Ok, well I guess the change from 151 bcd to 144 was a rather minor one, and removing the inner dustcap from the pedal eye of the crank was a minor one too. But darned, the crankset is just a casting with a few holes in useful places. A front derailleur is a far more complicated design.
I some sense I was trying to capture the notion that the front derailleur deserves some sort of longevity award among all campagnolo mechanical components. Maybe only the quick release is comparable.
I think it took the longest for other competitors to equal and then surpass the nuovo record front derailleur. If you asked Cipollini to pick a 1960's component to put on his bike and still be competitive in the 2005 giro d'italia, to prove a point, he'd probably choose a nuovo record front derailleur (o.k. i'm not sure that guy even knows where the front derailleur is located, but you get the idea ...) Certainly vintage hubs, cranks, rear mech, or shifters would put him at a greater disadvantage.
- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA