Couple of questions to be answered

[Kentphil]

Just a couple of questions I've always wondered about.

Does anyone know why Shimano 105 is called "105"?

What happens to all the ex tour de france bikes? There must be hundreds from the past tours. Where do they all go?

 

[orange71]

here's a sort of answer to question 2: http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewto ... highlight=

as for 105 - why is any of it called what's it's called? :shock: LX? XT? The 'R' in XTR is for 'Racing' I think. Deore? Dura Ace? I'd love to know!

 

[one-eyed_jim]

Does anyone know why Shimano 105 is called "105"?

Shimano used to be keen on three-digit group numbers (105, 600, 300LX, etc), but I don't think there's another example like that: digit-zero-digit.

Sometimes Japanese names are given because they sound like words whose ideograms have other meanings - a bit like calling something S3X in English because a 3 looks like an E. I wonder if that was a factor.

If you find out, I'd love to know.

What happens to all the ex tour de france bikes? There must be hundreds from the past tours. Where do they all go?

Most of them are sold off. I was at a cycle jumble in the Loiret a few years ago where the Cofidis squad were selling their TT bikes and spare wheels.

 

[drcarlos]

Does anyone know why Shimano 105 is called "105"?

Shimano used to be keen on three-digit group numbers (105, 600, 300LX, etc), but I don't think there's another example like that: digit-zero-digit.

Sometimes Japanese names are given because they sound like words whose ideograms have other meanings - a bit like calling something S3X in English because a 3 looks like an E. I wonder if that was a factor.

If you find out, I'd love to know.

What happens to all the ex tour de france bikes? There must be hundreds from the past tours. Where do they all go?

Most of them are sold off. I was at a cycle jumble in the Loiret a few years ago where the Cofidis squad were selling their TT bikes and spare wheels.

Ultegra used to be '600 Ultegra' and I think this was dropped around the time Dura-Ace came on the scene. 105 though has always just been 105.
Be interested to hear why they are called what they are.

Carl.

 

[ferrus]

S,X,T,R,S,L,V etc just seem to be letters deemed modern or 'hi-tech' or sexy by the marketing people; look how many car and motorbike models there've been called XT or whatever.
Dura Ace, Ultegra, Deore..-haven't these been chosen to sound sleek and sexy also.. in contrast to, say Campag's more traditional or 'classic' image projection. The numbers -just easy too remember and roll of the tongue nicely ?

Now, back in the sixties we had..............Shimano Pecker ! :shock:

 

[ferrus]

double post edit

 

[terryhfs]

It's just a marketing thing - they picked numbers that sound good. Why does BMW market a 1.8 litre engined car under the name 316?

Ultegra used to be 600, then 600EX then 600 Ultegra, then Ultegra. Dura-Ace is numbered in the 7xxx series, 7400, 7410 and so on.