Wayne gets a gold star,
Peter Jon white, GO stand in the corner!!
There is indeed a DURA ACE labelled derailleur that is not an EX.
In 1980, both versions are shown in the catalog. The difference is that the newer EX version has a quick release plate in the pully cage that allows the chain to be removed without taking out a pully. The "plain" and earlier dura ace derailleur has a convention cage.
Grant McLean(tm) Toronto.Ca
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Peter Jon White wrote: While the Crane was in production, it was sold as part of the Dura Ace group. There was no rear derailleur named Dura Ace. So, effectively, the Crane was the Dura Ace rear derailleur.
Wayne Bingham wrote: While it's generally understood that the first Dura Ace components (with the exception of the odd DA center-pull calipers) designed as a group were introduced in 73. And that the Crane rear derailleur was part of the original DA line. What's unclear is when the Dura Ace labeled derailleur replaced the Crane. I believe this was before the introduction of the EX series, which was fully five years later. Meaning there was an interim DA rear derailleur. I have versions of both the Crane and what I had believed to be the first DA derailleur. They are very, very similar, but not quite the same. I don't have an EX version for comparison. Does anyone know when the change took place? Or am I wrong and the Crane hung on until EX and that's the first true DA r-der?