Okay, I currently have bikes built up around the following Shimano groupsets:
200GS, 400LX, LX M550, DX M650, XT M732/5, STX, STX-RC, LX M560, LX M567/9, XT M739, XT M750 and a couple of more modern ones.
Currently I also have non completed bikes with:
Deore MT-60, LX M563, LX M565, XT M737, Exage Mountain/Trail, SRAM ESP900 and Sachs Plasma/Centera.
An obvious omission at present is any XTR. I hope to remedy this at some point with an M900 and an M950 build. I have accumulated a few parts but it just tends to be a bit too expensive all the time.
I'd also like to get a couple of Suntour equipped bikes in there. Having used a pair of XC-Pro thumbshifters on my main bike between 1996 and 2004, I can fondly remember how well they always worked.
I've no real interest in the lower end groupsets from the early 90's onwards like Altus, Acera and Alivio. Having worked on a few bikes with such components fitted I can say that, although perfectly functional, there is nothing more ugly than an Altus C50 rear mech from 1994.
Tourney comes pretty close though.
I have got a 100GS rear mech in my rear mech collection...
It's far too rare a thing to actually use.
I do quite like the black LX groupsets, especially the first M560 one from 1993. The problem I find, in terms of collecting them, is the number of subtle variations between 1993 and 1999 when it changed to the horrible blueish M570 edition.
DX is still my favourite groupset.
pretty much anything on my bikes if it works or I like the look of it, though I don't think I'd EVER intentionally put 1990-92 GS/LX 'Piano Shifters' on my bike, IMO, they are just plain UGLY and arn't the most natural feeling shifter.
