Wyndham and List, I have no clue about this specific bike, but as far as I am aware of, Shimano issued exact specs for bikes equipped with their AX gruppos. I suspect this was a promo piece to showcase the gruppo. The frame looks like similiar frames made by Tsunoda in japan. Those bikes were marketed under the Tsunoda brand, Norta of Belgium brand (I have one of those) and also as Jan Janssen bikes. The latter i suspect were Nortas using a different brand name. Most of the Nortas i have seen use a normal round seat post, I have seen a Tsunoda using a aerodynamic seat tube and post, just like the Shimano bike. The tubing of all of this bikes was Tange, some people suspected Tange also making the frames. On Stephans homepage http://www.speedbicycles.com you can take a look at a typical Tsunoda AX bike. Very similiar to the Shimano labelled bike.
Regards
Michael Schmid Oberammergau Germany
Tel.: +49 8821 798790 Fax.:+49 8821 798791 mail: schmid@zunterer.com http://www.zunterer.com
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] Im Auftrag von Simon P-J Gesendet: Dienstag, 27. Mai 2008 19:18 An: 'Classic Rendezvous' Betreff: [CR]Shimano branded Dura Ace AX 'aero' bikes: info???
Can anyone provide or point to information about the Shimano branded Dura Ace AX aero tubed bikes?
http://www.wooljersey.com/
Were they produced solely to promote and demonstrate the Dura Ace AX groupset? Or was it about selling bikes - with Shimano making a serious move into the top end of the racing bike market?
How many markets did they appear in? Large or small numbers? Just the US?
Who were the frames made by? Were there different versions? Were they all built in Tange Aero tubing?
Many thanks for any answers.
Wyndham Pulman-Jones
Girton, Cambs., UK.