(Caveat: I don’t usually read these long opening posts; so, I’m not expecting you to either. Good pics will follow for the ADD types like myself.)


Black bikes are not my cup-o-tea, or so I thought when I bought this bike for the expressed purpose to resell it. The renaissance part is about me, and how I’ve opened-up my approach to what a bike should be and look like. This bike was dirty and obviously well-ridden when I first got it home; but I was surprised by how fit it actually was when I got down into the nitty-gritty of it. But, for the first time, I didn’t give it the same care that I have on every other bike I’ve owned. And, I think that brought some bad Karma onto my sorry a** ; or, maybe the bike just didn’t want to be sold again.

I cleaned it a bit, lubed it, and rode it. “This is a nice riding bike”, I thought to myself, “but it’s going up for sale, so don’t get too attached”. Having gotten sick of white bar tape (the obvious choice), I put some grey cork and a low-profile saddle on it and put it up for sale at a reasonable price. Here’s a post I put up in frustration on the appraisal forum after 2 months without any responses. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...this-Centurion

Sometimes you have to live with a bike for a while to really get a sense of it.

The renaissance moment came when I remembered why I was selling this bike that rode and fit me so well to begin with. Oh ya, I was selling this bike to fund another bike project! The heck with it, this 'is' my new bike project.

So, I deleted my craigs ad and did what I should have done from the beginning, make it my own. I completely started from the frame up; treated what little rust there was around the lugs, JP Weigled the frame thoroughly, touched up the paint, polished and waxed it. New cage free bearings went in the BB. I cleaned and polished all components; put my best wheelset on it, (Campy Victory Strada tubulars) and my Brooks. Lots of yummy stuff. Really put my back into it and gave it my best. I even tried my first twine treatment. Oh, and the bike weighs 21.2 lbs without pedals at this point.


(I’ve seen this done before and thought it annoyingly clever; post the intro sans photos. The bike needs some finishing touches, a good 15-20 mile shake-down ride to ensure it is sound, and some good pics will follow. Hopefully I’m not building this up too much. JR)