TXsailor

This is probably the best reason they are so popular today. You can actually find one in decent shape for a reasonable price at about any time. I get the grail thing and years spent hunting for that elusive gem but I don't buy bikes for the hunt, bragging rights or to hang on the wall and admire. I want something I can ride not search for, I want it now not when I get any older and I don't want to spend a fortune on it. The under $500 Ironman fits all those criteria and as no one denies is a pretty nice bike to boot. I can upgrade it to my hearts content and not face the wrath of the purists. It didn't come with Campy stuff and that's a plus to me. Sure Campy is pretty and some of it really good but the fact that I can't get it anywhere and some of it is priced like the crown jewels just doesn't fit with the affordable Ironman. Not only that RobbieTunes, Seypat, Cankelcat , Seedsbeleize and quite a few more of the C&V guys like them and they are way more knowledgeable than I am. Ride it like you stole it cause compared to the spaghetti bikes you did.

RobbieTunes

The marketing was excellent, and accurate.
However, one result was the Lemans/RS became a sales leader.
Despite the Ironman being 1/4 to 1/5 the price of Italian bikes, some found it too high priced.
The Lemans/RS at $200-$300 lower sold very well.
The 1987 Bicycling magazine Buyer's Guide is an excellent snapshot of the market at that time.

A marketing example:

sd5782 

TX, that sums it up pretty well. It seems like a good mid level starting point for me that will suit my age and condition. Nice starting point for not too much cash.




A few more pics on the IM data base thread.
Steve

USAZorro

I'm not a newbie, and while I concede they are nicely made, I don't get it either. At some point, the moderator team was persuaded to make a sticky thread for them.

canklecat

Good point. Locally, I meet many folks who own or have owned a Centurion Ironman. Some are mostly on indoor trainers now. And I see them fairly regularly on craigslist. I like 'em because they're good and generally very affordable.

But it was new to me because by the early 1980s I was in college full time and working full time and didn't have time to ride the 1976 Motobecane that I'd commuted on for several years. I didn't even look at bikes again until the 2000s. So I missed the whole Centurion era, and pretty much everything else related to bicycling for a couple of decades.

RobbieTunes

And I let your wife beat me at pool. No respect, I tell ya, no respect. (actually, she's that good)
PS: I had nothing to do with the sticky. I think it was just an acknowledgement of a universal truth.

canklecat

Not to argue about whether they were just marketing companies, but some Univega frames seemed unique. I haven't seen their early '90s Bi-Axial Power Oval frames on any other brand bike. Seems like most of those companies specced their frames to be built by other contractors, pretty much like Vivitar did with most of its Series 1 lenses -- they didn't manufacture them, but many of those lenses weren't available from any other brand. That's pretty much the standard for many brands for the past few decades -- they spec designs and materials that are built by other contractors. Then, years later, afficianadoes develop cults and try to identify which mystery shadow companies actually made which models.


That Cimarron looks pretty comfortable. I may add that to my local search list. I'm still pondering the perfect errand/casual group ride bike.

canklecat

And I probably won't be satisfied until I at least try one of the Master models with Biopace chain rings. My knees really want to know whether those oval thingies help on climbs.

I just missed out on a local sale of a Shimano 105 crankset with Biopace 52/42 chain rings, for only $20. Darn me for not checking the bike parts category more often.

top506

Yes. Yes they do.
If you want to try them I;ll send you a set of 130/52-42 in steel for postage.

Top

crank_addict

Some got the Ironman and some got their Softride

(AS Seen On EBAY $175 O.B.O.)

T-Mar

The Comp TA and Ironmen were no better values than most of the other Japanese mid-range model of the era. When the triathlon craze hit, circa 1983, most companies simply took their existing mid-range models and re-designated them as triathlon bicycles. The existing mid-range models fit the needs of the newbie triathlete in that they were performance orientated and affordable bicycles. Most of these models were in direct competition with each other and none had a clear advantage over the other, so you can't really say that the Comp TA or Ironmen rode above their price point, as they were comparable to the majority of models in their price range. They were definitely a good value for the performance orientated rider, relative to high end models but that's simply the law of diminishing returns, which applies to most products.


KHS actually had the Turbo out prior to the Comp TA. KHS' Turbo goes back tot he 1982 model year. WSI trademarked the Turbo name prior to KHS but apparently KHS was able to prove prior use, causing WSI to abandoned its use. Similarly, they had to abandon Comp TA because it infringed on B,F. Goodrich's automobile tyre of the same name. However, it all worked for WSI, as they were able to license the high recognition Ironman name and logo.

jamesdak 

Well, I'm late to the Ironman game myself. All I can say is I get it...but I don't know why I get it. They are just dang good bike and cheap to get.

And look at this paint, how cool is that?

philpeugeot 

Sorry, I need this to get ten posts.

jamesdak 

fleslider 

Being a teen in the late 80's its the paint jobs that drew me to the Ironman's . our local bike shop carried Centurion, Diamond Back, Mongoose and Trek. Although i liked the treks alot, when my Dad and my Brother would do rides, It was really easy to pick out the Ironman's . the treks for the most part blended in with everything else.

So i was drawn to the Ironman's with their bright colors and full 600 component grouppos think, SIS , Biopace, that was the cool stuff at the time. at least for the 13 year old me. then a year later when the Magenta/Yellow Ironman Expert came out, i fell in love with it.

fast forward and finally got my Magenta/Yellow "Miami Vice" Ironman... and then a Bright Marine Green/ White

1987 Master and Expert



1988 Master

canklecat

Do those frames have different head tube and seat tube angles, or is it just optical distortion?

RobbieTunes

Purely subjective.

Sure I can. And I do.

Sometimes, the weight of subjective opinions veers towards objective.
Engineers almost never believe in magic. Mojo ain't numbers.

Next, you'll say the original Asics Gel Lite wasn't the best running shoe ever. Oh, c'mon!

natterberry 

corn on the cog 

repechage

The model name thing always had me scratching my head, did no importer reference possible conflicts?
I think it was geometry decisions and tire selection that nudged the Ironman to getting the nod. (prior to the unicrown fork versions... I think that was OK but an error)
The shop I worked for sold KHS, they did well with them. If in the selling conversation the Centurion offerings came up, (and often did, a shop down the street sold them) The owner would swap out the wheels and suggest a second test ride. Made a few sales that way for the Specialized tires or in a few cases tubulars even. Which brought up the ultimate upsell, a set of "race wheels".

seypat

What gives any bike, really any object for that matter, mystique? Take a look at the bikes that you consider the best, the grails. Now honestly ask yourself if there are real, concrete reasons why those are the best bikes to you. I'm guessing you cannot find any real reasons. I never did understand the jonesing over red bikes with white decals. Then I saw one in person. There was an aura around it! Now I understand. Placebo effect with the IM? Maybe, but you push one through the transition area even now and rack it. You will see how real the mystique is. It doesn't matter why, it is there.

belacqua

I posted a similar thread a few years ago--even used the apt word "mystique" in the title. Two Ironman Experts and a Semi--Pro later, I blame @RobbieTunes.

For me it's not that they are better than other excellent bikes, but that the forum produces a huge fund of enthusiasm for them. Arbitrary or not, it increases my enjoyment building and riding them.

I find this is true of the forum and vintage bikes generally.

​​​​​​

jethin

What I really want to know is which Ironman is the best. Surely there’s a simple answer to this question.

corn on the cog 

texaspandj

​​​​​​​Mine.