-=(8)=-

I want to add a thread that I started earlier because it will do
more good here

Thanks to T-MAr and Robbie Tunes for info on my best impulse buy
of the year !

Black & yellow Sport DLX
F7 8245

Pics and stuff here :
https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...+mar+centurion

JLahr

You weren't kidding. I've been looking at images of 1970's Cinellis and it's amazing how similar the two brands look- especially the chrome front lugs.

Do you know what the major differences are between the Semi-Pro and the bikes that it's trying to rip off?

guygadois 

I know this is a long shot but I would love to find a 24" Centurion Turbo (preferably gray and black colored - but beggars can't be choosers). This was my first "racing" bike and I miss it. I have lots of stuff to trade.

-GG-

tiom

Hello, I'm new to the forum and wanted to add my Centurion to the database here.

Model: 1975? Centurion Super Le Mans
SN: M5K03839
Tubing: High Tensile Ultralight
Fork: High Tensile Ultralight
Bars: Sakae Road Champion
Seatpost: SR
Saddle: quilted/plastic?
Derailers: Suntour SL in front, Suntour V-GT LUXE rear
Shifters: Suntour bar end shifters
Hubs: Sunshine?
Rims: Araya 27 x 1-1/4 w/oHP
Tires: IRC Road Winner II
Brakes: Dia-Compe center pull
Pedals: ?
Cranks: SR Apex
Color: Silver





More photos here: https://s395.photobucket.com/albums/pp40/tiom_az/

I just recently purchased this bike for $30 at a local Salvation Army. The paint is chipped or scratched in several places, and these is minor rust on the frame and a few other places such as the spokes, cable stays, and brake hardware. There is also some buildup of dirt/grease/gunk, but overall everything spins and moves cleanly. Aside from the decals, there is also two bike shop stickers, one from Singapore and one from some unspecific Main Street, as well as a California license.

This is actually my first road bike and the first real bike with more than one speed, having been riding a single speed cruiser for the past several years, and bmx-style and cheap mountain bikes as a kid. I've really been enjoying this bike and getting the hang of the friction shifting, as well as reading these forums, learning a lot from everyone else's contributions. Thanks in advance for any tips or advice.

EpicErik

Hey guys,

I picked this Centurion Turbo up a few weeks ago from a guy that was selling it on craigslist. He was located in the wold's largest trailer park (documented by the Guinness Book Of Records) just north of Reno, NV. The bike has all original components on it, aside from the saddle and maybe the bar wraps, and he only wanted $100 for it, so I jumped on it. The frame has some nicks and scratches and some pitting on the chrome, but I plan to clean the whole thing up and restore it as best as possible.
The serial number is 4H8707.
I will put up more pictures as soon as I finish with it, but here are some from after I brought it home.








Any help or information that you guys can give me would be really appreciated!

-Erik

revelstone

this bike i picked up yesterday at a thrift shop for $25.00 thought it was a fair price. haven't done anything to it yet except take it out of the car. trying to figure out the year.

revelstone

p.s. it say LeMans on both the bars to the rear dropouts. 12 speed. has a gunthrie bicycle sticker on it from salt lake city.

RobbieTunes

I sent that guy about 3 emails on CL, he never responded.
It's too small for me, but a great bike, great price.

EpicErik

He posted it on a Saturday night, and I called him first thing in the morning on Sunday. He was selling it out of a thrift store, and I didn't see a computer in there, so he probably posted it from another location. Out of courtesy though, he really should have sent you an email letting you know it was sold. It's irritating when you are trying to find out about something and there is no reply.
The frame is about a 54cm, which is what I ride so I am stoked!
Thanks for the info A.Winthrop. I read the post on Sheldon's website the night that the bike was posted and decided to buy it after checking that out. It's cool to know that the bike is an '84, that means that it is anywhere from a month to a year older than I am!

RobbieTunes

See post #504 for the pics of the Turbo frame I'll be building soon.
I'll be using pics of yours for reference, with a few changes, since I can't get that Superbe Pro stuff. (you dog)

tiom

A. Winthrop, what's your opinion on the bike I posted above Erik? Do you think I am correct in guessing it is a1975 model?

tiom

Thanks! I really appreciate the insight and information.

Now as to lubricating the bearing sets and pivot points, this is something I've not done before. I would like to learn how to do it myself, so I'll be sure to read through the forums and check Sheldon Brown's site. I know I also need to replace the brake pads.

revelstone

if anyone has a clue about what year this bike might be i'd appreciate any input. the second letter in an OH or zero not sure. also this is the first bike i've found with a serial number at the base of the seat tube on the side of the seat tube instead of the bottom bracket. wierd. it's a centurion lemans just in case ya cant quite read the decals. picked it up for $25.00 at a thrift shop. already put new rubber and inner tubes on it. also put on new brake cables and a new rear cable for the back freewheel sprockets. gonna put the rest of it right tomorrow.

edgpc

I just checked the link to the 1979 catalog (in this thread:https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/478793-centurion-catalog.html), and it seems to still work. Also, Jon indicated that he would put it up on his velobase site.

