Classic & Vintage - Centurion Bikes - A History (Updated)

Moved to...
.
www.sheldonbrown.com/centurion
or
http://velobase.com/Resource_Tools/ArticleView.aspx?ArticleFile=d2112bed-d997-4839-864e-1acc776e9601
.
Also see...
.
http://velobase.com/Resource_Tools/ArticleView.aspx?ArticleFile=fe8f83d3-c9a5-4987-9a7f-77084064d273
.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/170942-Centurion-Serial-Number-Database
.
And...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centurion_%28bicycle%29
.

Thanks for that; a very good read!

very interesting, especially since I just bought this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7185652251&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.ebay.com%3A80%2Fsearch%2Fsearch.dll%3Ffrom%3DR40%26satitle%3D7185652251%2509% 26fvi%3D1) and it's supposed to be here tomorrow :D

thanks for all the work :beer:

According to Frank J. Berto in 'The Dancing Chain', the Centurion story starts in 1969, when Raleigh Industries of America was looking at a Japanese source for the Grand Prix. An order was placed for 2,000 bicycles, but TI-Raleigh in England killed the project, leaving the sales agent, Mitchel Weiner, with 2,000 bicycles painted in Grand Prix colours. He placed Centurion decals on them, sold them for a huge profit and shortly thereafter formed Western State Imports.

That jibes with the story my LBS guy -- a longtime Raleigh dealer -- told me. I believe the date would be 1979 though, not 1969. There was no TI-Raleigh as such until 1972, and I've got what's left of one of the phony GPs, and the components are mid to late '70s.

I worked in a bike shop and rememember Centurions from 1979.

I have 4 Centurions:
2 red/white LeMans RS, Tange 2, Shimano Light Action, Sugino GP 130 cranks, areo diacompe brake levers.
1 blue LeMans, Suntour Vx, Suntour barcons, non-aero brake levers.
1 red LeMans, Suntour Cyclone, non-aero brake levers.

The latter 2, Suntour equipped, bikes don't have Tange stickers on the downtube. I forget exactly what they read but it's along the lines of: "Made with... Light Tubeset...". Led me to believe they were gaspipe.

They still get me to work 3-5 days a week.

According to a few websites, Suntour Vx and later the Cyclone, were Suntours top of the line derailers. Is this normal to see them on high tensile frames?

That jibes with the story my LBS guy -- a longtime Raleigh dealer -- told me. I believe the date would be 1979 though, not 1969. There was no TI-Raleigh as such until 1972, and I've got what's left of one of the phony GPs, and the components are mid to late '70s.

Numerous sources (Retro-Raleigh, Tony Hadland, etc.) state the TI-Raleigh merger as being 1960, so Berto's date could well be correct. I know that the first Centrurions appeared well before 1979, as I have seen several references to Centurion bicycles in magazines from the early 1970s. However, Centurion did not receive national recognition until the late 1970s. In the early 1970s, distribution was restricted primarily to California.

Very interesting post. Since I have an old Centurion myself, I am curious about any and all Centurions. I would appreciate any new info on my bike. The thread describing my old bike is here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=131928).

One thing I have found is that the SR cranks on my bike bear a date from 1977. That seems to make the 1979 start date for Centurions mentioned in the followups unlikely, though it is possible that the previous owner replaced the original cranks with cranks from 1977.

Very interesting post. Since I have an old Centurion myself, I am curious about any and all Centurions. I would appreciate any new info on my bike. The thread describing my old bike is here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=131928).

One thing I have found is that the SR cranks on my bike bear a date from 1977. That seems to make the 1979 start date for Centurions mentioned in the followups unlikely, though it is possible that the previous owner replaced the original cranks with cranks from 1977.

"Lugged steel frame - no decals or stickers - seems to have been painted over at least once
Chromed fork and stays" quote from your other post.

