How to identify a Dura Ace chain ring?

cycledogg said:

Hello,
My LBS wants to sell me a "take-off" set of 9 speed Dura Ace chain
rings from a demo bike to replace my worn out Ultegra 9 speed set. How
can I tell if these rings are truely DA? Should there be some stamped
lettering or code numbers because both sets look the same to me.
Thanks

The colour is different.

Greets, Derk

With 7700, the finishing is much nicer than your 6500 Ultegra (which
look very 'stamped' by comparison. The webbing between the fixing
bolts and the teeth is much more intricate. Just the rings up to your
old cranks. If they look 'more expensive', they're probably DA.

BTW, is your LBS THAT shifty?

SYJ

cycledogg said:

Hello,
My LBS wants to sell me a "take-off" set of 9 speed Dura Ace chain
rings from a demo bike to replace my worn out Ultegra 9 speed set. How
can I tell if these rings are truely DA? Should there be some stamped
lettering or code numbers because both sets look the same to me.
Thanks

On 10/6/05 5:18 PM, in article
[email hidden], "StaceyJ"

Quoted message said:

With 7700, the finishing is much nicer than your 6500 Ultegra (which
look very 'stamped' by comparison. The webbing between the fixing
bolts and the teeth is much more intricate. Just the rings up to your
old cranks. If they look 'more expensive', they're probably DA.

BTW, is your LBS THAT shifty?

SYJ

cycledogg said:

Hello,
My LBS wants to sell me a "take-off" set of 9 speed Dura Ace chain
rings from a demo bike to replace my worn out Ultegra 9 speed set. How
can I tell if these rings are truely DA? Should there be some stamped
lettering or code numbers because both sets look the same to me.
Thanks

I have a Dura-Ace chain ring and it says "Dura-Ace" right on the ring.
Maybe Shimano does not do this with all of their chain rings but I can't
imagine why they wouldn't.
Chuck

cycledogg said:

Hello,
My LBS wants to sell me a "take-off" set of 9 speed Dura Ace chain
rings from a demo bike to replace my worn out Ultegra 9 speed set. How
can I tell if these rings are truely DA? Should there be some stamped
lettering or code numbers because both sets look the same to me.
Thanks

Usually I can tell by the un-godly price tag, but this is a special
case. 9sp Dura Ace is nickel plated and shiny, where 9sp Ultegra is a
flat gray. Both are marked "Shimano SG", "A" or "B" (depending on which
ring it mates with) and the number of teeth.

Why not ask them to pull out a new set to compare?

-n

Llatikcuf said:

Usually I can tell by the un-godly price tag, but this is a special
case. 9sp Dura Ace is nickel plated and shiny, where 9sp Ultegra is a
flat gray.

Mine (DA)have some sort of Ti colored finish... not shiny at all. They
are older 7700 9-speed cranks though... maybe the 7701s are nickel
plated.

Ron Ruff said:

Llatikcuf said:

Usually I can tell by the un-godly price tag, but this is a special
case. 9sp Dura Ace is nickel plated and shiny, where 9sp Ultegra is a
flat gray.

Mine (DA)have some sort of Ti colored finish... not shiny at all. They
are older 7700 9-speed cranks though... maybe the 7701s are nickel
plated.

Depends on the age. It's only been in the last few years that the
"titanium" finish has come into vogue. Before that, Dura-Ace were
mirror-polished silver. Every one I've seen has had "Dura-Ace" etched
into the surface of the webbing, though.

Jeff