A note on that catalog, and a couple more serial numbers for the database:

I'm wondering if the reason that there was no date anywhere on it is that it was supposed to be their catalog for more than one year (kind of amazing given the way things change these days).

I say this because revelstone's LeMans appears to be straight from the pages of this catalog, and it looks like it is a 1980.

Also, I just found an Elite with the serial number N1G#### (making it a April 1981) that matches the catalog's Elite part-for-part, and is also the pearlized maroon color. I've attached a few pics of the Elite.

Here's the second serial number for the database: a friend of mine has a 1984 Elite RS that is straight from the pages of the catalog on Sheldon Brown's site. Its serial number is N4E####, so it matches/confirms the format well.

revelstone

I agree with the year cuz i cant find out different and it fits the pattern. 1980. but the way my shifters are mounted is different than the catalog. wierd. but the rear dropouts look the same.

revelstone

well downloaded and looked through the catalog. thanks heeps for that. my bike is on page seven, just like it came from the factory. cool. thanks a bunch everyone. now i know.

RobbieTunes

I'm working some touchup on a 1983 Centurion Turbo frame. The fork crown, seat stay caps, and R chain stay are chromed.

After doing a little work, I have no doubt the entire fork is chromed. Likewise with the L chain stay.

The brake bridge appears to be chromed on the mounting hole flange, and the bottle braze-ons are chromed. The sides of the BB have the paint worn off, and they appear to be chromed, also.

Does anyone know the likelihood this entire frame is chromed?

I know it's chrom-moly, but where some of the touchup was needed, it was obvious it was polished to some extent. The seat lugs only had a speck missing, and it appeared chrome there, too. The front lugs were in great shape, so I wouldn't know about them.

I continued the touchup because the frame is really pretty, and the decals are perfect. It's very tempting, though, to strip that fork and the L chain stay.

edgpc

RobbieTunes,
I wouldn't be that surprised if the entire frame was chromed. For what it's worth (and it may not be much, I'll admit), I have an '84 ProTour, and it is definitely chromed all over. It's got a lot of miles on it, and it has scratches (mostly small) on all tubes including the head tube, and there's chrome under every one of them. Like I said, it may not be worth much being a different year and model, but it's not unheard of for them around that time frame.

And I'm very jealous EpicErik; killer deal there!

And now I need to find a Turbo of my own...

RobbieTunes

Confusion. I went there, couldn't find my way back.

revelstone

i've decided on the 1980 model too. i rode it to work today it did great. i was at the store on my way out and i had parked my bike in the lobby of the store. no one complained it wasn't raining or snowing. some guy walks in just as i'm going out and says, "wow, nice bike". can't complain for just $25 georges and some new rubber.

geekrunner

Per recommendation from RobbieTunes, here is my Ironman, '85 or '86. Serial number N5M6865 found on BB. Paid $100 on Indy CL:












geek

geekrunner

Great info, A.! (may I call you A. ? ) thanks!

geek

Buddha5254

So I posted last weekend that I had a mixte frame centurion. I was directed to this amazing thread. It is in decent mechanical shape, the frame is about 15% surface rust. I cant find the serial number and there isnt anything on the bike execept for Centurion decals and the Centurion logo on the front saying "made in Japan". The fenders it has on were made in England, and all other parts and components look original. Anybody know anything about this bike? When it was made? Possible value if I fixed it up a bit (I live in Portland OR so I know I'll get my money back.)? Help finding the serial # stamp? Thanks a bunch!

RobbieTunes

I don't think it's a mixte. I think it's a women's version of a 70's era Centurion, and I'm not up on those models. I've seen a couple like that on eBay in different colors.

The good thing is, fixed up and nice, those things bring good donero. Many folks my age can't swing a leg over the bar anymore, and are buying mixtes and women's models to ride. I'd take it apart, clean it up, see what you can do about that paint, and then put it back together, and go from there. It's sort of a commuter bike with some flexibility as far as gearing, and that's a strong point.

To see a mixte, look on eBay under Centurion bike. I think there's one for sale right now.

afinitemind

Guess its time to throw my hat in the ring...Can anyone give me a date estimate or other information on this bike?

I recently picked up a Centurion Prestige off of the St. Louis craigslist for $50. It's got that two color paint scheme that looks like someone vomited blue paint on a nice white frame (at the head tube/fork and around the rear dropouts). It has Shimano 600 components, wheels are Suntour Cyclone 7000 hubs w/ Araya rims. The decals just say Prestige on the top tube, and the badge is the big "C" with 'tange prestige made in japan' around it.

The serial number is N8N6000.

I'd love to post pictures but my camera is currently MIA...