While I imagine most listers don't consider 7400 to be classic, I do agree that it was an important group. It was the first Shimano group to be as good as or better than Campy. In essence, at the time that Campy was adding pretty curves and a nice finish to SR (in the form of C-rec.), Shimano took SR and added very effective indexing and a casette hub.
I will add this to your assessment:
> The 126
> oln is acceptable and the
> early ones were fitted with wide 6 speed freewheels,
> later 7 speed freewheels
> then cassettes.
Perhaps the advent of the 130 OLD or index-only sytems
or the death of screw-on are each as good a cutoff as
any for the end of the classic era. While the
earliest Dura Ace actually did have a 6-speed cassette
option, it could also be had as screw-on.
> I accept that much has been copied from Campy, who
> better to copy. I accept
> the rear deraileur owes its design essence to
> Suntour.
A look back at old designs for any part well show that there is very little innovation that doesn't draw on existing designs to a significant degree. Yes, Shimano "copied" Campy, but Campy probably "copied" from plenty of other sources whenever they produced a new and superior product. The 7400 took the inclined parallelogram (a Suntour patent) and combined it with their own twin-spring design (a design that Shimano popularized, but probably didn't invent). This combination was itself an innovatuion and it allowed for excellent indexing performance. Without the Shimano-style upper spring Suntour's indexing never really worked all that well.
Tom Dalton
> I've been reflecting on this issue of the classic
> bike pinnacle and I have to
> add one for consideration. If someone already
> mentioned this and I missed it,
> apologies to them and all.
>
> A fine lugged mid-1980s frame with an early Dura
> Ace 7400 group. Sure it
> indexes but it has a friction option too. The finish
on every component is
> beautifully done. The single
> pivot calipers are elegant, silky smooth and light
> action. In fact overall
> the group performs at least as well as it's Campy
> competition.
>
> I also recognize that
> the little plastic and gray anodized bits aren't
> "classic" but overall it's
> stunning. OK, now I'm ready to be beaten to a pulp!
>
> Randy
> Corral De Tierra, Ca.
>
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