# Does Dura Ace 7400 series still hold up? What's your opinion on the group?



## William_25 (Jan 8, 2010)

Hi. I've been trying to buy a Vitus 992 Comp for about a month now. I'm trying to figure out how the Dura Ace 7400 compares to modern groupos. In your opinion can the 7400 series still hold its own?


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## cdhbrad (Feb 18, 2003)

I have a set of wheels on 7400 hubs still going strong. That is my only experience with the group.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

my DA 8 group has at least 45K miles on it and performs flawlessly...only things I've ever replaced were cables.

it's smoother than my Ultegra 6600 stuff that only has 5K miles...


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

The DA 7400 and subsequent 7402 8spd version is widely known to be one of the most bulletproof group sets of all time. I can attest to that claim. My 1991 DA 7402 is still going strong. The components have easily over 50,000 miles, multiple crashes, endured rain, winter slop, and battle scars. I have the first generation dual pivot brakes and STI levers. The brakes are still the strongest I have ever felt, including modern Campagnolo brakes I have on another bike. Bearings are still butter smooth in two sets of hubs with only a routine repack about once every 2 years. The only weak link in the whole group is the headset. I went through several. The crown race pits very easily. I eventually switched to a Chris King and never had to touch it again.


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## William_25 (Jan 8, 2010)

What's the differance between the two series the 7400 and 7402? I've seen references to other dura ace components like 7402, 7403, 7410?


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## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

7400 - 7spd.(circa 1987-90) freewheel hub, downtube shifters. exposed bolt rear derailleur.

7402/7403 - 8spd. (1991-1993) cassette freehub, STI option, dual pivot brakes, refinements to both derailleurs. There was never a complete 7403 group set. Some of the parts for some unknown reason, such as the brake calipers carried the 7403 part number, but were sold as the regular 8spd 7402 group set.

7410 came later with the most visible difference being the move to the low profile crank.


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## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Nice stuff. Tough, good looking and it really worked well.

The earlier 8 speed IG freehubs are not compatible with regular HG cassettes, and not upgradeable to HG. But if you have the later lockring HG version you're golden.

The only important difference between 7400 and later parts are 8 speeds vs. 9 or 10 and total weight. I would be very happy to use 7400.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Bullet proof...........I have 7400 series on many bikes....

I prefer the 7403 brakes since they are dual pivot...


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## fast ferd (Jan 30, 2009)

The 7410 square taper bottom bracket is superior to the 7400 loose ball. The 7410 is completely sealed and not rebuildable, but very durable. 12k miles, folks?

Same goes for the headset (7410 better than 7400, IMO), although I always replace Shimano's sealed bearings with an aftermarket jobber.

I always found the chainrings a weak spot. Replace the chain regularly to minimize wear.

Generous use of steel components - instead of plastic in later models - makes the group heavy but bulletproof. It takes some serious and stupid abuse to break anything.


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## MR_GRUMPY (Aug 21, 2002)

Don't forget 7 speed uniglide cassette body, and 8 speed uniglide cassette body, before the 8 speed hyperglide cassette body came out.

If I remember correctly, the 7400 brake levers had exposed brake cables, the 7401 levers had hidden cables, and the 7402 levers added a return spring the allowed two finger braking.

I've still got a lot of 7400 stuff. 7401 and 7402 levers, dual pivot brakes, headset, and a seatpost.
Plus a NOS 7 speed 12-19 freewheel.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

MR_GRUMPY said:


> Don't forget 7 speed uniglide cassette body, and 8 speed uniglide cassette body, before the 8 speed hyperglide cassette body came out.
> 
> If I remember correctly, the 7400 brake levers had exposed brake cables, the 7401 levers had hidden cables, and the 7402 levers added a return spring the allowed two finger braking.
> 
> ...


I posted this a few years ago

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/retro-classic/dura-ace-timeline-155136-post1895129.html#poststop


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## D. W. Davis (Feb 21, 2007)

brewster said:


> The DA 7400 and subsequent 7402 8spd version is widely known to be one of the most bulletproof group sets of all time. I can attest to that claim. My 1991 DA 7402 is still going strong. The components have easily over 50,000 miles, multiple crashes, endured rain, winter slop, and battle scars. I have the first generation dual pivot brakes and STI levers. The brakes are still the strongest I have ever felt, including modern Campagnolo brakes I have on another bike. Bearings are still butter smooth in two sets of hubs with only a routine repack about once every 2 years. The only weak link in the whole group is the headset. I went through several. The crown race pits very easily. I eventually switched to a Chris King and never had to touch it again.


This has been pretty much my experience albeit without the crashes or winter slop. The Chris King headset went on within the first year as a replacement by the local dealer circa 1993. The bottom bracket was replaced in 2010. Shifting, in my estimation, remains smoother and quicker than the 10-speed DA successor.


