Thanks. I was thinking after I posted it that the serial number more likely made it an 85. Is there any way to tell if the components are in fact from the Z-series? I was just curious.

Thank-you for answering my questions. It has many of the features that were common to both 1983 & 1984, including the chome locations, contrasting head tube and top mount shifters. However, the 1983 specs do not mention the lighting harness and now that I've looked at it again, it does not state your color among the finish options. Based on what I know about the serial numbers, 1983 should also be ruled out, but I wanted to make sure. So, I think we can safely rule out 1983.

Everything matches 1984 with the possible exception of the wheels. The ad does not specifically state whether the tires/rims are 27" or 700C, but it does state "Kevlar belted 32mm bullet proof skinwall tires". I find it difficult to believe that the ad would state a metric width for a 27" wheel/tire. It's a bit of a mystery, but stranger things have happened. I had hoped that there would be some feature that we could definitely rule out1 985, based on what I know about the 1984, but there doesn't appear to be. And the serial number appears to be from the later part of 1984, so it could still be either a 1984 or 1985 model.

T-Mar,

I updated my original post with 3 photos and info on the bikes. Yes the photos are terrible. Don't hurt your eyes squinting at them.

Chajmahal

I love that purple/white paint job. I'm scouring the thrift stores and garge sales for one. most likely the only place I'll see one is on ebay and not in my price range. Nice bikes raverson.

Thanks T-Mar. To my way of thinking, model years didn't matter quite so much back in the '80s. I do appreciate the info that my ProTour is either '84 - '85. The main thing for me is that it is still going strong as a fun ride. Not as light or stiff as my "new" bikes, but by golly, a friction shifting 6 speed can be smooth and quiet. With the few upgrades I expect my ProTour will serve me well into the future.

The Z-series are very non-descript from the front, but if you look on the back of the parts, there will be part numbers, format XX-YYYY-ZZ. The XX prefix indicates the part type (i.e. FD = front derailleur, RD = rerar derailleur, BR = brake, etc.). The YYYY body is the series and part number identifier. For the Z series it will start with Z, followed by three numbers. The ZZ suffix is optional and used to designate component options (i.e GS= large capacity derailleurs). Examples of Z-series parts would be RD-Z503-GS, FD-Z202, BR-Z306. The key is the Z at the start of the series identifier. I trust this helps.

It does. Thanks! I'll have to check them out tonight when I get home.

The info on my Centurion Dave Scott Ironman. I have been assuming that it is a 1986 model that may have been built in late 1985 or early 1986, based on the components:

Serial Number: N6A7622

Shimano 600 BioPace cranks marked "59" (perhaps meaning made in September 1985?) (edit: there is ALSO a small "jj" stamped on the crank...does that mean 10th month of 1985?)

Shimano 600 SIS rear changer (the first/early version of indexed Ultegra changers)

Shimano 600 front changer

Shimano 600 headset

Shimano 600 calipers (that resemble the 1985 version more than the 1987 version)

Shimano Exage brake levers

Shimano hubs with six cog cassette

Wolber Super Champion Alpine rims

Nitto stem

Tange 1 double butted frame

Tange fork blades

And, it is the "correct" color: fire engine red, with a white seat tube and head tube.

The Shimano 600 components work well, but the 1988 Shimano 105 components work a tad better.

ABH, thanks for posting. It's definitely a 1986 model, manufactured early in that year. The only thing that is out of place are the Exage levers. Maybe there was shortage?Not sure what the 59 on the cranks means. The Shimano date codes consist of two letters. Given the vintage of the frame, I would expect something starting with a "J" (1985) or "K" (1986). The second letter is the month, where A = Jan., B = Feb., etc.

Hi T-Mar!
Here's anoher one. I got this bike as a frame with handlebars shifters and brakes. No seatpost or wheels so I don't even know how many gears were on the cassette.
Serial No. N5B1091
Downtube has "Tange No. 1" and "Designed in America, Built in Japan" decals.
Size 50cm C-T w/ 52cm Top tube. 126mm rear spacing.
Top tube says "Ironman". No "Master or "Expert".
Brakes are Shimano 600 sidepulls with the drilled levers (non-aero).
Deraillers and headset are Shimano 600 as are the cranks. The cranks are the ones with "Shimano 600" engraved in the arms in block letters without the small decal they used later. They came with Biopace chainrings (52 X 39)
Metallic red with silver head tube and downtube decals. Nice silver pinstriping around the head and seat lugs.
Does anyone know the geometry of this bike? It's ride is lively but comfortable like a good steel frame should be but if you walk the bike holding the seat and lean it even slightly, the bike wants to turn the front wheel. Much more so than any other bike I've tried. Maybe it's has less trail than most, or a short front-center.
Thanks

