EllDC

Centurion Dave Scott Ironman Master

Does this seem like a fair price? I bought a bike recently, and I fell in love with it, but I'm going to have to part with it because it's just too large for me. It looks like the Master is more desirable than the Expert, but I'd like a bike that's pretty ride-able as-is, and it seems to me like this would need a little bit of work - new tires and probably chain. The bottom bracket also looks like it might be a little rusty. Does this have fender mounts? I assume it doesn't have rack mounts, but there are more options available for that so it's less of a concern. What about clearance for a 28-32mm tire?

Darth Lefty 

That's in the normal range of asking prices around here.

As for fenders and fat tires, it's not that kind of bike.

EllDC

thanks =)
Can you comment on the condition?

1980 PEUGEOT Course UO10 racing road bike - RARE! 54cm, Refurbished!
How about that one?

FastJake

+1 The Centurion is a race bike. If you want racks, fenders, and wide tires keep looking. As you observed it also needs work. At the minimum a full overhaul of the bearings and cables/housing.

This seller loves to exaggerate (lie) about the quality of his bikes. In reality, this Peugeot is nothing special and is entry level compared to the Centurion. But on the plus side he appears to do a great job cleaning and overhauling his bikes. So this one should be completely ready to ride.

It will be considerably heavier than the Centurion but it will work with fenders, a rack, and wider tires like you wanted.

EllDC

Okay = )
It sounds like the Ironman might be worth the extra work then - though the bottom bracket tool will cost another $20, and another $20-30 for the bottom bracket itself, and such. I guess the question is then if I want to recondition a bicycle that starts in that condition - with the faded paint and rust and such.

1986 MIYATA 310 - Vintage racing road bike. 54cm, NICE! Refurbished!
How about this one? It's the same seller though, but it seems like a bit of a compromise between the two.

ramzilla

Around here, an Ironman in that condition would go for $300. So, it's probably a good deal. Make sure everything works, nothing is broken or cracked.

oddjob2

It is underpriced if it weren't in Chicago, where the following for Centurion appears to be limited. I have 28mm tires on both Experts, one a 56cm frame with GPX and the other a 58cm with Shimano 600 calipers. YMMV with Shimano 600 Tricolor calipers. The tires appear to be Conti Gatorskins; I would inspect and ride them before changing them out.

IM bottom bracket shells are known to accumulate some rust, easy to treat with a toothbrush and Barkeepers Friend. No rack mounts.

Not the best bike for use as a city commuter, it's built to run in the wild!

FastJake

Yes, a nice compromise between the two. Probably lighter than the Peugeot and heavier than the Centurion but will fit fenders but probably not as wide of a tire as the Peugeot. A good buy, I think.

EllDC

well the move to Chicago is probably going to be delayed for a bit so I can go to school, so that's not as much of a concern - and I decided I'd be best off getting a folder (which would be nice to fill in two gaps - a commuter, and I wouldn't need a seperate mixte for everytime I wanted to wear a skirt, lol,) so right now I'm looking for more of a road bike to enjoy. Of course, it's starting to turn to Autumn, and it would be nice to have a bike that can fit fenders to elongate the riding season a little bit
@FastJake
Okay ^.^
I'll have to research the model a little bit. It looks like the head tube is shorter (if my anatomy is correct?) so it might have a little bit more aggressive riding position.

mstateglfr 

The seller does an excellent job of properly refurbishing bikes. Yes his write-ups are, at times, not the most accurate when it comes to appeal, but they are very accurate when it comes to work performed in refurbishing the bike.
If someone wants a vintage 80s road bike in excellent ready to ride shape, he is a good bet.

EllDC

So I had a quick text-conversation with the refurbish guy, both bikes are friction shift (much to my dismay,) but the Peugeot does have fender mounts. It's 25.4 pounds, and the 310 is 23.4. Both seem respectable enough, though the Centurion would still be lower.

FastJake

I agree, his bikes always look painstakingly cleaned and rebuilt. He presents bikes better than I ever have and seems totally legitimate. Which is why I find it disappointing when he exaggerates so badly. I can't find the thread now, but he had a bottom end 1980s Trek for sale, possibly a 400. Phrases like "rare, highly sought after, top-of-the-line components" and similar appeared in the ad. Stuff that just simply isn't true.

Overall I'd recommend the OP (or anyone not mechanically inclined) to buy a bike from him because they appear so well done, but to take his "advertising" with a huge grain of salt.

