Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

User avatar
WyvernRH
Posts: 3175
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW

Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby WyvernRH » Wed Apr 25, 2018 2:09 pm

A lot of odd bits have been arriving in the workshop recently triggering a lot of componant changes on the fleet. None odder than this Shimano Deore AX chainset and pedals. The Shimano Deore 'Touring Ensemble' came out circa 1981 and was blessed with the AX style cranks with oversize pedal axles that Shimano was pushing at the time.
Catalog scan here http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gTokPIgVqMg/U ... 600/26.jpg
Image
I already have a complete set of derailleurs and levers from this 'Ensemble' so I was pleased to pickup the chainset and pedals in pretty good condition. Also in the picture is my fallback position in case I hate the pedals - alloy adapters to allow normal pedals to be fitted (as seen on l/h crank). These had to sourced from Belgorad in Russia believe it or not and included the special tool to fit them, all for a very small amount of money. Very nicely made and fit exactly. Much better looking than the official Shimano conversion fittings which were bug ugly and stuck out like dog's round things (also very hard to find)
The chainset is destined for my M.H.Jones which already has the Deore derailleurs fitted but I haven't fitted it yet as I have fallen foul of the old axle length problem. Way back then triples had LONG axles, no offset cranks in those days! So the 122mm I had estimated was just too short and I await the delivery of a Shimano 126mm cartridge.
I shall try out the low swing pedals and see how we go. They are pretty heavy and, it has to be said, pretty ugly items. So I may well use the adapters anyway as the Jones is a quite a light and good looking bike.
I'll post 'As fitted' pictures when AusPost finally get around to delivering the new bottom bracket cartridge.

Richard
PS if anyone knows of the whereabouts of an example of the short(er) arm Deore rear derailleur shown in the catalog - I'm interested!

User avatar
find_bruce
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10559
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 8:42 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby find_bruce » Wed Apr 25, 2018 4:19 pm

Nice!

Deore AX cranks were weird even by AX standards - they were the only shimano cranks to use the cyclo tourist style 50.6 mm bcd inner pins, but a unique to this crank inner chainring of 85mm bcd. Middle chainrings were either 130 or 110 bcd depending on the version.

Is yours 130 or 110?

User avatar
WyvernRH
Posts: 3175
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby WyvernRH » Wed Apr 25, 2018 9:24 pm

find_bruce wrote:Nice!

Deore AX cranks were weird even by AX standards - they were the only shimano cranks to use the cyclo tourist style 50.6 mm bcd inner pins, but a unique to this crank inner chainring of 85mm bcd. Middle chainrings were either 130 or 110 bcd depending on the version.

Is yours 130 or 110?
Mine is 130 BCD for the middle ring. However I think you will find the old Stronglight 85 BCD inner chainrings fit OK on the inner. I tried a few out that I had in the spares box before I decided that the original 30t Shimano would be fine.

Richard

User avatar
find_bruce
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10559
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 8:42 pm
Location: Sydney

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby find_bruce » Wed Apr 25, 2018 10:37 pm

Interesting- is it the bcd the same or just that 1mm doesn’t make a difference?

User avatar
P!N20
Posts: 4024
Joined: Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:50 pm
Location: Wurundjeri Country

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby P!N20 » Thu Apr 26, 2018 8:51 am

If you've got Dyna Drive pedals you have to use them!

Are the cages generic or specific to the pedals?

User avatar
WyvernRH
Posts: 3175
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby WyvernRH » Thu Apr 26, 2018 12:28 pm

P!N20 wrote:Are the cages generic or specific to the pedals?
I'm using generic Christophe toeclips. These pedals have a bolt on angle plate adapter on the underside that allows you to fit 'normal' toeclips. Shimano probably thought tourists would want this option.
However the bolt holes are present to fit the AX specific toeclips as used by the 'racing' pedals that came with the sporty AX models so you could fit those if you took off the adapter plates.
find_bruce wrote:Interesting- is it the bcd the same or just that 1mm doesn’t make a difference?
Have to be honest here, I only loosely bolted up the Stronglight chainrings after eyeballing them against the Shimano ring. Thinking about it, one would hope the tolerances on the machining of the holes in the rings would have prevented me tightening them up fully :wink:

Richard

hemirokingi
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:18 pm

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby hemirokingi » Sat Apr 28, 2018 1:58 pm

Hi WynvernRH,

I have the same group set on my mixte (photos below)! I love the DD pedals! :lol: When I bought the bike (for a grand total of $20), it came with the cranks and pedals. I bought the rest of the group set from Hungary - safe to say that cost a lot more that $20...

Anyway, lovely to see another complete group set out there! I have not seen many other completed. Enjoy the wonders of Deore AX!

ImageIMG-5123 by Hemi Robinson-Kingi, on Flickr
ImageIMG-5132 by Hemi Robinson-Kingi, on Flickr
ImageIMG-5127 by Hemi Robinson-Kingi, on Flickr
ImageIMG-5135 by Hemi Robinson-Kingi, on Flickr

User avatar
WyvernRH
Posts: 3175
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby WyvernRH » Sun Apr 29, 2018 9:37 am

That's really nice! I won't be able to use the levers on the MHJ as it has Shimano lever braze-ons and the Deore R/H lever has a one-off specific mount that does not fit the 'normal' Shimano braze-on. You have the 'short/medium' version of the rear derailleur which matches your two ring crank. They are pretty uncommon, I've not seen one outside of the catalogue photos.

Richard

User avatar
WyvernRH
Posts: 3175
Joined: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:41 pm
Location: Newcastle NSW

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby WyvernRH » Sun Apr 29, 2018 2:53 pm

Well, here is a couple of pictures of the Deore AX kit fitted to my M.H.Jones. Haven't ridden it apart from down the road to test the gears as the weather has been foul. Maybe next week...
As I said above I could not use the Deore D/T levers as the Deore R/H lever needs a specific fitting and will not fit on the Shimano D/T lever braze-on, at least not without an adapter that I do not possess. I will be running a 50/42/30 to 12-28 six speed. A 40t in the middle would have been a bit more logical but the 42t was what I had hanging on the wall.

Image
Image

Richard

hemirokingi
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:18 pm

Re: Deore AX Chainset and Pedals

Postby hemirokingi » Sun Apr 29, 2018 6:12 pm

The MHJ looks lovely! The paint work looks in great nic. That's shame about the levers - I wonder if an adapter does exist? Looking forward to hearing how it goes once you are able to get out for a longer ride! I found the 'centreon' mechanism took a bit of getting used to, but I am a fan now.

Thanks for the info regarding the derailleur and chain rings. I must admit I didn't know that much about the groupset - all ways nice to find out a bit more!

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users