View Full Version : what's in a name
Kines
01-26-2005, 08:14 AM
where did Dura Ace get its name?
Hard Fit
01-26-2005, 09:30 AM
It translates into:
Do U Race?
It translates into:
Do U Race?
Seriously?
pale scotsman
01-26-2005, 10:58 AM
It's from the great japanese davincian protege Eca Arud. Only spelt backwards. ;)
BarryG
01-26-2005, 11:27 AM
“Dura” from the duralumin alloy it was originally made from in 1973 and “Ace” simply meaning great (ichiban). At least this is Shimano's own story.
Ti Designs
01-26-2005, 12:28 PM
Dura-Ace was indeed named after it's duraluminum. It was a clear annodized aluminum alloy which stood up in salt water (their main focus at the time was the fishing industry). Before Dura-Ace, and along side Dura-Ace for at least one year there was Crane. I have no idea what that was named after, I just happen to have one in my collection of forgotten bike stuff.
Then came the rest of the Dura-Ace family. Dura-Ace AX, the aero version. This stuff cracks me up because the marketing made it seem like the bike was going to win races, not the rider. The box showed a rider on a road bike wearing a full face aero helmet. And just how aero can a rear derailleur be? Then came Dura-Ace EX with it's new cassette hub, that Uniglide stuff that nobody could explain, and the ability to run an 11 (our amps go to 11). Then came "new" Dura-Ace with SIS, then it was just Dura-Ace as New Dura-Ace got old, and another gear showed up in the cluster (good thing, 'cause that 11 was used mostly as a nut to tighten the rest of the cassette on). Somewhere along the lines they gave up on the name and started using the group numbers to tell the differences, like 7100 for the whole group with some upgraded parts getting their very own numbers. Now to keep track you need a digital display, and the last 3 digits would just be a blur...
interesting info...but...how long until Campy or Shimano tell us that our cassettes will go to 11? Cuz', you know, 10 is not enough.... :)
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