I almost bought that whole groupset from a shop in London many years ago. I didn’t, because I’m not into road bikes much, and it really wouldn’t have ever been used. Which perhaps is better in order to preserve it’s value, but would just have sat in it’s box somewhere gathering dust. I think they ended up breaking it up and selling individual bits, which was pretty stupid in my opinion.
Purists will always say Campag Nuovo Record. Personally, I think Dura Ace 7400. After this, cycling was never the same again. The 25th anniversary is a reissue of the same.
I like DA900 because it is nicely designed to be half black and half silver, so one set compliments both (just). Cranks mark by feet rubbing though 🙁
Going against the grain I know, but I have a bike with a full M900 group and also a full M9000/9020 and I think (after a 10 min gawp at both side by side) that I prefer the look of the newer stuff.
Partial to Ultegra 6500 on the road, love the cranks.
Oh and +1 Euro 😀
Well, that’s pretty much every top end groupset ever made covered in this thread. Beauty is clearly in the eye of the beholder. DA9000 FTW in my opinion, I’d have to say that as I bought one!
I tend to agree with the 90s Record suggestion – though the 2010 version I have on my bike with lots of carbon is also quite nice. As is the 7700 DA I have on another bike – effectively the same bits as that 25th anniversary group.
Are we still doing looks? Because whilst the 7400 is OK (if not a patch on the same generation Campag, or even the later, smoother 7700), the 7800 and 9000 are quite ugly, especially the chainsets.
Sante, that was it. Not as pretty as I remember. I think ridgeback had a bike in the old freewheel catalogue with that group and a matching colour on the frame. First road bike I ever had a hankering after.
“i think the XTR chainset has got prettier and prettier every generation.”
Really? I think the opposite. The current M9000 version is particularly ugly. The M985 wasn’t so bad. M950 was a very radical design shift from M900. Set a trend for matte anodised components (many of which looked shit really). I’m much more a fan of shiny polished alloy, but M950 was very good. Love that polished M950 set above; that, I definitely would have bought!
Deore XT M730 cranks were very nice in a utilitarian, functional way. Very good quality metal.
M737 cranks were slimmer and more elegant:
I still don’t think you can beat the M900 cranks for sheer beauty though.
The new 9100 Dura-ace has been revealed and it doesn’t look as good as the current range which is good news as I could be tempted by a cut price groupset. I think it’s gone too stylised and black which is not helped by the fact that it’s presented on a black Pinarello which doesn’t do anything for me either. Nice web presentation though.