Shimano is my personal choice of bike componentry. Through the mid-eighties, I was with Peter Post’s dominant Panasonic squad, where we had been using Campagnolo. I wanted desperately to try Shimano and it wasn’t until I began riding with the smaller TVM team in 1988, that I could bring Shimano on board. Shimano Japan heard of my enthusiasm and hunted me down and were happy to sign up with my TVM squad.
The team became the test-bed of what became the STI integrated gear/brake lever mechanism. It was an exciting period in my career and the beginning of a strong relationship. I still have regular contact with the engineering team in Japan.