The Miyata has fender mounts as well and looks like it'll fit fenders with the current (wider appearing) tires mounted.

EllDC

Chatted more with the restoration guy - he says if I wanted to use him to restore a bike a vintage road bike in "average to good condition" is about $80-120 in labour, plus parts. So probably a bit more if I sent the Centurion to him instead of doing it myself. I'm not sure where that's at, ballpark wise, but it includes things that would likely be needed anyways - such as wheel truing.

eastbay71

I see the seller of the Miyata and Peugeot regularly on eBay also. he seems to do great work and has interesting bikes but I totally agree that he loves to exaggerate. That aside I would go for the Miyata. If you want indexed shifting it could be retrofitted. The Peugeot will be a pain in the butt if it has french threaded parts. I've always been intrigued by the Centurions because of the paint schemes but Miyatas are really well made bikes. I love my Miyata 912.

jetboy 

The question is: Are you thinking with your head (fenders and fat tires) or are you getting pulled by something a bit lower down.

PS: the ironman has index shifting-

EllDC

Yeah....

That's primarily what's drawing me to it. I think it'd be nice to do the downtube to barend conversion and putting a more newb friendly cassette/freewheel on the back (and/or crankset if it needed a new BB anyways.) The appeal is the extra gear and index shifting, but at the same time, it's not like any of the options are a modern 10 speed. And really, I guess friction shifting wouldn't be the end of the world.

I should probably just wait for something closer to what I'm looking for. There's a Bianchi Axis, the older steel one, that would pretty much be exactly what I'm looking for, but that's in the city itself and I don't really have the time to check it out... It might be a little on the heavier side, though it's not like it's *that* bad.

mstateglfr 

23.4 pounds is light. Meaning its plenty light for what your intended use and when you are slapping fenders and a rack on a bike, weight should probably not be the top priority.

Have you used friction shifting very much? I just rode a lower end 10 speed with downtube friction shifting last night that is really easy to shift quickly and accurately.
I have 3x7 friction barcons(bar end) on my regular rider and it too is easy to shift quickly and accurately.

I have found that with SunTour friction, the quality level of the components just doesn’t have much to do with how the bike shifts. The quality is more in the design and build of the components
I like barcons more than downtube just for ease of use, but the friction part of shifting has never been a negative.


That Miyata, assuming it fits, could be a really solid bike.

jetboy 

Chicago has a lot of good bikes come up cheap- so if you are not in a hurry there is no need to pounce without thinking - since you already have a bike even if the fit is off. Both the ironman and the miyata would make you happy - both are light and responsive and as above- friction shifting is not an issue after about a week of riding to get used to it. it takes me longer to get used to brifters actually!

I am actually watching to see because so far, out of the last 5 times someone has posted "I am looking at x,y,z or an ironman" they have always ended up with the ironman. partly that is due to people on this forum loving that bike and encouraging the purchase... but more is that they go test it.. and realize what a spectacular ride it is.

btw: the ironman would not need a "new" BB - it just needs to be taken out, cleaned and greased and put back in.

EllDC

Yeah. I think the "magic" number is something like 25 pounds, which seems a bit arbitrary, but I totally agree. It doesn't really matter for my uses (though I would like to do group rides, but that seems like more of an issue of gears and cadence than weight, re: older bikes.)

I had a friction shifted Schwinn that I commuted to work for a short time down when I lived in Texas. I mostly rode it around like a single speed that I could shift for hills on (not an issue of index vs. friction, admittedly.)

Yeah that's what I'm thinking too, especially now that it's August - I'm sure there will people dumping bikes because summer is ending.

miamijim

Centurion is indexed....it says so right on the lever. SIS: Shimano Index System

EllDC

Yes, there's a new bike that was thrown into the mix - a Miyata 310.

Custom 53cm Raleigh Technium Pro, Flat-bar Road Bike
Would I be crazy for wanting this? It has a lot of the things I would like to do, and doesn't seem to need much to make what I want - new handlebars, shifters, and brakes levers. I love the colouring... Lol.
Do the techniums have rack + fender mounts, and room for ~28-32mm tires?

So no eyeletes according to the seller, but will accommodate a 28mm tire.

oddjob2

Whatever floats your boat. You'd have to pay me to take that away!

FastJake

+1000

EllDC

Is it because there's no collector's/resale value there, or something beyond that? Or just not interested in a parts bin bike (which I assume it'd be a mixture of all of the above since this is the classic section?)

Darth Lefty 

That paint!