Hi everyone I was just wondering if anyone else out there rides a Centurion Trac? I'm totally new to the forum btw so forgive me if this topic is silly. I just adore this bike. I have been riding it 20 miles a day (10 miles one way) for two years and I have never seen another out there. As my interest in recreational riding has really developed I am thinking about getting another Centurion model since this one has served me so well. I have her set up with a single gear crank and a Nexus 7 speed hub and flat bars.

Interesting bike mid 80s bike. Apparently, only about 400 of them were made.

T-Mar(?) will be requesting the serial number for his database. Is that tubing sticker a Champion #1 or Champion #2 ? Looks like a pretty sweet bike, although the aesthetics are killed by your choice of stem and saddle. Gotta find something that meets your needs for comfort and fit while still looking as awesome as the rest of the bike!

No, but I'd sure like to.

Welcome to the forum.

I recommend buying all the Centurions you can and riding them. Lots.

Interesting bike.

Did you have to coldset the rear to accomodate the Nexus hub?

I paid a bike shop to have the hub installed, so I don't know what coldest is I'm afraid. Perhaps if you tell me what it is I can tell by looking at it or posting a pic. I'll admit the saddle is in need of changing, when I first started riding her it was out of necessity because my car was dead so after a week my butt was killing me so I went with a soft one. I'm a bit more "hardened now" :-)

Hi! The sticker on the tube says Champion"5" not 1 or 2 aPam I reading it wrong? Does that make sense?

Can't say I've ever seen a Centurion track frame before but it's pretty cool. Looks to be a little small for you from the amount of seat post and stem sticking out but as long as it works then keep rocking it!

No, there is such a thing as Champion #5 , although I (in my limited wisdom) wouldn't expect it on a track frame. Anyone want to help out with the reasoning there?

Less flex?

For the era, and price, perhaps Champion #5 was the best choice. I had a Shogun of Champion #5 that was a great frame. Perhaps the track frame was more about just being a track frame than a competition-level frame? No real idea why they'd do that, unless oddjob2 is right on the stiffness. I sure don't know. Champion #1 seems to be the choice I'd make, but without knowing the intended market for the Trac, or the intended price point, there is probably no way of knowing. I'd still like one in a 56cm....

Nope, I ride a Turbo. I'd also have to say I'm jealous.. that looks like quite the bike.

The spacing between the inner faces of the rear dropouts has to match the over-locknut-dimension of the rear hub. Typical track wheels have 120 mm spacing, but at least the Nexus 7-speed hub I'm running with a coasster brake is 135 mm. They would have had to permanently deform the rear triangle, known as cold-setting, in order to fit the hub. I've done it on my touring bike, 120 - 135, in order to fit a modern MTB hub. I was just curious.

"Coldset" is just a term for bending the rear triangle - spreading it to accept a wider hub than it was originally designed to fit.

A bunch were sold in the Toronto region, any colour you want as long as it's lovely burnt orange. I owned one but saw at least 3 others over the years. circa 76?