Dear Abby,

The 1984 Centurion Catalog shows (see the left half of the photo below) the rear rack on the Pro Tour and the Elite GT perfectly horizontal, level with the top tube, and with the lower anchoring point attached to the rearward and lower of the two eyelets.



I just recently picked up an 83 Pro Tour 15 (see right half of above pic) where the rack's lower attachments are installed in the upper/forward of the two eyelets -- forcing the rack to "slope" from horizontal (i.e., from the top tube angle) and forcing the forward rack attachments to bend (notice they DO NOT bend in the catalog photos).

It seems simple enough to unbend the rack attachments and install the rack per the catalog photograph -- and it seems clear that whoever did the original installation was an idiot and installed the lower rack attachments in the wrong eyelets.

Or were they an idiot? Aren't the rearward/lower eyelets usually reserved for fenders? How can you install a rear fender in the upper eyelet... where it's now blocked by the rack attachment?

The bike, by the way, is rather minty -- and since I know the seller and original owner, I know it never has had a rear fender installed.

Thanks, Sleepless in Virginia Beach