Originally Posted by alanbikehouston
The "Centurion" name was never the actual name of a bike company. It was simply the name put on road bikes in the USA by the bike importer now known as "Diamondback". Centurions were made by a variety of sources in Japan, and the importer never drew attention to the fact that there was no such thing as a "Centurion" bike factory.
The wide range of workmanship and quality between the very best frames that used the Centurion name, and the cheapest bikes using the Centurion name suggest that their top frames may have been made in a smaller shop, that made frames by the hundreds, and their cheapest frames look much like the frames that were being made by the millions in the era in the larger Japanese factories. What various Centurions had in common was not who built them, but the decal stuck on them by the importer.
If someone is using the name "Centurion" today in Europe, there is no reason to think that there is any connection or relationship to the Centurion bikes sold in the USA during the '70's and '80's. And, it is doubtful any Centurion being sold in Europe today is built by a leading Japanese bike maker. Rivendell has some of its bikes built by a small "top quality" shop in Japan...the price is extremely high...about ten times higher than the cost of bikes made in the sweatshops in communist controlled portions of China.
I do share your opinion. Brand names are something that is being traded nowadays, but nontheless, Centurion along with Nishiki has, at least in Scandinavia, "survived" as brands with a range of bikes one level above many othes. It has always been possible to recommend friends with less interest in bicycles to take a look at these brands. For years it has been possible to find bikes, light, efficient and with a with good geometry and a good choice of components. Denmark, where people really use their bikes for daily commuting has a long tradition using efficient bikes. A walk through Copenhagen is a bit like being in heaven - a lot of really nice bike shops and a lot of good bikes on the streets. I havenīt spotted so many single speeds fully Campagnolo equipped in one day elsewhere - and a lot of Centurions.