Unless I'm mistaken, chromed stays generally means the entire frame is chromed and then the main triangle is painted over. Another option for you to consider. Take the paint off and polish the bike chrome.

Your headbadge sounds similar to the ones on my two late 70's centurions.

Very interesting post. Since I have an old Centurion myself, I am curious about any and all Centurions. I would appreciate any new info on my bike. The thread describing my old bike is here (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=131928).

One thing I have found is that the SR cranks on my bike bear a date from 1977. That seems to make the 1979 start date for Centurions mentioned in the followups unlikely, though it is possible that the previous owner replaced the original cranks with cranks from 1977.

You'll be able to get date codes off the freewheel and stem and possibly the levers/brakes. It's unlikely that all the components were changed out at the same time, so if they are within a year of each other, you have a good approximation of the age of the bicycle. As for the derailleurs, they are probably an upgrade. The originals were probably SunTour, like the shifters.

Given that the stays are chrome, it is likely a decent tubeset. Measure and post the seat post diameter, as it is a pretty good indicator of tubeset quality.

.

Interesting post, A.Winthrop. Thanks for the info. I've been a Centurion fan for only about a year, since winning an Ebay auction Dave Scott Expert frame for $25 bucks + shipping costs(came to about $50 w/ delivery from Pacific to Atlantic coast). The frame and fork are a ghastly lilac color with yellow seattube and headtube.

But the ride is splendid! I built it up with Ultegra 9-speed drivetrain, and being a retro grouch I equipped it with DA downtube shifters and toe-clipped MKS track pedals. Yeah, I get the occasional expletives from the local yahoos(could it be the frame color? :rolleyes: ) Have already gone through one set of tires over the summer. Definately worth the investment.

My Centurion's SR stem has a couple of markings. I see "5355-logo-H-76" and below that in bigger font "AX-80". I don't know which one is the date code, the 76 or the 80. The back of the Weinmann centerpull brake calipers has "1234567890ND" in a circle and has the code I-78 in the middle. The DiaCompe brake levers, which btw, did not have any "suicide" extensions, did not have any date codes. By the date of the brake calipers, the bike seems to have been made in 1978 or later, and no earlier than 1976. The seat post diameter is 27.0mm or something close to that.

My Centurion's SR stem has a couple of markings. I see "5355-logo-H-76" and below that in bigger font "AX-80". I don't know which one is the date code, the 76 or the 80. The back of the Weinmann centerpull brake calipers has "1234567890ND" in a circle and has the code I-78 in the middle. The DiaCompe brake levers, which btw, did not have any "suicide" extensions, did not have any date codes. By the date of the brake calipers, the bike seems to have been made in 1978 or later, and no earlier than 1976. The seat post diameter is 27.0mm or something close to that.

The stem is form Aug. 1976. The calipers are from 1978. The circle is the month indicator and the "I" is the pointer to the month. So the crank's 1977 code is in sync with the others. If the calipers are from early 1978, then it's probably a 1978 model. If they are from late in the year, it's probably a 1979 model.

The seat post diameter points to one of the CrMo, butted tubesets. It would appear that you have one of the better models.

Believe it or not, back in the ‘70s, Bicycling Magazine was actually worth reading. So I had a subscription, and when the December ’76 issue showed up, my wife phoned me to say that someone had finally built by dream bike. http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour1.jpg and http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour2.jpg Note that back then, 10 speeds was considered adequate for heavy touring. Back then I was strong enough that I believed them.

Through the shop I worked at part time, I was able to get the 1st ProTour in Minnesota. Absolutely georgeous in metallic Robin’s Egg Blue. The brazed on centerpull brakes worked so well that I incorporated that feature in many of my early frames. The brazing is every bit as good as my Jack Taylor Super Tourist, maybe better. I hated the clamp-on top tube cable guides, but I never replaced them with braze ons as I couldn’t bear to ruin the beautiful paint. The bike still has the original headset and the Sanshin Pro-Am hubs are still smooth as a baby’s cheek.

