Originally Posted by desille54

I have a mystery frame that I think might be a late Centurion, or possibly a higher-end bike made by the folks at Centurion. It's been stripped down except for a Tange Prestige II label, and a few spots of blue/pink pearl paint. The brake cable is routed through the top tube, and the rear dropouts are Shimano EF. In addition, the seatstays curl up around the seat lug--not something I've seen on too many frames. Here's the serial number (note how small the number is): N8S0043. According to what I've read so far, the serial number places the frame--if it is a Centurion--in the later months of 1988. Any help identifying this frame would be greatly appreciated!

Originally Posted by vosyer

Hey T-Mar.

I was given a Lemans RS today by someone cleaning out their garage.
Everything appears to be stock -
Shimano Light Action
Color is Black and Yellow
Tange #2
Arraya Anodized bronze 700c wheels
fluted 27.0 Sugino seatpost
sn# N7E7582
Shimano side pulls
6 speed shimano free wheel 13-26
Biobace rings

I assuming this is a 1987?

Originally Posted by dashngracie

T-Mar ,
Wish not to add info. of no use to o , however, can't positively ident. this onwe myself. Centerion with ser. no. N110188( second 1 cold be an "L" demonstrating sequence in production/pay period). Unmolested stickers verify Made in Japan - Champion No. 5 --- Chrome MolyBoen Steek ---Seamless R.G. Tubes .-------Tange Industusries.

I have beeen working on my own bikes for a number of years - this thread has been great -- but in this one instance I'm stymied ---Restore or maker a great Fixie?


Any help( Weigh in is appreciated)

THX , MLS
dashngracie

Originally Posted by desille54

I have a mystery frame that I think might be a late Centurion, or possibly a higher-end bike made by the folks at Centurion. It's been stripped down except for a Tange Prestige II label, and a few spots of blue/pink pearl paint. The brake cable is routed through the top tube, and the rear dropouts are Shimano EF. In addition, the seatstays curl up around the seat lug--not something I've seen on too many frames. Here's the serial number (note how small the number is): N8S0043. According to what I've read so far, the serial number places the frame--if it is a Centurion--in the later months of 1988. Any help identifying this frame would be greatly appreciated!

Originally Posted by RobbieTunes

T-Mar,
About a month or so ago, I saw an '89 Ironman Expert either in this thread or somewhere in C&V, blue to white fade, massively and nicely redone. I don't remember the components, but it had deep dish rims, blue bar tape, was photo'd by a tree. I've not been able to relocate the pic. Could you look and see if that's in your database? I'm rehab'ing a similar one, and could use some guidance, if not from the owner, then the picture, at least. Thanks.

Originally Posted by sfthurber

Centurion Le Mans
sn=jn62280
Tubing: High Tensile Ultralight
SunTour VGt
Dia-Compe
Crank: Sugino

Originally Posted by Wino Ryder

Here's one T-Mar to throw a wrench into the works, but will add it to the data-base anyway. Going by the Shimano 600 date codes the components were made in April '85, so that helps in narrowing it down a bit.

Centurian 'Elite RS'

frame: 'Tange 2' double-butted Cro-Moly seamless tubing (serial # KF51074)
fork: 'Tange' cr-mo steel fork blades.
headset: 'Tange' falcon
bars: Nitto 'Olympiade 115'
stem: Nitto 'Technomic'
calipers: 'Diacomp' Royal S' sidepulls
levers: Diacomp Gran Comp' that are drilled
crank: Sugino ALP with 52/42 Sugino chainrings
pedals: Shimano '600' toe-clip and strap
derailleurs: Shimano '600'
hubs: Suxue 'Sealed-Tech
wheels: 'Araya' 700c 36-spoke steel rims
seatpost: 'Sugino' SP-KC fluted

Originally Posted by sfthurber

update--
Centurion Le Mans $7.50 at thrift shop
sn=jn62280
frame High Tensile Ultralight 26
SunTour VGt[4532] SL
Dia-Compe
Crank&ring: Sugino [s-52]
sakae custom bar
sr [j76] stem
all in very good shape

Originally Posted by A.Winthrop

.
Hi T-Mar,
.
Very interesting. The apparent 1980 or thereabouts switch
seems to conicide with the disappearence of the Professional
and, later, the Semi-Professional models (ie the Cinelliesqe
knock off models). I wonder if there is a connection?
.
There must be cyclists and others in Japan who know what
manufacturer made what brands. All must have been made
within the manufacturing sphere of one of the big Japanese
manufacturion\trading combines and that Japanese industrial
structure should make it easy to trace manufacturing if one
is Japanese or is literate in Japanese and can probe
Japanese websites.
.
I've got a Japanese friend, a former journalist, who is now
spokesman for the Japanese Foreign Ministry. I'll see if I
can enlist his help. He was a political AND business journalist
for Asahi Shimbun, a major Japanese newspaper with both Japanese
and English-language editions, so maybe he can point me to
someone who would know.
.
If memory serves, you once speculated that the N in the '80s
Centurion serial numbers might stand for National. I'll bet
you are correct. I think it was you who pointed out that
National also manufactured Panaracer tires, which appeared
on many mid- and late-80s Centurions. This theory may be
a good starting point for investigation.
.
Oh, almost forgot to ask: Do you now have enough evidence
to support a dating code theory on the M-series serial
numbers? And, if so, does it conform to the N-series dating
code?
.

Originally Posted by nearonabike

Centurion LeMans, Based on the color scheme, it's a 1988 model year. Serial number is N7M12553 making it a late December 1987 produced frame. Color is yellow and white (Fork and head tube). The Shimano Lite Action Group moniker is on the tube shifters.

Originally Posted by A.Winthrop

.

Originally Posted by A.Winthrop

Hi Roger,
.
Do you mean Cinelli Professional or Centurion Professional,
Centurion's Cinelli-look-alike model of the mid- to late
'70s?
.
Over the last five years I've been looking, I've not seen
one Centurion Professional come up on eBay. I've seen a
few very similar Centurion Semi-Professional models, which
were one step down from the Professional. So my guess is
that you will have a hard time finding one, especially
in your 60cm size. I ride 62cm c-c and bikes 60cm c-c and
larger are much harder to find, especially among the higher-
end models.
.
Are you a Kiwi? If so, do you know the name Bill Sutch, NZ's
Industries & Commerce Secretary in the '50s? My mother knew
him at Columbia U. in New York when they were graduate
students together in the 1930s. :-)
.
More on Centurion bikes at: www.sheldonbrown.com/centurion
.

Originally Posted by EddyR

Several months ago I posted my Centurion LeMans #F3105691 At that point I was new to Centurion bikes so I didn't know one from another.Later I mentioned I thought it was on a Dave Scott frame. A few weeks ago I picked up a mint Dave Scott Expert, Pink and Yellow #N76468, 1987 I think. I also picked up a never ridden Sport DLX from the owner who bought it in 1985 #F61084 Here is where the LeMans very odd serial number bike get even stranger is that it has a true investment cast fork all chrome. I never noticed it until I got the Dave Scott and had the two bike next to each other.The Dave Scott and the LeMans have the same 105 equipment. The numbers on parts seem to put the LeMans in 1988 The LeMans says Tange 2 and the Dave Scott says Tange 1. Has any one figured out the odd number on my LeMans yet?
Ed

Originally Posted by banish55

New entry here...

Centurion LeMans, date unconfirmed, S/N: N8B5143
Metallic dark red (single color, no fade...could it still be an '88?)...
Tange ("3 main tubes butted") 1.2mm/0.9mm
Any year confirmations? she's sitting SS now, soon to be fixed.