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## OldChipper (May 15, 2011)

+1 on the 74xx group set. Bomber and very crisp shifting. Nothing today compares (though I do run 6700 on a couple of bikes for the extra gears in back).


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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*+1 for 7401*

I have a complete 7401 (7-speed) group that I bought new back in the day to hang on my steel Ron Cooper frame. I still love riding it. The group has about 25K miles on it and still works perfectly. I agree with the assessment that it is essentially bomb-proof.

At the time, most people looked at this group as the one that really put Shimano on the map as relative to Campagnolo. As far as I know, this was the first commercially successful freehub, which IMHO was a huge step up from older designs.


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## Mr. Versatile (Nov 24, 2005)

It's good stuff. Don't worry about it. You'll get mega miles out of it with no prob.


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## robgod (Sep 25, 2012)

fast ferd said:


> I always found the chainrings a weak spot. Replace the chain regularly to minimize wear.


Does anyone know what Chain is compatible with the 7400 group (uniglide 8 speed cassette)

I read somewhere that Shimano has "re-used" the HG prefix so new HG is not the same as old HG. Is that true or just BS ?

eBay has alot of HG70 chains but worried its not the same "HG" as I need. (And an original 7400 chain is way out of my budget!!)

I've just added some STI levers so i'll be gutted if the chain spoils the shifting.

Thanks
Rob


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## Stogaguy (Feb 11, 2006)

*7401 is not fussy*

Currently, I am running a Sram 8-speed chain on my 7401 drivetrain. It works very well. In my experience, the group runs well with any 7/8-speed chain. I speculate that this is because the HG design is so simple relative to current 10-speed stuff. The 7401 does not have the ramps and pins found on today's drivetrains. These ramps and pins, while improving the shifting performance of current drivetrains, seem to make them much more finicky about what exact chain you run. Just my $0.02...


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## omair (Jul 8, 2013)

*Best group ever*

Best group shimano ever made period!!! nothing compares to it, my 6600 feels show and unresponsive in comparison.


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## robgod (Sep 25, 2012)

omair said:


> Best group shimano ever made period!!! nothing compares to it, my 6600 feels show and unresponsive in comparison.


Glad to hear it!  I'm no expert but I love riding it. It may be 25 years old but its brilliant. Glad I decided to keep it.


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## omair (Jul 8, 2013)

I recently changed ask the wearables on the group, better than new now, using a 9 speed chain now , dura ace 7701, which makes the group feel even better, drivetrain seems stiffer and shifts are crisper. Also jagwire pop caps at the brake calipers seem to make the brakes better ( if that's even possible)


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

omair said:


> Best group shimano ever made period!!! nothing compares to it, my 6600 feels show and unresponsive in comparison.


Big fan of 6600. Have it on my Trek 5200, but the new 6800 is better.


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## armstrong (Jul 9, 2013)

A question regarding "indexed" shifting. 

I've read in places (including this thread) that 7400 is what made Shimano a competitor to Campagnolo at the highest levels, and its because 7400 introduced "indexed" shifting. I understand indexed shifting to mean getting that "click" sound when you shift gears. Meanwhile, 74XX is also the group that introduced STI to the market, which I believe is widely considered to be a huge leap forward in the last 25 years of bicycle technology. 

So... did 74XX introduce the clicking? Or is it STI that put Dura Ace on the map? Or both? Prior to 7400, was EVERYTHING friction? So Campy never had "clicking" prior to 74XX? In what year was 74XX introduced?


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

armstrong said:


> A question regarding "indexed" shifting.
> 
> I've read in places (including this thread) that 7400 is what made Shimano a competitor to Campagnolo at the highest levels, and its because 7400 introduced "indexed" shifting. I understand indexed shifting to mean getting that "click" sound when you shift gears. Meanwhile, 74XX is also the group that introduced STI to the market, which I believe is widely considered to be a huge leap forward in the last 25 years of bicycle technology.
> 
> So... did 74XX introduce the clicking? Or is it STI that put Dura Ace on the map? Or both? Prior to 7400, was EVERYTHING friction? So Campy never had "clicking" prior to 74XX? In what year was 74XX introduced?


Indexed Shifting =/= STI

Downtube shifters were clicking before STI was invented.


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## Mr645 (Jun 14, 2013)

I guess that explains why the 7 spd Dura Ace drivetrain on a borrowed 1998 Specialized Epic Carbon/Alum lug framed bike still works so well.


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## moxeyt (May 3, 2016)

*DuraAce 7400 ROCKS !*

I have a 1985 MIYATA Team (all DuraAce)...I raced for it many years (has well over 80K miles on it). Everything is still tight and functions perfectly. The only thing that ever broke was the recoil spring in the rear derailler many years ago..... and brake pads and cables were replaced a few times too. Granted, this bike was torn down and rebuilt/repacked (new loose bearings) at the end of every racing season to new condition. I still ride it, though not like I used to, no more 300 mile weeks for this old man. Oh ya, I had to replace a headset too... forgot about that one.