The racier Semi-Pro, with lighter tubing and more chrome, came in an orange that glowed like fire.

It’s easy to believe the postings about a Raleigh connection. Some features of the frame were so similar to those on Raleighs that Cecil Behringer (The father of modern framebuilding) called it my Rarreigh.

T-Mar and others,

Thanks for all the info. I found that only the stays and the blades of the fork are chromed, the rest of the bike's frame are not. So some time next spring, I will probably try my hand at painting it using rattle cans. I will be sure to post before and after pics.

i have a centurion track bike (decal even says 'trac' on the frame) with track drop-outs, but i can't find any history on this bike. i've run into a few other with the same bike and questions about this model. anybody know anything about this baby? maybe they were discontinued real fast.

thanks

Great post! I had retired my Lemans a year ago or so but have recently pressed it back into service w/Ultegra gruppo. I love that bike and pretty much have sworn off carbon and aluminium. She will be going to the paint shop this winter, along with the 50mm offset tange fork with 27mm crown race. Looking to add some new DT swiss hoops. IMO these bikes are very underrated .

Interesting history. My father used to ride a Centurion Elite back in the 80s. He was an avid rider but had to give it up because of emphysema. The bike is still in pretty good shape, but hasn't been ridden in about 15 years-- needs a tune up and new tires. I'd have fixed it up to ride myself but it's too big of a frame for me (I think maybe a 58 or bigger). Maybe time to find it a new home, it isn't doing much more than collecting spider webs right now.

Believe it or not, back in the ‘70s, Bicycling Magazine was actually worth reading. So I had a subscription, and when the December ’76 issue showed up, my wife phoned me to say that someone had finally built by dream bike. http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour1.jpg and http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour2.jpg Note that back then, 10 speeds was considered adequate for heavy touring. Back then I was strong enough that I believed them.

Through the shop I worked at part time, I was able to get the 1st ProTour in Minnesota. Absolutely georgeous in metallic Robin’s Egg Blue. The brazed on centerpull brakes worked so well that I incorporated that feature in many of my early frames. The brazing is every bit as good as my Jack Taylor Super Tourist, maybe better. I hated the clamp-on top tube cable guides, but I never replaced them with braze ons as I couldn’t bear to ruin the beautiful paint. The bike still has the original headset and the Sanshin Pro-Am hubs are still smooth as a baby’s cheek.

My ProTour is 15 speeds and is a brown/copper color. Bought in '85 ($300), I have always assumed that it was an '84 or possibly an '83 model. MnHPVA - Do you have any idea about what year the color changed to brown/copper? The tubing was ho-hum but the total package was most durable and solid. It doesn't get ridden more than a couple of times each month, but the bike has more than 35,000 miles with most of the original components still working well. It was my only bike for 12 years when I rode year round in California and did some light touring up and down the central coast.

Where does this Centurion fit in? What puzzles me is the Tange #5 tube material.

Name: Centurion LeMans 12
Color: Blue with silver painted detail/trim/lettering
Date: Estimate early to mid-80s
Frame: CroMo Tange Champion #5
Hubs: Suzue 3 H LPF
Rims: ARAYA 27"x1-1/4" 36 spoke
Brake: Dia-Compe side pull
Brake Levers: had suicide extention
Handlebar: SAKAF Custom Road Champion, 38cm
Cranks: Sugino GT 175mm
Chainrings: 40/52
Shifters: Suntour arx, with bolt on stem mounted shifters (no frame lugs)
Seatpost: SR LaPrade

http://www.optionnz.com/users/afs/i1/CRW_3349-before.jpg

Al

That looks like a lower model - the stem shifters are one easy clue. The crank also looks rather heavy - what is the total bike weight? I am guessing in the upper 20s at least. Not that that alone matters, or that it's not a good bike for some applications.

