In my own experience, I've seen quite a few front hubs and forks spaced at 96mm from the 1970's. This was very common on lower-spec ten-speeds. I've also seen rear hubs on unmolested bikes spaced at 114-116mm and wearing 5-speed freewheels. I have no idea on the origins of these seemingly anomalous spec's, but considering that many, many five-speed-equipped, production rear wheels will instantly accept standard 6-speed freewheels with room to spare, a narrower 116mm spec won't be any worse than that, dish-wise, if the hubshell (and 5-speed freewheel) is positioned a few millimeters closer to the right within the slightly narrower spacing. Shimano would have been happy to supply hubs to any customer's OEM spec's, and early Dura-Ace parts were periodically spec'd on a variety of otherwise very low-spec bicycles in the '70's.
David Snyder Auburn, CA usa
Tom Harriman wrote:
> Dura Ace hubs were all manufactured for standard sized rear triangles and
> front forks. There were never any off sized hubs or frames.
>
> The problem is not the hubs, it's the frame and fork. I'm guessing her
> because I haven't seen them, but I would say the the frame and fork
> weren't properly spaced when they arrived at the bike shop, and then an
> inexperienced mechanic removed spacers from the hubs in order for them to
> fit the frame and fork.
>
>Charles Nighbor wrote:
>> Mearsuring my NIB 70's Dura-Ace hubs from the 1970's I get a rear spacing
>> of 116mm. I also get 96mm for front. Is that a typical dimension for
>> 70's. I thought 100mm front and 120mm or 126mm was 70's normal.
>> I checked 9 times.. I would like to use or sell them but with those
>> spacings I would 1st need to replace both axes and add spacers to rear
>> get to 100mm front and either 120mm or 126mm rear.
>> The total length of the axles is not long enough to make standard
>> spacing100 mm Front and 120 mm rear work. I have a set of same hubs but
>> correct 100mm front and120mm rear and you can see the difference in the
>> length of axles. My axles are 1/4'' shorter. My guess is made for special
>> run of frames. Box doesn't give axle length. My only fix is new axles.