mistral cranks came out and they were so special as it looked very different from what everyone else offered. Problem later was, they made so many of it and many bikes came from the manufacturers equipped with the crank that the "specialness" kinda wore off quickly. I think it could make its comeback in the future though, and be more sought after but it will always wear the reputation of Ofmega being a "second tier" component manufacturer.So it will have to share the same desirability level as the likes of Galli, Gipiemme and Miche.

Chombi

Yeah, Ofmega cranks are really nice.

And this discussion isn't restricted to groups. It's about classy stuff.

early dura ace

I've always been a fan of suntour more than shimano stuff but I like the 600 EX arabesque stuff and I also have a partial group (derailleurs, cranks, brake calipers) that I've had sitting around waiting to get used on something too.

The other vintage shimano group that I like a lot is the first generation blue/green "Deore Touring Ensemble"

Bianchigirll, you might have posted a pic of the Triomph groupset by error. The Victory crankarms lack the angled 'bow tie effect' shortly before meeting the chainrings. Here is a bad pic of my Victory stuff before renovation:


Note how they are 'straight thru'. Good choice though!