I never weighed it. Its been converted to a fixed bike that looks kind of like this now (since pic was taken I've put on new cranks and different bars)

http://www.optionnz.com/users/afs/i1/CRW_3408-fixed.jpg

Al

I never weighed it. Its been converted to a fixed bike that looks kind of like this now (since pic was taken I've put on new cranks and different stem, handlebarsbars & brake lever) I ride it 20mi everyday and have taken it on 70mi weekend rides, so it is indeed suitable for some applications.

http://www.optionnz.com/users/afs/i1/CRW_3408-fixed.jpg

Al

Noisebeam, your Lemans 12 is circa 1981-1983, probably closer to latter. At the time, it was an entry level model, about 2nd or 3rd from the bottom of the line. In the late 1970s it was constructed of hi-tensile steel but was gradually updated until, by the mid 1980s, it was a mid-range model with a Tange #2, butted, CrMo tubeset. Your sample is from the transitionary period when it used a Tange #5, plain gauge, CrMo, main triangle in conjunction with hi-tensile stays and forks.

My ProTour is 15 speeds and is a brown/copper color. Bought in '85 ($300), I have always assumed that it was an '84 or possibly an '83 model. MnHPVA - Do you have any idea about what year the color changed to brown/copper? The tubing was ho-hum but the total package was most durable and solid. It doesn't get ridden more than a couple of times each month, but the bike has more than 35,000 miles with most of the original components still working well. It was my only bike for 12 years when I rode year round in California and did some light touring up and down the central coast.

Probably the best way to narrow down the year is to check the component date codes against the info the Vintage-Trek website. The model year is generally the the same as, or a year later, than the component date codes.

You don't mention which "ho-hum" tubing it used, but it t doesn't sound like a 1983 Pro Tour 15, as it used Tange #2 and came in blue or black.

I have a Centurian Cavaletto frame in my back yard that was given to me as a parts bike from my LBS, it was complete, I used parts for my Trek 500 frame. Looked like a dept store bike.

I have a Centurion Elite GT which I picked up at a garage sale. Tange 900 CRMo butted tubing, Suntour mountech derailleurs, Sugino RT cranks, chainrings 50,42,28, and a cassette with a 14-28 range. Anyone familiar with this model?

The Elite GT was, I think, a mid-range model from the mid-80's

Centurion also made a line of aluminum racing bikes in the mid 80's, sponsering a women's team in the 86 Coors Classic

My Elite 12 from 1983/84 is now a semi-cyclocross/foul weather trainer. Still a nice frame

Noisebeam, your Lemans 12 is circa 1981-1983,.
Thanks - That makes a lot of sense. My dad bought it new in the early 80s (he doesn't remember when exactly) and entry level model sounds about right. Its nice to know about the tube materials.

Al

Great thread. I'm trying to negotiate the purchase of a friend's Iron Man. I guess I need to get some more info from him to determine a fair price. I'll email him and post my plea for help at a later date.

I just ran across a centurion marked "omega" in a local thrift store. Was running out of time and did not get the details on the bike. What I recall was that it was lugged frame, a beige overall color, and was in near new condition. My impression was that it was not a high end model. I did not see this model mentioned in the thread. Any info. on this model? If it is still there, I will take a look at it in detail in the next few days.

I have too many bikes, but I often wish I'd bidded on this Centurion. Sort of a Ramboillet / Specialized Sequoia type bike: pretty and versatile. Check out the chromed lugs and braze-on centerpulls.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7176599062

When people ask me how I got into cycling, I tell them about a picture I saw of Dave Scott and his ultra cool pink and yellow centurion. This was 1987, a year of two before the big triathlon explosion.

I could not afford the Dave Scott Ironman, but I did scrape up enough to buy a Lemans RS for $429. Fully lugged frame, beautiful two tone paint job.

Man, do I miss that bike.

When people ask me how I got into cycling, I tell them about a picture I saw of Dave Scott and his ultra cool pink and yellow centurion. This was 1987, a year of two before the big triathlon explosion.

