Dura-Ace "AX" vs." EX"

Gary Jacobson said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants only an AX. My recollection is
that they were the same except for the markings. Does anyone remember the difference?

The "AX" was the aero version, quite different. AX cranks used the oversized "Dyna Drive" pedal
threading.

Sheldon "Whooooosh" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------+
| Military conscription is the worst form of slavery. | A more enlightened age will consider it a
| War crime. |
+-------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Hmmm.

Mine are in a box that says EX. They use Dynadrive (oversized pedals), and I have step down to
9/16 inserts.

I have seen AX cranks engraved with AX, but mine are not. Mine are like AX in every way except the
crank itself does not say AX (nor EX for that matter), and the box reads "EX" and "Aerodynamics",
and the cardboard tray is clearly cut out for the larger pedal eye.

I have two sets like this, one in a box, and one used.

I seem to recall that the 600 EX had standard 9/16 threading.

I wonder if Shimano made the Dura Ace EX after they discontinued the AX group.

Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gary Jacobson said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants only

an

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

AX. My recollection is that they were the same except for the markings. Does anyone remember the
difference?

The "AX" was the aero version, quite different. AX cranks used the oversized "Dyna Drive" pedal
threading.

Sheldon "Whooooosh" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------+
| Military conscription is the worst form of slavery. | A more enlightened age will consider it a
| War crime. |
+-------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

Not positive, as it HAS been a while, (!) but I'll cop to having had an AX group back in the day.
While the engraving on the cranks did differ, as I recall it the main group differences were in the
other components. I think EX didn't have the aero center-pull brakes, ovalized seatpost or top-mount
shifters, for instance. But you could get DD cranks on both. They did a 600AX group as well, with
similar parts; DD cranks, aero brakes, etc. 600EX came later and was a more conventional group.

I loved the DD cranks & pedals, but as a scrawny climber back then I avoided the not uncommon
experience of snapping 'em off... ;-)

SB

"Gary Jacobson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hmmm.

Mine are in a box that says EX. They use Dynadrive (oversized pedals), and

I

Quoted message said:

have step down to 9/16 inserts.

I have seen AX cranks engraved with AX, but mine are not. Mine are like AX in every way except the
crank itself does not say AX (nor EX for that matter), and the box reads "EX" and "Aerodynamics",
and the cardboard tray is clearly cut out for the larger pedal eye.

I have two sets like this, one in a box, and one used.

I seem to recall that the 600 EX had standard 9/16 threading.

I wonder if Shimano made the Dura Ace EX after they discontinued the AX group.

Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY

"Sheldon Brown" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gary Jacobson said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants

only

Quoted message said:

an

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

AX. My recollection is that they were the same except for the

markings.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone remember the difference?

The "AX" was the aero version, quite different. AX cranks used the oversized "Dyna Drive" pedal
threading.

Sheldon "Whooooosh" Brown +-------------------------------------------------------+
| Military conscription is the worst form of slavery. | A more enlightened age will consider it
| a War crime. |
+-------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

"Gary Jacobson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants only an AX. My recollection is
that they were the same except for the markings. Does anyone remember the difference?

EX and AX cranks both use a 130mm ring. The AX has an Escher-type spider that's either attractively
or disturbingly asymmetric to the arm and a 1"x24 pedal thread for the DD pedal system. (There are
adapters available to use a 9/16" pedal in an AX arm). Both use the same BB spindle.

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Gary Jacobson said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants only an AX. My recollection
is that they were the same except for the markings. Does anyone remember the difference?

The "AX" was the aero version, quite different. AX cranks used the oversized "Dyna Drive" pedal
threading.

Sheldon "Whooooosh" Brown

So did "EX" - I have a set (and still ride them). Mine were purchased as an "EX" closeout sale after
"AX" was introduced, ca. 1982.

Can someone tell me who sells the 9/16" adapter bushings?

Jim McKim

Loose Screws has some, as does Table Rock Tours in Rosendale, NY. I also have some for sale if
someone buys my two sets of cranks. Gary Jacobson Rosendale, NY

"Jim" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Sheldon Brown <[email hidden]> wrote in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Gary Jacobson said:

I have some Dura ACE EX cranks to sell. One interested party wants

only an

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

AX. My recollection is that they were the same except for the

markings.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Does anyone remember the difference?

The "AX" was the aero version, quite different. AX cranks used the oversized "Dyna Drive" pedal
threading.

Sheldon "Whooooosh" Brown

So did "EX" - I have a set (and still ride them). Mine were purchased as an "EX" closeout sale
after "AX" was introduced, ca. 1982.

Can someone tell me who sells the 9/16" adapter bushings?

Jim McKim

[email hidden] (Jim) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>... <snip>

Quoted message said:

So did "EX" - I have a set (and still ride them). Mine were purchased as an "EX" closeout sale
after "AX" was introduced, ca. 1982.

Can someone tell me who sells the 9/16" adapter bushings?

Jim McKim

I can't say for sure, but EuroAsia Imports had some when I last visited. It's been a couple
years, though...

Contact a bike shop that has an account with EuroAsia- they don't deal consumer-direct.

Jeff