My Eddy Merckx Team Seven 12 restoration/homage. Picture heavy!

[fossyant]

That’s right, 7400 was 6 speed, 7401 7 speed and 7402 was 8.
Many of the components stayed the same but with 7402 you got the grey aero SLS brake levers and by 7403 you had dual pivot brakes.
Mines will definitely be a mishmash but the great thing about Shimano is that it all works together flawlessly.
Glad you like it 👍

It works fantastically. Had mine since 7402 8 speed was released. Lots of comments about not needing 8 speeds . Changed the original headset to the cartridge bearing one (also have a brand new spare), and the BB to a UN91 cartridge.

The older DA groupsets are way more pretty than the modern stuff, same goes with Campag.

I also have 6400 on my other bike. 600/Tricolour

 

[fossyant]

The only thing with DA 7400 it will only work with 7400. Not compatible with say 600. Different pull on shifters.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The older DA groupsets are way more pretty than the modern stuff, same goes with Campag.

Vintage lugged steel frames are also way more pretty than modern welded or carbon fibre ones. most of which I find really ugly TBH.

 

[raleighnut]

Looks good

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Brilliant!

Have heaps of fun on the restoration journey. 👍

 

[rogerzilla]

This is what I did last year, although I had my Strada OS painted in Team Telekom colours instead. Mine's a mix of Dura-Ace 7400 and 7700 with Ultegra hubs and Sora STIs (also 7 speed).

 

[Simple Simon]

This is what I did last year, although I had my Strada OS painted in Team Telekom colours instead. Mine's a mix of Dura-Ace 7400 and 7700 with Ultegra hubs and Sora STIs (also 7 speed).

It was a close call to paint mine in this to the 7-11 colours. Yours looks fantastic! Who did the paint job?

 

[rogerzilla]

It was a close call to paint mine in this to the 7-11 colours. Yours looks fantastic! Who did the paint job?

Thanks. Argos Racing Cycles. Luckily all the colours were stock ones (telemagenta, air force grey, black and pearl white).

There are two versions of the Telekom paint scheme: the other one swaps the pink and black. Mine is correct for 1995.

 

[fossyant]

Vintage lugged steel frames are also way more pretty than modern welded or carbon fibre ones. most of which I find really ugly TBH.

Agree..

 

[Smokin Joe]

Agree..

Looks wise my preference is for lugless steel (Or aluminium) frames. Lugs are pointless.

However, there is no reason CF frames can't look attractive, they mostly don't because of modern colour scheme fashions.

 

[cougie uk]

Looking great. Can't wait to see the finished bike.

 

[rogerzilla]

Funnily enough, the Argos Facebook page shows someone had an EM Leader MX done in the "other" Telekom colour scheme (black at the top, pink at the bottom) two months after mine.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Looks wise my preference is for lugless steel (Or aluminium) frames. Lugs are pointless.

However, there is no reason CF frames can't look attractive, they mostly don't because of modern colour scheme fashions.

Lugs aren't pointless at all, they perform a structural function and look nice at the same time. Fillet brazing can look neat if done well, but the look is very plain.

Most CF and aluminium frames are inherently ugly because they employ fat tubes with odd profiles and often compound the felony with really minging aesthetics like dropped seat stays. The only nice looking CF frames I have ever seen are the really early ones with small diameter round tubes that could be mistaken for steel.

 

[DCBassman]

The only nice looking CF frames I have ever seen are the really early ones with small diameter round tubes that could be mistaken for steel.

Agreed, looked quite good with large aluminium lugs, some of them.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Lugs aren't pointless at all, they perform a structural function and look nice at the same time. Fillet brazing can look neat if done well, but the look is very plain.

Most CF and aluminium frames are inherently ugly because they employ fat tubes with odd profiles and often compound the felony with really minging aesthetics like dropped seat stays. The only nice looking CF frames I have ever seen are the really early ones with small diameter round tubes that could be mistaken for steel.

Frames can be made perfectly without lugs so in my opinion they are just decoration. Great if you like them, but I don't particularly. Even large diameter tubes can look classy with a decent colour scheme, just as a traditional frame can look crap with a poor one.

Beauty however, is in the eye of the beholder and most of us have an affection for the fashions of our youth. I doubt if most sub middle aged cyclists look at old steel frames with anything more than curiosity.