I could not afford the Dave Scott Ironman, but I did scrape up enough to buy a Lemans RS for $429. Fully lugged frame, beautiful two tone paint job.

Man, do I miss that bike.


Hey! That's the first verification I've gotten that I was right in guessing '87 on my new pink/yellow Ironman. Any information about the wheels on those models - they say 'Wolber super champion alpine'?


I still think I might have to strip the (quite good condition) paint and get some more tolerable colors (and something that accents the lugs better).....

Hey! That's the first verification I've gotten that I was right in guessing '87 on my new pink/yellow Ironman. Any information about the wheels on those models - they say 'Wolber super champion alpine'?


I still think I might have to strip the (quite good condition) paint and get some more tolerable colors (and something that accents the lugs better).....

The correct wheelset are Wolber Alpine, 32 hole, dark anodized rims, laced to Shimano 105 hubs. Tires are 700x20C Panaracer Technova. Cogs are 13-24T. By the way, Wolber is a French company.

Great History lesson!!

If anybody is interested, I have just listed my 56cm CENTURION Carbon on eBay.

In my opinion, the smoothest riding racing bike money can buy.

This was the last year before WSI was sold off to China Bike.

I hate to loose her but I'm broke and I need the money.....

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7192842454&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

Noisebeam -- I have an '84 ProTour model that came with a 5 speed freewheel, so I would guess yours to have been a year or more after that, given 6 cogs.

You don't mention which "ho-hum" tubing it used, but it t doesn't sound like a 1983 Pro Tour 15, as it used Tange #2 and came in blue or black.

The tubing on my ProTour is Tange "Champion #2", ho-hum simply because it was the heavier tubes for touring application. I still like the ride for days when simple enjoyment is the purpose.

Believe it or not, back in the ‘70s, Bicycling Magazine was actually worth reading. So I had a subscription, and when the December ’76 issue showed up, my wife phoned me to say that someone had finally built by dream bike.

Wah! I had a Pro-Tour for one month. It was soooo sweet. Then, not one but two gangs attacked me at the same time and took it away.

I hope y'all don't mind if I jump in on this thread but I recently came across a Centurion Comp TA at Goodwill. I got my mom to buy it for my birthday. It was only $65 plus tax.
It has Shimano 600 brakes and derailleurs, campy hubs, mavic tubular rims. Tange Champion No. 2. I've read in this thread that No. 2 is the lighter, and the heavier, tubeset than No. 1. Anybody have a definitive answer? I'm a big guy so I don't mind if No. 2 is beefier.

Silver and light purple in color.
No pics as of yet, I'm afraid.

My Centurion Sport DLX rebirth project is nearing completion. Finally got the photos and some details of the work up on my website. Link (Custom Barracuda Mk.I) in my sig for the photos. it started out as a humble entry level bike but is getting the full work over with all new paint and component group.

centurion 'trac' bike: my local bike shop tells me that they didnt make too many of these, or that they were pulled from production...anyone have any history on this model? its been beat on, but its a stirdy and fairly light (20lbs-ish) ride. thanks!

Believe it or not, back in the ‘70s, Bicycling Magazine was actually worth reading. So I had a subscription, and when the December ’76 issue showed up, my wife phoned me to say that someone had finally built by dream bike. http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour1.jpg and http://bikesmithdesign.com/temp/ProTour2.jpg

I had not thought to "click" on the links to the 1976 "Bicycling" review of the Pro Tour until re-reading this thread today. That article was not the only "rave" review for the Centurion Pro Tour. Richard Ballantine's "Richard's Bicycle Book" included the Pro Tour on his list of "Best" bikes in both the 1978 and 1982 updates of his book.

Ballantine said "The Centurion Pro-Tour is purely, firmly, and beautifully, a touring bike. It is made for comfort, and stable handling of heavy touring loads".

