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Centurion Elite RS

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Old 10-14-08, 10:09 AM
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Centurion Elite RS

Does anyone know anything about this model designation?

Mr. Wright's excellent article [https://www.sheldonbrown.com/centurion/index.html]

says:
The Elite RS and Elite GT appeared in the mid-1980s and, like the Super LeMans and LeMans which followed them in the pecking order, appeared with progressively improving frame materials and components over the years. These two Elite models were a step down from the Comp TA and Pro Tour, respectively, with only their three main tubes of Champion #2.
And Mr. Marshall's index states:

ELITE GT (1984): Entry level touring model with a single butted, Tange #4 frame, SunTour MounTech derailers, Sugino triple crank and Dia-Compe cantilevers.
I'm considering making an offer on an ebay bike that has tange #2 stickers and am wondering what the fork is made out of. It has 600 sis components, so presumably it's more recent than 1984.
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Old 10-14-08, 10:37 AM
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The fork on my Elite RS, Tange 2, has a red Tange "CR-MO" sticker on it.
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Old 10-14-08, 12:06 PM
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left, do you have/know the original equipment? was it 600 gear?
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Old 10-14-08, 12:24 PM
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The guy I bought it from was a wrench. I think he may have swapped out some parts, namely the stem, bars and seat, maybe the brakes. This is what it has:

Shimano 600 crank, rd, fd
Dia-Compe Royal S brakes
Cinelli bars
Dura-Ace stem
Suntour Sprint hubs, Weinmann black areo rims.
Selle Italia saddle.

I put some 105 pedals on.
It rides smooth and fast.
Good luck-
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Old 10-14-08, 12:26 PM
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I had an ELite RS that had 7-speed Shimano 600 on it and 700c wheels. Downtube shifters as well. Nice bike but a bit large for me (top tube length fit well which is why I rode it). Sold it a few years ago for probably too low of a price but the buyer was happy when he saw the condition it was in. Not sure what else I can tell you about it. I always referred to it as an "E-Lite"(e-light) model instead of "Elite"(e-leet), don't know how it was supposed to be pronounced. Don't know what model year mine was, bought it used in Sacramento before I moved to Wisconsin.
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Old 10-14-08, 12:30 PM
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thanks for the info guys. if all the tubes are tange #2 then I think it's a go for bidding.
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Old 10-14-08, 12:39 PM
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Originally Posted by leftthread
The guy I bought it from was a wrench. I think he may have swapped out some parts, namely the stem, bars and seat, maybe the brakes. This is what it has:

Shimano 600 crank, rd, fd
Dia-Compe Royal S brakes
Cinelli bars
Dura-Ace stem
Suntour Sprint hubs, Weinmann black areo rims.
Selle Italia saddle.

I put some 105 pedals on.
It rides smooth and fast.
Good luck-

You're not the guy who bought my bike, are you********** Your description of your bike sounds real familiar. Mine had the stem with the cap in the bend with the hidden bolts for the handlebar clamp and stem nut access, I don't recall if it was a Dura-Ace stem that had those or some other brand (real clean looking stem though, probably should have kept it and put something else on the bike when I sold it). Small world if you're the guy who bought it though.
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Old 10-14-08, 03:30 PM
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I'd really love to see an '86 or '87 catalog, which includes the 600 SIS. The internet is proving useless (not for the first time)
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Old 10-14-08, 04:10 PM
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While I don't specs for the 1986/1987 Elite RS, I do for the Lemans RS. It was spec'd with a Tange CrMo fork, though the actual tubeset is not mentioned. Presumibly, the Elite RS and LeMans RS are the same frame with the difference being the components, New 600EX on the former and an L & Z-series mix on the latter.

BTW, the RS designation stands for Road/Sport and refers the intended function of the bicycle, having slightly less aggressive geometry than the Dave Scott Ironman models.
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Old 10-14-08, 04:34 PM
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Mr. Marshall,thanks for continuing to offer further expertise.
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Old 10-15-08, 01:02 AM
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Originally Posted by canonizer



I'm considering making an offer on an ebay bike that has tange #2 stickers and am wondering what the fork is made out of. It has 600 sis components, so presumably it's more recent than 1984.


Believe the bike you're bidding on is no earlier than '86. I have an '85 Elite RS that was all original, down to the 600 EX toe-clip pedals and its all Tange #2 tubing with Tange cro-moly fork blades. Mine has the red sticker on both fork and seatstay. It also has Shimano 600 derailleurs and non SIS (friction) 600 DT shifters. The crankset on mine is Sugino ALP and looks just as good as the 600 parts, as do the Dia-comp 'Gran-comp' drilled levers and 'Royal S' brakes.

The stem is Nitto 'technomic' with Nitto 'Olympiad' drop bars. I think you should bid on it and try to get it, because if its anything like mine you'll love it. They are very decently made bikes.
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Old 10-15-08, 06:15 AM
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Accompanying Mr. Wright's article on Mr. Brown's website is the actual 1984 Centurion Catalog. If you go to the back page, it has a lot of details about the various frames.
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Old 10-15-08, 09:27 AM
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You guys are awesome. Please don't bid me up

Originally Posted by Banzai
Accompanying Mr. Wright's article on Mr. Brown's website is the actual 1984 Centurion Catalog. If you go to the back page, it has a lot of details about the various frames.
It seems like during the mid 80s the japanese companies were rapidly changing their bicycles. The bike listed has very different equipment (largely suntour). I was hopeful that some of the high tensile tubes had been replaced with tange 2.

Last edited by canonizer; 10-15-08 at 09:51 AM.
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Old 10-16-08, 12:55 AM
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ha ha funny I'm selling my centurion elite rs on ebay right now, half way through the auction, but it is a bit far from you I think. wrong country?
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Old 10-16-08, 06:56 AM
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I had an Elite RS for about an hour, then found the seat tube was cracked. The seller didn't have the human decency to give my money back. Oh well, at least I got some halfway decent components...,,,,BD
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Old 10-16-08, 09:10 AM
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Originally Posted by treebound
Small world if you're the guy who bought it though.
Tree,
If you're south of Trivers and nort of Cudahy dere, you betcha.
Thanks for a great bike. Btw, I'll understand if you'd like it back
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Old 10-16-08, 09:40 AM
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Originally Posted by leftthread
Tree,
If you're south of Trivers and nort of Cudahy dere, you betcha.
Thanks for a great bike. Btw, I'll understand if you'd like it back

I'm up in Port, but I think the guy who bought it was from down that way. I wish I remembered if the bike had a shop sticker on it or not, but if it did/does then it'd be one in California. Post a pic of it if you can.
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Old 10-16-08, 12:06 PM
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I think if you have Tange #2 designated on the tubes, you'll simply have Tange Chro-Moly on the forks decals. I don't have any Tange 2 bikes that get any more specific than that on the forks. Tree and Lefty, is it LINE inkugel or LIN inkugel?
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Old 10-18-08, 12:54 AM
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im from der sout milwaukee hey sout side of cudahy hey

small world
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Old 10-19-08, 12:48 PM
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Price paid $142+shipping. Might have gone a little overboard and need to thin the collection now, but thanks for all your help.
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