Re: [CR]Zeus Crank ID...?

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2001 18:42:30 -0500
From: Jerry & Liz Moos <moos@penn.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: Re: [CR]Zeus Crank ID...?
References: <9CE7CEBC1555D4118FCD006008279E684C7DB4@mppmail.mpp.cpii.com> <3A6A1F94.C9601A07@penn.com>


Sorry, the cranks bolts are 16 mm, not 116, 16 is already hard enough to remove at times.

Regards,

Jerry Moos

Jerry & Liz Moos wrote:
> So Brad, care to speculate where our mysterious Cosmos gruppo fits into the
> picture? Crank profile is more rounded than old Criterium, but less so than New
> Racer, one long single-level flute like Criterium. Arms are polished but rings
> more satin. Rings are not drilled and have webbing like later "aero" cranks.
> Logo on arms is the "Z", but enclosed in a circle that says "Zeus Spain". The
> BB spindle is chromed steel and says "Zeus 114-55", the calipers verify the
> 114mm length. The crank bolts are chromed "Zeus Spain" and are the classic Zeus
> 116mm, which Zeus had in common with Stronglight. Ever seen this stuff?
>
> Regards,
>
> Jerry Moos
>
> Stockwell, Brad wrote:
>
> > To All:
> >
> > Holy Cow! I recently got back from vacation and have noted that
> > apparently there is a post-millenial Zeus 'Anschluss' in progress - there's
> > been tons of stuff on Ebay and elsewhere lately and I've been going nuts!
> > There is no more room in my garage! There is no more money in my pocket!
> >
> > REGARDING IDENTIFICATION OF ZEUS CRANKS:
> > From about '74 to '79, all Zeus crankarms have the same shape. If you
> > check the Zeus parts page on 'le Rendezvous', the photo of the crank with
> > the reddish background (below the photo of the hubs) is from the 1977 Zeus
> > 103 catalog and although this photo particularly depicts the 2000 model, it
> > shows the generic topology.
> >
> > Starting with this image, you get yourself a Criterium crank by deleting
> > the slots in the arms, the holes in the rings, and the black coating on the
> > chainring bolts. From there, you get you a Gran Sport crank by deleting the
> > milling in the spider arms, using a softer grade of aluminum, and replacing
> > the Zeus-in-an-oval logo with the older Zeus-world logo.
> >
> > In a manner which mimics Campy, 1977's Gran Sport crank is twins with
> > 1971's Criterium.
> >
> > There were at least 5 versions of the 2000 crank. The early one (version
> > 1, I don't know when it premiered but It was before I joined the party in
> > '75) had 3 equal-length slots milled all-the-way-through the arms. A later
> > one (v2) had 3 through-slots which tapered in length (shortest one at the
> > pedal end). By '77 (v3), Zeus had stopped putting the slots all the way
> > through, despite the fact that the picture in the 103 catalog still showed
> > them. By '79 the Zeus 104 catalog showed the design pictured in the second
> > crank photo on the Zeus Rendesvous parts page (with the 'sand' colored
> > background - I call this version 5). In this model the rings are beefier,
> > the arms have a different aspect ratio, and look! We've changed the logo
> > again! In '78 there was a hybrid (v4) that had the '79-style rings on the
> > '77-style arms.
> >
> > Circa '80, there was a 'Supercronos' crank which was the Criterium arms
> > with the 2000 rings. (There was an early Supercronos parts group which was a
> > cocktail of criterium parts mixed with the flashier 2000 derailleurs and
> > chainrings, and the 2001 sidepulls.)
> >
> > After '80, the criterium crank had the beefier rings mentioned above but
> > without the holes.
> >
> > Sometime before '86 Zeus changed the arm design to get the 'Aero-look' in
> > the new Supercronos and New Racer (think updated Gran sport) cranks. The
> > aero crank style is shown in the New Racer ad at the bottom of the Zeus
> > Rendesvous parts page. The Supercronos had drilled rings, the New Racer
> > didn't. The Supercronos arms can be distinguished from the New Racer arms
> > by checking out the finish: if it's satiny anodization, it's Supercronos; if
> > it's shiny polished aluminum, it's New Racer.
> >
> > All the '70's cranks used a 118mm spindle (like stronglight) and to the
> > best of my measurement ability have 119mm chainring bolt circle diameters.
> > I suspect that some people call it 120mm because they distrusted their
> > senses and picked the closest round number. In '79, the titanium in the
> > 2000 BB (and elsewhere in the 2000 series) was replaced with another metal
> > referred to as Titanox, which I can now confirm is magnetic (via testing
> > with 28MGO Samarium Cobalt) and I'll guess that it is some form of stainless
> > steel since it is uncoated.
> >
> > The later cranks use a 110 spindle with the same 55mm flange spacing and
> > cups as the 70's models.
> >
> > Brad Stockwell
> > Palo Alto (year 2000 final tally: 6210 bike miles - only about a factor
> > of 3 less than Lance!)
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Harvey M Sachs [mailto:sachs@erols.com]
> > Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2001 6:58 AM
> > To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> > Subject: [CR]Zeus Crank ID...?
> >
> > Lads & Lassies -
> >
> > I'm trying to identify a Zeus Crank set (so I can sell or
> > trade it).
> >
> > Classic-looking 5-arm, with Zeus-pattern bolt circle
> > (slightly smaller than
> > Campy).
> > Arm looks like Criterium at
> > http://www.cyclesdeoro.com/zeus_crit_cranks.htm
> > but forged arms, not a 5-pin adapter as shown. Arm has
> > groove and slight
> > elevation for the pedal hole, as shown there.
> > No metal-worming (drilling) on the rings.
> >
> > Definitely NOT New Racer chainrings as shown in
> > http://www.cyclesdeoro.com/Zeus_N_rac.htm - has shape like
> > the 2000 rings.
> >
> > (Gee, thanks, Dale, for the wonderful photo albums that give
> > us reference
> > instead of just trying to drool words).
> >
> > Harvey Sachs
> >
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