Strange hexagonal BB axle
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: New Rochelle, NY
Posts: 38,716
Bikes: too many bikes from 1967 10s (5x2)Frejus to a Sumitomo Ti/Chorus aluminum 10s (10x2), plus one non-susp mtn bike I use as my commuter
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5787 Post(s)
Liked 2,580 Times
in
1,430 Posts
Vaguely. I temember these as coming on relatively low end bikes from Germany, or elsewhere in northern Europe, in the late sixties and seventies. I sort of recall that it was something with an "H", like Heinemann or similar.
I hope that helps.
As I said, it's been a long while, but if you don't have the crank, I suspect that you won't find one easily.
I hope that helps.
As I said, it's been a long while, but if you don't have the crank, I suspect that you won't find one easily.
Last edited by FBinNY; 12-22-22 at 12:28 PM.
#3
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,987
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6193 Post(s)
Liked 4,809 Times
in
3,317 Posts
There is a BB spindle on eBay with hexagonal ends Don't think it's quite the same as yours. But you might finds some hints in it's description to get you started googling for more info.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284486113024
. However I wouldn't have any issue tossing that one in your bike and putting something more normal in it. Assuming the BB shell matches some standard in common use today. If not, I'd toss the bike to the recycling scrap yard too.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284486113024
. However I wouldn't have any issue tossing that one in your bike and putting something more normal in it. Assuming the BB shell matches some standard in common use today. If not, I'd toss the bike to the recycling scrap yard too.
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Bloomington, IN
Posts: 2,949
Bikes: Paramount, Faggin, Ochsner, Ciocc, Basso
Mentioned: 117 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1303 Post(s)
Liked 1,911 Times
in
1,141 Posts
Toss out a bike that has hair growing out of it's joints? Pretty unusual phenomenon I think. Smiles, MH
#5
SE Wis
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukee, WI
Posts: 10,515
Bikes: '68 Raleigh Sprite, '02 Raleigh C500, '84 Raleigh Gran Prix, '91 Trek 400, 2013 Novara Randonee, 1990 Trek 970
Mentioned: 40 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2747 Post(s)
Liked 3,395 Times
in
2,056 Posts
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 18,084
Bikes: Stewart S&S coupled sport tourer, Stewart Sunday light, Stewart Commuting, Stewart Touring, Co Motion Tandem, Stewart 3-Spd, Stewart Track, Fuji Finest, Mongoose Tomac ATB, GT Bravado ATB, JCP Folder, Stewart 650B ATB
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4205 Post(s)
Liked 3,864 Times
in
2,312 Posts
I, too, have seen this type of crank/axle fitting. And like Francis I can't remember the brand or model names (although seem to think it was on a BMX/Freestyle bike) and agree with the speculation of not finding a replacement. If you pull the BB there might be some info marked on it. Andy
__________________
AndrewRStewart
AndrewRStewart
#7
Full Member
Thread Starter
Apparently suntour made a hexagonal one called Hexon.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
#8
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,519
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4355 Post(s)
Liked 3,994 Times
in
2,665 Posts
Apparently SR Suntour (a different company from the original Suntour) made a hexagonal one called Hexon.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
SR and actual Suntour are different companies, let's not get them confused. Maeda Industries went out of business and SR bought out the name.
SunXCD was founded by the former President of SunTour so it really has the lineage from SunTour
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Southern California
Posts: 2,191
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 114 Post(s)
Liked 119 Times
in
92 Posts
Apparently suntour made a hexagonal one called Hexon.
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
https://www.amazon.de/-/en/SR-Suntou.../dp/B002NN7JVU
So not sure what is going with the conflicting info.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656
Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,096 Times
in
742 Posts
You have to be careful with Amazon's descriptions of a lot of products. Many are improperly described and you have to know exactly what you are looking for. Bicycle components seem particularly prone to incorrect descriptions.
Likes For HillRider:
#11
Senior Member
According to Frank Berto (see his "Sunset for Suntour" article), SR was bought out by Mori Industries (a Japanese steel tubing company) in 1989. In 1990, Mori bought out Madea SunTour, combining the two entities shortly thereafter. The resulting company was called SR SunTour (likely to make use of both SR's and SunTour's name recognition).
The bottom bracket under discussion in the Amazon link above was apparently made after Mori combined SR and SunTour. Given SunTour's extensive expertise with bottom brackets, I'd guess it was made by the old SunTour division - but that's only a guess.
Last edited by Hondo6; 12-24-22 at 10:58 AM.