The bike that followed the Pro-Tour on Ballantine's list was NOT designed for touring: the Schwinn Paramount P-13...a bike that sold for two or three times the price of the Pro-Tour. To place a mid-priced Centurion touring bike on the same "best bikes" list as a mega-buck" Paramount road bike was a high compliment indeed. Most of other bikes on Ballentine's best list also cost two or three times as much as the Centurion.

The long wheelbase, long chainstays, and steel frame and fork of my 1984/1985ish Pro Tour absorb the shock of Houston's bombed out roads better than any bike I've owned. As best I can tell, my Pro Tour's parts are all originals, except for the tires. And, after 21 years of wear and tear, the bike still rides as well as when it was young. I wish that was true of the rider.

It is a shame that most younger riders may never enjoy the experience of a long ride on a first-rate steel frame/steel fork touring bike...the best ride on two wheels.

Thanks for all the research and information. I have two Centurions, an Elite RS (pictured) that I converted to a fixed gear and a 15 speed with cantilever brakes that I keep where I consult to ride daily at lunch. The brakes and pedals on the Elite are (now) both Shimano 105 and I replaced the original brake levers and even added in-line brake levers. The seat is a neat white Selle Italia. The wheels are high-flange Suns. I have more expensive bikes, but this is my ride of choice.

I should find a good home for my '77 Pro Tour. I've got too many bikes, and when I want to ride a bike like this, I've got a Jack Taylor Super Tourist. Not that the Taylor is in any way a better bike, but I'm into old British iron and recumbents now.

Is there anyone in the Mpls/St Paul area, who is interested?

It's a 58 cm C-T, fine metallic Robbin's Egg blue. Price would depend on what equipment you want on it.

If anyone is interested in originality, I have almost all of the original bits, and an NOS set of rims.

...My Centurion Bikes - A History can now
also be found on www.SheldonBrown.com. I wasn't sure how
long it would continue to appear here so thought I would
submit it to Sheldon's site. In any case, both versions will
be updated as I get significant new information.
.
Bye for now...
.
A.Winthrop (aka A. Wright)
.

Thanks for posting your Centurion history at Sheldon Brown's site. Hopefully, it will get seen by a lot of folks and perhaps some of the people who worked for Centurion will come forward and add some information.

Your article "ranks" various Centurion models. Certainly, ranking "road bike" models is reasonably easy to do. An all "Dura Ace" bike was designed to be a better bike than an all "105" bike, even when they use identical frames, and have similar wheels.

But, it is not possible to "rank" the Centurion Pro Tour against bikes designed for racing. A bit like comparing an SUV with a Miata. The Pro Tour was designed for "loaded" touring. Wiring for generator lights. Rack mounts front and rear. Fender mounts. Geometry that enables the bike to remain stable, even when carrying 300 pounds of rider and gear. Brakes powerful enough to STOP 300 pounds of rider and gear.

The stronger frame and fork, beefier rims, hubs, added spokes, and wider tires made a Pro Tour three or four pounds heavier than a "pure" racing bike of the early '80's.. However, a 26 pound bike that can take a 300 pound load ANYWHERE on the planet is a more useful bike than a 22 pound bike designed to carry 160 pound loads over smooth roads. (A 26 pound touring bike is NOT a "tank"...that is the weight that Schwinn listed for the Paramount Touring model of the mid-seventies.)

The Centurion Pro Tour compares well with the best loaded Tourers made in Japan in the 1980's, regardless of their original price. I continue to be mystified how the "loaded tourer" category failed in the marketplace. No other bike is more comfortable to ride, or better suited to urban commuting, shopping, and of course, none is better suited for loaded touring.

But, customers wanted "racing" bikes...sigh.

Thanks for posting your Centurion history at Sheldon Brown's site. Hopefully, it will get seen by a lot of folks and perhaps some of the people who worked for Centurion will come forward and add some information.