V02min, that's a 1985 that you have. I have the geometry, but only for the 58cm size. It used 74 degree angles for both the head and seat tubes, but I wouldn't be suprised if the smaller frames had a slightly shallower head angle. Rake was spec'd at 1.75". Chainstays were 16.125". Wheelbase 39.75", but probably slightly shorter on your frame.

Thanks T-Mar.
According to Zinn's book, that bikes tendency to tip/steer itself while being pushed actually indicates a good deal of trail from a steep head angle, making it more stable when being ridden.
I need to get one of those angle finders from Harbor freight!
Steve

Hello peoples,
I just got this Centurion road bike for free. Its all hosed looking, but I thought Id try identify a year and model if possible.... Anyways. Its serial number says "IN13625" It is right above the bottom bracket with a sticker that says "Made in Japan". Its light blue with suntour frame mount shifters and suntour "Elite" derailers. Its headbadge is metal and is riveted to the frame. Its in the shape of a cross with the word "Centurion" painted vertically on the cross.
Anyone have a guess as to what year this might be? I have no clue on the model. All of its make/model decals have long been worn off.

It would appear to be from sometime in the 1970s. The serial number format and that model of SunTour derailleur are both new to me. There should be two letter date codes on the back of the SunTour derailleurs. Refer to http://www.vintage-trek.com/component_dates.htm for decoding the letters. There may also be date codes on the cranks and brakes that you can decode using info from Vintage-Trek. I'd be interested to know what you find.

Well, I've had two Centurions, and still have one of them.

The one I still have appears to be (based on dates stamped on components) a 1978 Professional. Tange Champion Butted Tubes sticker on seat tube, vertical "Centurion" headbadge, Centurion decal on downtube, Professional on top tube. Lugs are copies of Cinelli lugs of the era... long point with circular cutouts, and a fully sloping fork crown. Seat cluster is also like Cinelli fastback, and bottom bracket has a sort of "flower" cutout in it. Components are a Sugino Mighty Victory crankset, SunTour Cyclone derailleurs, and GranCompe sidepull brakes, with barrel adjusters on both the caliper and the lever. Brakes are the original GC sidepull with the simpler quick release, not the variable one like Campy and later GC. Bars and stem were some flavor of SR Royal, the stem with an oval slot in the face and the bars with the small round cutouts on the sleeve. Seat post is SR copy of Campy NR. All SR parts have the old eagle logo. Hubs are Sanshin ProAm, with Mavic Module E rims (the one thing I'm almost certain is NOT original). Frame is chromed throughout, and painted metallic orange (pretty!) over that. Serial number is M7070019. Pics are at: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frickercycle/my_photos.

The Centurion I sold a while back was only a frameset when I got it. A SemiPro, probably from the mid-80s. I don't recall exactly what the tubing sticker said, but the serial number was M0D18273. It was a sort of pale, pearlescent yellow with chrome under the paint again, and brown lettering and some striping in brown as well. Later round headbadge, and different lugs and a semi-sloping fork crown. Pretty, but not as pretty as the Pro. I built it up as a fixed gear, but sold it after a short while. I kind of regret selling it now, but in the process I ended up with another bike that was a little more valuable and collectible.

Tim Fricker

T-Mar, do you live in Maine?

Tim, that is a beautiful bicycle! Thank-you for sharing the pics. It certainly is reminescent of a Cinelli or Windsor Professional. It almost makes me wonder if it wasn't produced by Acer-Mex. Are there any stickers to indicate the country of origin? Though I can't see the cutouts in the pics, based on the description, I believe your bars and stem are the ESL models. Not sure, but I believe it stands for Extra Super Light. The slot in the front of the stem clamp was so that they could drill out the extension. It was very light equipment for the era.

I thinking the Semi-Pro might be from an earlier era. The serial number format isn't quite right for the era and eaven if we assume it is a variation on the basic format, it still puts the model back to the beginning of the decade. The mid-1980s models models had contrasting head tubes, which you don't mention. Did yours have one? It's probably a mute point anyways, regarding that you no longer have the frame.