#12
Clark W. Griswold
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ,location, location
Posts: 13,519
Bikes: Foundry Chilkoot Ti W/Ultegra Di2, Salsa Timberjack Ti, Cinelli Mash Work RandoCross Fun Time Machine, 1x9 XT Parts Hybrid, Co-Motion Cascadia, Specialized Langster, Phil Wood Apple VeloXS Frame (w/DA 7400), R+M Supercharger2 Rohloff, Habanero Ti 26
Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4355 Post(s)
Liked 3,994 Times
in
2,665 Posts
Um, no. SR never owned SunTour.
According to Frank Berto (see his "Sunset for Suntour" article), SR was bought out by Mori Industries (a Japanese steel tubing company) in 1989. In 1990, Mori bought out Madea SunTour, combining the two entities shortly thereafter. The resulting company was called SR SunTour (likely to make use of both SR's and SunTour's name recognition).
The bottom bracket under discussion in the Amazon link above was apparently made after Mori combined SR and SunTour. Given SunTour's extensive expertise with bottom brackets, I'd guess it was made by the old SunTour division - but that's only a guess.
According to Frank Berto (see his "Sunset for Suntour" article), SR was bought out by Mori Industries (a Japanese steel tubing company) in 1989. In 1990, Mori bought out Madea SunTour, combining the two entities shortly thereafter. The resulting company was called SR SunTour (likely to make use of both SR's and SunTour's name recognition).
The bottom bracket under discussion in the Amazon link above was apparently made after Mori combined SR and SunTour. Given SunTour's extensive expertise with bottom brackets, I'd guess it was made by the old SunTour division - but that's only a guess.
#13
Full Member
Thread Starter
Um, no. SR never owned SunTour.
According to Frank Berto (see his "Sunset for Suntour" article), SR was bought out by Mori Industries (a Japanese steel tubing company) in 1989. In 1990, Mori bought out Madea SunTour, combining the two entities shortly thereafter. The resulting company was called SR SunTour (likely to make use of both SR's and SunTour's name recognition).
The bottom bracket under discussion in the Amazon link above was apparently made after Mori combined SR and SunTour. Given SunTour's extensive expertise with bottom brackets, I'd guess it was made by the old SunTour division - but that's only a guess.
According to Frank Berto (see his "Sunset for Suntour" article), SR was bought out by Mori Industries (a Japanese steel tubing company) in 1989. In 1990, Mori bought out Madea SunTour, combining the two entities shortly thereafter. The resulting company was called SR SunTour (likely to make use of both SR's and SunTour's name recognition).
The bottom bracket under discussion in the Amazon link above was apparently made after Mori combined SR and SunTour. Given SunTour's extensive expertise with bottom brackets, I'd guess it was made by the old SunTour division - but that's only a guess.
#14
Senior Member
Unfortunately, the new SR SunTour management team either chose not to purchase (or were perhaps unable to purchase) SunTour's intellectual property, other facilities, and other tooling as part of the 1995 buy-out. Berto says Mori sold SunTour's remaining tooling for scrap (which included the tooling for the Superbe groupset) and sold the rest of SunTour's remaining facilities individually. He doesn't say what happened to the IP rights.
I did some further checking, and it appears that SR SunTour produced products using the Hexon crank interface as late as the early 2010s. (Unfortunately, I've been unable to determine when it first appeared.) Based on that fact, I'd guess you're probably correct in thinking it was developed after the 1995 management-buy-out vice something developed by the old Madea SunTour development team.
Last edited by Hondo6; 12-27-22 at 02:37 PM. Reason: Correct typo.
Likes For Hondo6:
#15
Senior Member
You're most welcome. I especially enjoyed the late Paul Brodek's insider commentary at the end of that version of the article.
Got a copy of the latest edition of Berto's The Dancing Chain as a Christmas present. If the book is anywhere near as good as his "Sunset for Suntour" article, IMO it's worth every penny it might cost.
Got a copy of the latest edition of Berto's The Dancing Chain as a Christmas present. If the book is anywhere near as good as his "Sunset for Suntour" article, IMO it's worth every penny it might cost.
#16
Full Member
Thread Starter
In general it seems like a strange move to go for a hexagonal axle like that. Only works with 6-sided cranks and square axles have been the norm for 100 years or so.
Likes For ign1te:
#17
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,987
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6193 Post(s)
Liked 4,809 Times
in
3,317 Posts
6 corners will be harder to shear off than 4 corners.
#18
Full Member
Thread Starter
#19
I'm good to go!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 14,987
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 51 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6193 Post(s)
Liked 4,809 Times
in
3,317 Posts
But you'd mused earlier and thought it strange......
In general it seems like a strange move to go for a hexagonal axle like that. Only works with 6-sided cranks and square axles have been the norm for 100 years or so.
The fact they didn't catch on shows that other designs for the spindle and crank arm interface were better than just the hexagonal. ISIS and Octalink being very common today.