William_25 said:


> Hi. I've been trying to buy a Vitus 992 Comp for about a month now. I'm trying to figure out how the Dura Ace 7400 compares to modern groupos. In your opinion can the 7400 series still hold its own?


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

I posted here years ago when it was a new thread...

as a follow-up, I've taken the main ride down to a bare frame for a make-over, while that project is underway, I'm riding the backup bike that has DA8 STI...

at approaching 25 years old and LOTS of miles, the 7400 stuff is still nice. the shifting is especially crisp, every gear change is dead-on, no hesitation or slop.

hoping the lightly used 7800 DA group that I'm putting on the main ride performs as well.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

moxeyt said:


> I have a 1985 MIYATA Team (all DuraAce)...I raced for it many years (has well over 80K miles on it). Everything is still tight and functions perfectly. The only thing that ever broke was the recoil spring in the rear derailler many years ago..... and brake pads and cables were replaced a few times too. Granted, this bike was torn down and rebuilt/repacked (new loose bearings) at the end of every racing season to new condition. I still ride it, though not like I used to, no more 300 mile weeks for this old man. Oh ya, I had to replace a headset too... forgot about that one.


I have to ask...how does a brand new member happen to come across a thread from 2011 in the first place? And it's been 2 years since anyone posted in that thread. This is known as 'thread dredging' and is more or less frowned upon. People generally do it as a way to up their post count for some reason or another. People like me will generally give you grief for doing it.


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## redcolnago (Jul 12, 2015)

cxwrench said:


> I have to ask...how does a brand new member happen to come across a thread from 2011 in the first place? And it's been 2 years since anyone posted in that thread. This is known as 'thread dredging' and is more or less frowned upon. People generally do it as a way to up their post count for some reason or another. People like me will generally give you grief for doing it.


Why do you have to ask? If it is so bad why are the threads not deleted? Grumpy old guys tell new members you search old threads and when they do the grumpy old guys complain. ps...it would have been a big deal perhaps if this was a Campy thread.
ps...hey just checked and I think there were a few other posts after 2011 and I think the guy you were criticizing was a former racer.....guys crazy enough to race get a lot of respect from me.


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## Trek_5200 (Apr 21, 2013)

not a bad idea. really old threads should be locked, but not deleted.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

Trek_5200 said:


> not a bad idea. really old threads should be locked, but not deleted.


That would require moderators that were involved w/ the forum. I've seen a couple lately which is more than the past couple of years but on the whole they're absent.


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## kiwisimon (Oct 30, 2002)

cxwrench said:


> I have to ask...how does a brand new member happen to come across a thread from 2011 in the first place? And it's been 2 years since anyone posted in that thread. This is known as 'thread dredging' and is more or less frowned upon. People generally do it as a way to up their post count for some reason or another. People like me will generally give you grief for doing it.


Ppl like me like the recycling of previously well presented information. To each their own I guess. I also buy second hand books and used cycling gear.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

cxwrench said:


> I have to ask...how does a brand new member happen to come across a thread from 2011 in the first place? And it's been 2 years since anyone posted in that thread. This is known as 'thread dredging' and is more or less frowned upon. People generally do it as a way to up their post count for some reason or another. People like me will generally give you grief for doing it.


Especially silly in the case where someone was asking about information regarding a bike they were thinking of buying SEVEN YEARS AGO!They've probably made up their mind by now. I hope the guy bought the bike with Shimano 7400 on it. It's the nicest looking group Shimano ever produced.


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## redcolnago (Jul 12, 2015)

*4 500*



pmf said:


> Especially silly in the case where someone was asking about information regarding a bike they were thinking of buying SEVEN YEARS AGO!They've probably made up their mind by now. I hope the guy bought the bike with Shimano 7400 on it. It's the nicest looking group Shimano ever produced.



Hey...in some places we have a winter...we need to read old threads to kill time. I might get up the nerve to try riding on one of two indoor velodromes in North America which is only 30 minutes from my house....hey, I would have to buy another bike! It looked like fun!

Ps..to the above poster...are you sure you are not posting on old threads to get to 4,500 posts? Just kidding


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## redcolnago (Jul 12, 2015)

*4 500*

Hey.....How do u delete a repeated post


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## ogre (Dec 16, 2005)

And it seems if you create a new post, you’re threatened with angry responses for not using the [email protected]?!&@ search function.


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## cxwrench (Nov 9, 2004)

redcolnago said:


> Hey...in some places we have a winter...we need to read old threads to kill time. I might get up the nerve to try riding on one of two indoor velodromes in North America which is only 30 minutes from my house....hey, I would have to buy another bike! It looked like fun!
> 
> Ps..to the above poster...are you sure you are not posting on old threads to get to 4,500 posts? Just kidding


Definitely try the track, it's awesome! I can pretty much promise it will be the best time you've had on a bike in years.


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