On Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 5:00:38 PM UTC-7, Luns Tee wrote:
> On Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 3:34:15 PM UTC-7, AMuzi wrote:
> > Right I think we're on the same page = no bronze colored
> > aero levers.
> Yes, if there were bronze levers, I'm not aware of them.
While I thought it to be the case, I was cautious to not explicity say bronze levers don't exist. I'm glad now I didn't
On Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 12:07:53 PM UTC-7, Sir Ridesalot wrote:
> On another forum a fellow posted a link to images of bronze colour N600 aero brake levers with white hoods. Unless those are not the N600 ones but a later version. No matter to me as I just want bronze colour aero brake levers to match my brake calipers and other components on that bike. It's a circa 1985 Miele Beta.
>
> Now I'm wondering if the lever images posted are actually early Ultegra and not bronze colour.
I believe this to be the other forum cited earlier:
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/825144-shimano-600-bronze-finish.html
I'm convinced now these are indeed bronze-finish 600EX (after they stopped calling it New) and not just funny exposure settings for the photos or discolouring from age. I was very aware of bronze coloured Biopace chainrings, obvious in contrast against the silver finish of cranks they were mounted on. Photos in this thread show this bronze finish on the other parts ties into that colour scheme. The contrast of the aluminum bezel of the brake lever body against the colour of the levers themselves, as well as the contrast between FD cage and its outer parallelogram link match the contrast between chainrings and crank.
Very Pretty!
The levers in the photos are most certainly BL-6209 600EX and are not 600 Ultegra. The pivot is an allen-head nut/bolt, the large heads of which are visible on the sides. Later aero levers used a headless through pin that's retained by a grub screw in the lever body, an arrangement that carried into STI levers up to ST-6603. Also, the escutcheon of the BL-6209 is a feature of the brake lever body, with the opposing point of the body (where the cable would exit a non-aero lever) being a plastic insert. The BL-6400 (non-aero) and later aero levers reversed this arrangement, with the point being part of the aluminum body, and the escutcheon being a plastic insert (called the bracket cap) that's held captive by the brake hood.
-Luns