Your article "ranks" various Centurion models. Certainly, ranking "road bike" models is reasonably easy to do. An all "Dura Ace" bike was designed to be a better bike than an all "105" bike, even when they use identical frames, and have similar wheels.

But, it is not possible to "rank" the Centurion Pro Tour against bikes designed for racing. A bit like comparing an SUV with a Miata. The Pro Tour was designed for "loaded" touring. Wiring for generator lights. Rack mounts front and rear. Fender mounts. Geometry that enables the bike to remain stable, even when carrying 300 pounds of rider and gear. Brakes powerful enough to STOP 300 pounds of rider and gear.

The Pro Tour should be compared with other loaded Tourers, not with racing bikes. And, I'd say it compares well with the best loaded Tourers made in Japan in the 1980's. I continue to be mystified how the "loaded tourer" category failed in the marketplace. No other bike is more comfortable to ride, or better suited to urban commuting, shopping, and of course, none is better suited for loaded touring.

But, customers wanted "racing" bikes...sigh.

Well said-

To be clear, when Ballantine selected the Centurion Pro Tour and the Schwinn Paramount for his "best" bikes list, he was not suggesting they were both "touring bikes". He was citing them as being the "best" of their type...the Centurion for "loading touring" and the Paramount as a fast road bike. To my knowledge, there was never a Paramount that was truly designed for "loaded" touring.

In 1979, the "standard" Paramount was the P-13, which Schwinn called a "Road Racer". It has the same geometry (73 degrees/73 degrees) as the P-10 and P-15 "Deluxe Touring" Paramounts, but the touring versions had slightly longer chainstays and slightly longer wheelbase. The "Touring" Paramounts were closer to being "stage racing" bikes than to being loaded touring bikes...the beefier wheels and tires accounted for most of the three pound difference in weight between the touring versions and the "Road Racer".

Ballantine's "Richard's Bicycle Book" was a best-selling guide to buying bikes throughout the 1970's bike boom. In the 1972 edition, it was clear that Ballantine considered the "best" bikes to be the light European bikes with top-of-the-line Campy components. An Asian-made bike with Asian-made components would never have been considered a "first class" bike in 1972.

The role that Centurion played in the 1970's American bike market was (along with Fuji and the Bridgestone-made Schwinn bikes) to change the image of Asian-made bikes. In 1972, Japanese bikes were considered to be just cheaper bikes for folks who could not afford the "best" bikes. By 1978, the cycling media and many cyclists had come to realize: the best Japanese-made bikes were very fine bikes. The bonus for consumers was their "bargain" prices.

But, it is not possible to "rank" the Centurion Pro Tour against bikes designed for racing. A bit like comparing an SUV with a Miata. The Pro Tour was designed for "loaded" touring. Wiring for generator lights. Rack mounts front and rear. Fender mounts. Geometry that enables the bike to remain stable, even when carrying 300 pounds of rider and gear. Brakes powerful enough to STOP 300 pounds of rider and gear.

The Pro Tour should be compared with other loaded Tourers, not with racing bikes. And, I'd say it compares well with the best loaded Tourers made in Japan in the 1980's. I continue to be mystified how the "loaded tourer" category failed in the marketplace. No other bike is more comfortable to ride, or better suited to urban commuting, shopping, and of course, none is better suited for loaded touring. I think your comments, while accurate, could give the wrong impression to those who have never owned a ProTour. It was hardly a tank, not weighing that much more than the SemiPro. More like comparing a Miata to a Subaru WRX wagon than an SUV. I used mine far more for centuries and 1 day club rides than for loaded touring.

By the time I'd had mine a couple of years I had aquired all the skills needed to build a lighter frame, but never felt the incremental improvement in performance was worth the effort. Besides, at that time I was still ignorant enough to believe that a stiffer frame was more efficient.

I know a guy who says his Rivendell is the only bike he needs. He's right, it will do everything a Pro Tour would, 25 years earlier, and look even better doing it.