Centurion Bike - What Year? What Frame?
01-06-13, 01:14 PM
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Centurion Bike - What Year? What Frame?
Hi
I just bought a Centurion bike from a used bike store that knows nothing about bikes.
On the right handlebar it has stamped "Sakae Custom". The front of the headset has a 4 pointed star with a vertical red "Centurion"
It has a Sugino crank, Dia-Comp brakes, SunTour VGT derailleur. It is red [obviously original since the paint is badly scratched and faded in parts] with 1/2 chromed forks.
The seat tube says "Made in Japan" and "Centurion". The serial number is not on the bottom bracket like Centurions from the 1980's but on the lower part of the seat tube. It also has a different format LA72 followed by 3 digits.
It weighs [on the bathroom scale] 28 lbs.
At the top of the seat tube it has "Guaranteed Ultra Light Tubes, Forks and Stays"
The most important question I have is: What material is it? - High tensile steel, Chrome Molybdenum, Chrome Molybdenum Double Butted, or something else.
I have seen reference to a "Centurion Custom" but no details. Is this one of their lower end models?
It would also be nice to know the approximate year of manufacture.
I have ridden it 15 miles and it has a similar ride to my Mercier with Reynolds 531 Double Butted Tubes, Forks and Stays. The frame has that same wip-like flex.
However, the real test will come this summer over 60-100 miles.
The performance seems strange if it's made only with high tensile steel.
Does anyone know anything about this bike?
Thanks
I just bought a Centurion bike from a used bike store that knows nothing about bikes.
On the right handlebar it has stamped "Sakae Custom". The front of the headset has a 4 pointed star with a vertical red "Centurion"
It has a Sugino crank, Dia-Comp brakes, SunTour VGT derailleur. It is red [obviously original since the paint is badly scratched and faded in parts] with 1/2 chromed forks.
The seat tube says "Made in Japan" and "Centurion". The serial number is not on the bottom bracket like Centurions from the 1980's but on the lower part of the seat tube. It also has a different format LA72 followed by 3 digits.
It weighs [on the bathroom scale] 28 lbs.
At the top of the seat tube it has "Guaranteed Ultra Light Tubes, Forks and Stays"
The most important question I have is: What material is it? - High tensile steel, Chrome Molybdenum, Chrome Molybdenum Double Butted, or something else.
I have seen reference to a "Centurion Custom" but no details. Is this one of their lower end models?
It would also be nice to know the approximate year of manufacture.
I have ridden it 15 miles and it has a similar ride to my Mercier with Reynolds 531 Double Butted Tubes, Forks and Stays. The frame has that same wip-like flex.
However, the real test will come this summer over 60-100 miles.
The performance seems strange if it's made only with high tensile steel.
Does anyone know anything about this bike?
Thanks
01-06-13, 01:49 PM
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Pending pictures, it sounds like a boom era Lemans. It's almost certainly hi-tensile steel.
01-06-13, 02:28 PM
#4
Jack of all trades
Most certainly plain gauge HiTen frame. 28lbs is typical for such a bike. Sounds like a great rider, put some wider tires on and make it a gravel grinder?
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