Centurion Lemans RS question
 

I found a 1985 Centurion Lemans rs on cl in my size the other day and ended up bringing it home. It was a college bike and had not seen a lot of love, likely passing through the hands of more than one young owner. It is rust free except for flaking paint at the bb shell faces. Sometime in its life someone touched up the paint and based on the quality of the work, the artist might have been drunk. Luckily it's black, that and I'm going to commute on it a bit so hopefully the bike thief wont look twice at it.

The top tube wasn't perfectly straight nor was the left seat stay but some taps with the rubber mallet was all that was necessary to make them straight. I stripped it and repacked the headset, put in a sealed bb, ultegra brakes and RD, 105 STIs and upgraded wheelset as well as bar and stem. I have it set up as a 2x9 and once I get some downtube stops I can set up the brifters. I have done a few short shakedown rides and it rides great, straight and true.

My question is how much mojo do you think the frame has lost during what has clearly been a tough life, can a steel frame be worn out?

http://i61.tinypic.com/9896kp.jpg

There are a few enthusiasts here who have in excess of 10,000 miles on their favorite rides and many bikes are also more than 35-40 years old and still in daily service. Your bike doesn't look worn so much as probably neglected and somewhat abused. Go to China and see how many POS are pressed into daily service.

If there is nothing but surface rust, I wouldn't worry. On some bikes, the brazing sometimes breaks down, but that is the exception rather than the rule.

That's an '84, most likely, but you never know. It was originally a Suntour setup, so you can go ahead and remove those piggy-back shifters if you want. They have a market. I see you converted from 27" to 700c, and if the brakes reach, great. It's a smooth frame, always has been, and was a really slick ride in original trim. No reason not to think it won't be with your setup. You can't use the normal DT cable stops on that piggyback setup, but you can either go with a banded old-style, with a simple stop on each side (also available in newer styles) or you can find some of the newer DT cable stops on eBay that have already been fitted to a clamp.

Nice bike, welcome to the forum. If I run across another 105 shifter cap, I'll shoot you a message.

Thanks for the heads up on the stops. The serial number starts N5 which I thought indicates 85. It had a Suntour Cyclone FD and RD, a Sugino GLP crankset (which is still on it) and Dia Compe brakes. I would have kept the Cyclone FD on but someone had bottomed out the limit screws and they were fully seized.

I have a smaller version of the same bike. I believe it's mostly original, but the extra brake levers were probably added by the bike shop that sold it. The top tube is unusually long for the frame size. They are nice bikes. For reference, here's a photo:

http://i241.photobucket.com/albums/f...B1D02A83C2.jpg

That's a clean one, is yours 84 or 85?

first three of the serial number: N4P

Not sure how much mojo it lost, but you certainly put some back into with that replacement equipment. That's a pretty sharp looking ride.

Bumping this thread as I have the exact same bike - first bike I bought new on my own over 30 years ago. I've just put a threadless quill adapter on it along with Gary-2 handlebar. Trying to decide on conventional brakes or brifters.

The BB is sticky so I think I'll just put a new cartridge in it. 68 x 113 is what I think I need, yes?

I hate to say RobbieTunes was wrong two years ago, but that's what the LeMans RS looks like in the 1985 catalog. If the specs there match your bike, your crankset is a Sugino GLP. Does that sound right? If so, VeloBase says it takes a 116mm symmetric bottom bracket. That could be wrong, of course. It's probably safest to measure the bottom bracket you have now and try to match that.

I've got an '86 Lemans RS that I picked up as a bare frame after it had suffered through a hard life similar to what the OP describes, just with dents in different places. I had an unused Ultegra groupset when I got it, so I dressed it up like that.

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4157/...1a7d9363_c.jpg

I don't mind being wrong. Feels "normal."
Mine was black, had Suntour LePree, 27" so I assumed '84. Silky smooth ride.

Yes, Sugino GLP crank and Suntour Cyclone ders, exactly as seen in this 1985 catalog...
http://vintage-centurion.com/sites/d...on_Catalog.pdf

Thanks for the info on the BB. Ideally I'd pull the crank and measure, but I'd prefer to do the whole R&R process in one session.

I have the same red and white RS. Lovely bike. I also bought a bare frame, but I rebuilt it with 1980 era Campy Nuovo Record, which I had sitting around in my parts boxes. :-)

Looking at the sealed Shimano BB-UN55 Bottom brackets, I see two close sizes in 68mm...

113mm (LL113)
115mm (D-H)

I understand the overall length number easily enough, but what's the "LL113" vs. "D-H" all about?