I agree the later version of the 99 definitely looked downmarket compared to the original. They can easily be distinguished even from a tiny pic or at a distance because in the later version the stubby spider arms have reliefs milled into them. On the desirable earlier version the spider's outward surfaces are flat.
I remember thinking the first time I saw the late-type 99 that Stronglight had at that point essentially given up and let themselves go. All their previous cotterless alloy cranks were obviously made and finished with real care. Look at the backsides of the drive side crankarm to really appreciate the drop in quality. Whereas the earlier type have a beautifully lathe turned finish with 'Modele Deposee' and 'Made in France' attractively engraved like earlier production, the later type are decidedly cobby like a really really cheap Japanese crank- quite ugly in fact. The surface finish at more or less the same time went from a nice polish to that galvanized garbage can look of really badly done anodizing- though some of the earliest of the later style production had a decent satin ano, it quickly went downhill. You can tell the manufacturing processes went from artisanal quality to some sort of careless slapdash mass production right then and there.
Often a single product can be pinpointed that marks a change in direction or philosophy of a manufacturing company. I think this change in the 99 perhaps represented Stronglight's having forever left it's golden age behind.
Kurt Sperry Bellingham, Washington USA
2009/8/5 <verktyg@aol.com>:
> Amir,
>
> I mentioned the"cheap" appearance of the later model 99 cranks in my message
> to Robert Broderick. I bought a Stronglight 99 triple crankset on eBay a
> while back. The pictures were small and I didn't realize that it was the
> newer style 99 until it arrived. The price was right so I couldn't complain
> but the quality was now where near earlier Stronglight cranks.
>
> It is made in France. I don't know if any Stronglight products were ever
> made in Japan but this one sure looks like the inexpensive cranks from the
> late 70s and early 80s.
>
> Chas. Colerich
> Oakland, CA USA