Near perfect bike parts

[Shawn G]

What's on your list of bike parts that just plain work better than you hoped for/leave little room for improvement?

My short list includes:

DA 7800 brakes - I cannot imagine a better performing brake. Say what you will, but Shimano stuff just plain gets it done. There are lighter, prettier, more colorful, blah, blah, blah brakes out there, but none have the stopping power combined with perfect feel that the 7800s do for my money. Flame away.

Chris King headsets - 'nuff said

Shawn G

[labratmatt]

Thomson zero offset seat posts.
Thomson X2 stems.
Shimano SPD pedal system.

[johnnymossville]

Late 80's Suntour Superbe Pro Rear Derailleur.

[Too Tall]

on my very short list

[Shawn G]

Late 80's Suntour Superbe Pro Rear Derailleur.

Did anyone else call these "Super Bee" BITD? France/French was along way away to a kid from the outskirts of Toledo, Ohio back then. Man, did I want a "Super Bee" derailleur back then, and a Colnago frame (that cool Irish bike maker, it has a shamrock for its logo for cryin' out loud, and yes I really thought it was Irish) ordered from the newsprint Bike Nashbar catalog of course, because nobody in my neck of the woods had ever heard of, much less stocked this stuff.

Shawn G

[Ken Robb]

this is a difficult one for me to answer because all of my stuff, Campy and Shimano, works great. I agree that 7800 brakes are better by a slight margin than my others but since I like to ride tires as wide as 32mm (more w/cantis) I won't be buying more of them..I think the best set-up for them would be w/Campy levers so I'd have a release in the lever and the caliper so I wouldn't have to deflate a 28mm tire to install it.

OK, here's one: If you want to try friction shifting perfection get some Suntour Power Ratchets of the Rivendell Silvers which are copies currently in production.

[WFSTEKL]

Regal saddle----cannot be improved
Mavic GP4 and Ambrosio Nemisis rims----cannot be improved
PegoRichie tubing----cannot be improved
Veloflex Crit tubs----cannot be improved
Cinelli Mod 66 or Mod 64 or Mod 65 handlebars-----cannot be improved
Specialized waterbottles----cannot be improved
Sachs lugs, BB and crown----cannot be improved
Assos S5 Millie bibs----cannot be improved
White bikes----cannot be improved
Mike Zanconatto----cannot be improved

[mainemike]

nitto steel
d/a all around
i have an old set of mavic cranks, and i don't know what it is, but i love them

[zank]

Mike Zanconatto----cannot be improved

crap, I have to work harder and beat my arch-nemesis...the framebuilder with 2 t's in his last name. :biggrin:

[keevohn]

Panaracer Pasela TG's. I just can't wear these things out, and they don't flat.

[Shinomaster]

I just had my LBS change out my shifter cables and housing on the five year old centaur parts on my cross bike, and it feels and shifts as good as new. It's so smooth. Like butter it is!

[WFSTEKL]

crap, I have to work harder and beat my arch-nemesis...the framebuilder with 2 t's in his last name. :biggrin:

Hey, you've been called worse.

Are you an MD yet?

[Torquer]

Did anyone else call these "Super Bee" BITD? Shawn G

If your frame of reference was NHRA or NASCAR, yes:

[ron l edmiston]

oval concept bar/stem
campagnolo
san marco
sidi
sachs water bottle
joe bell
veloflex

[Ken Robb]

I thought of another. I love my Brooks B-17 and Pro saddles.
I bought a bike with an Arione on it. I just KNEW it was an ass-hatchet the first time I saw it but I'm cheap so I tried it anyway. It was so comfy that I now own 3 of them. Who knew?

[Dave]

"imperfection is perfection"

[swoop]

Sidi Shoes.

[Sasha]

I have a few reference points -
Cinelli Cork Tape - There's nothing that feels better
Selle Italia Flite Saddle -
King and Elite Ciussi cages - I don't know why people bother with anything else

[znfdl]

My Spectrum Ti
Koobi saddles

[Saab2000]

This saddle