Shimano Light Action. Some cool innovations that you don't see often. So smooth and sounds like a typewriter when it shifts.

Too funny. I have a Campy one sitting in a box and a Sugino on my daily rider. I had no idea I was doing the right thing lol.

Mavic 801 Rear Derailleur. It's the machined, erector-set looking one. Super stiff, smooth as wet ice, and adjustable all over the place.

Never seen it before.

http://s11.postimg.org/6a74npjwj/image.jpg

That gets me thinking.. did Mavic ever make an entire group?

If you're talking about the L422 shifter levers, I just got a set recently, & I agree, they rock. :thumb: Mine are stem-mounts, so they don't sit quite "right", (they would really work better on the down tube, shape-wise), but they're really nice, as far as I can tell. :) Everyone around here says they're not really retro-friction, but they sure feel nice, anyways. I have some stem-mount SunTour Power Shifters too, so I'll be comparing, but right now, the Shimanos are leading, at least for the nicer levers. ;)

They sometimes labeled other manufactures parts but yes, you can put together full mavic groups including a seatpost. You even have the option of two electronic groups. Some people say their late dual pivot brakes are some of the best made. Their hubs are also well regarded by many.

Sheesh where have I been? When did they make electronic groups?

I can't remember zap. I was too young. I believe it was late 80s. Mectronic was during the 9spd era. Both used a mechanical front derailler. One of the guys around here has an operating mektronic group.

Kinda want this!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=THtQYWo...%3DTHtQYWooNBE

Here's a site that has a liking for things Mavic.

http://www.tearsforgears.com/2009/11...vic-group.html

J

Suntour Barcon shifters, Suntour Mountech rear deraillers, and the original Blackburn man rack. I just love those things.

I was going to say light action! Not very popular for some reason...

+1 for Shimano Light Action. Came stock on lots of lower mid level bikes like Raleigh Technium 460, Bianchi Strada. Will handle some big rear cogs and works really nice with friction set ups. Frank Berto in his Upgrading Your Bike book from 1987 or so identified LA as one of his favorite RDs.

How about Suntour Accushift? Every one I've ridden has shifted cleanly.

I can agree with that, but would like to say that the rim has been around for 20+ years now. It is a great rim.

Also wanted to add Kool Stop Pads.

+1 really works great.

Once Suntour sorted it out with the 2nd revision, it shifted as well as Uniglide.

The first generarion 105, the Golden Arrow group. It looks better than the 600 arabesque and works good.

I just purchased a Sprint Group - NOS. I was out of the bike industry when Suntour offered this group for sale - and do not know much about the components.
(Why did I purchase - because I love the ARx group - and sadly the machinery to produce those smooth Suntour components were scrapped - so they are not making any more of them)

I wonder what C&V bike frame would best fit the group**********?

What Campagnolo RD is that in the picture a page or two back? I'm really not a Compagnolo fan, but that just looks sleek and graceful. Or maybe it's sleek and aggressive. Whatever it is, I like it.

I never liked the excessively loud click of the Light Action shifts on the bike I rode with it. I felt like you could hear that bike shifting from a mile away and I didn't like how you had to pull it to get it out of gear, and then it would snap into the next gear. I like my shifts to be smoother.

I don't remember what the shifters I'm thinking of are called, but I liked the Suntour shifters I had that would trim the front derailer for you as you shifted the rear to larger cogs. It was a really great system. I don't understand why it didn't catch on more. Completely underrated.

That is the Campagnolo Gran Turismo, the heaviest and worst rear derailleur by Campagnolo

^ Haha. That figures. They make something I do like and it's the worst part they make. Oh well...

EDIT: OK, just looked up some more pictures of it. It loses a lot of it's good looks from other angles anyway.

I have a Light Action RD that came on my Trek 400 with indexed shifters. I have a set of L422 shifters that are not indexed and (IMO) don't have as nice of action as either the Sachs/Huret ratcheting shifters or the Suntour ratcheting shifters.

Speaking of that Light Action- I replaced it with my "underrated" component. The Suntour XC-Pro RD. Both the XC-Pro and XC-Comp RDs are so smooth and have such a nice feel to them. Sometimes they go for stupid money on Ebay- but I rarely hear them talked about.

Also, the aforementioned Sachs/Huret shifters. I think they're pretty cool looking- kind of a goofy paddle shape, but with a weird blue-y chrome finish. Again, smooth ratcheting action.

Suntour Barcons are highly rated, so I wouldn't list them as underrated.

The Suntour shifters that trimmed the front for you when you shifted the rear were Symmetrics. Rated highly by those who've tried 'em, but since not many have I'd call them underrated.

The Campy RD pictured back there is Gran Tourismo, and it is very poorly rated by the few unlucky enough to attempt to shift with it. I rate it highly on looks though - up there with NR.

Mid range early '90s Shimano, like 7sp 105 and STX.