BTW, very nice Miyata 1000. It's definitely 1986, but if you're interested, I can narrow things down, based on the serial number.

I suppose I might as well post the specs of my Dave Scott Expert - I'm going nuts waiting for tools and parts for my birthday so I can start doing some work on it.

I'm pretty sure it's a 1987 model - has the infamous pink/yellow paint scheme, which has grown on me.

S/N: N7A5437
-105 on nearly everything - front/rear der, breaks, hubs and crank (biopace chainrings).
-Wolber Superchamp Alpine rims
-Nitto drops and stem; bars say 'B115390'
-Tange 1 tubing, braze-on downtube shifters

Only things, to my knowledge, that weren't stock were the seat and pedals. It's 54 cm C/C.

This is my first road bike, and I'm amazed by how smoothly it rolls. I'm not sure if it's the hubs, if the previous owner had the bearings repacked (which I doubt quite a bit), or if it's just the hubs and high-pressure slicks, but I won't complain either way.

From the picture it looks like either your seat is too high or your handlebars are too low -- doesn't this set-up give you an awkward riding position?

I've got a Diamondback/Centurion Momentum. It's black with hot pink and green accents. It came with Shimano Exage 300 components. I've ridden it a ton, I love the feel of steel. Any ideas on the year? I'll look up the serial # later this evening

U00919489

Indeed - I knew I should have just taken a new picture of it, but didn't because I've been riding it as a ghetto single-speed while building up stuff to rebuild it.

I'd fitted the seat in that picture, but not the bars - they're about 1.5-2.5 inches higher now. I'm not certain that the bike's a perfect fit (at ~5'7-8" w/ a 30 inch inseam I think I'd be better off with a 52), but it's comfortable enough for me to have no major complaints about fit (the cheap CODA saddle that's on it is another story...).

Good eye though

Given that it's a Diamondback, it can be no older than 1990. It appears in the 1990 model list, but not in 1991, so I'm assuming it was produced only in 1990. Major components should be Shimano 300EX.

Actually, given a 30" inseam, a 50cm seat tube is about right. But, looking at the seat height and based on your overall height, I'd agree that something bigger is probably required. What's really important is to get the top tube length correct and pair it with a stem that's not too long or too short. It looks like the seat has been pushed back about 2-3cm, presumibly because of a short top tube/stem combination. Based on what I'm seeing, I 'd probably put on you on something in the 53-54 cm range. However, proper bicycle fitting is not something that you can do properly by correspondence. It's worthwhile to pay a knowledge LBS or coach to measure you and set things up properly.

Pro Tour # N2P3013, dark metallic blue with silver head tube & fork. It has the round type Centurion logo screened on the head tube.Tange Champion #2 tubing, SunTour VGt derailleur & SR Aerox triple crankset. It has 27" Araya rims with "Sealed Bearing Hubs" stickers on the hubs but no date codes. This has been my Winter Commuter Bike for years.

I also still have a couple of LeMans but can't get at them right now, one has the older type head badge & with high tension tubing, the other has the later, round badge. I will post their info later.

The info for my Centurion Pro Tour 15:

- Finish: gold/brown metallic/flake paint with cream colored metallic paint on head tube. Chrome finish on right chain stay, and on the tops of the seat stays and forks. "Rumor" has it, the entire frame and fork may be chromed, with the paint applied over the chrome.

- Serial number: 4F10289

- Crank: Sugino AT Autex: marked as: Japan D-6 175

- Triple chain rings: Sugino 50, 42, 28

- Frame: Champion No. 2 Butted Tubes Tange Ltd.

- Wiring: internal wiring for generator lights

- Fork: Champion Fork Blades Cr-Mo Steel Tange

- Hubs: Suzue Sealed-Tech 40 spokes rear, 36 spokes front

- Rims: Araya 27 x 1 1/4 "Japan"

- Changers: Suntour Le Tech

- Shifters: Suntour Symmetric on downtube

- Freewheel: Suntour 5 Cog

- Brakes: Dia-Compe Cantilevers

- Brake Levers: Shimano 600 (the "drilled out" style)

- Headset: Tange Levin sealed/waterproof

- Stem: Nitto Technomic

- Seatpost: SR Laprade


After twenty-some years of "wear and tear", the wheels are still perfectly round and true, the wheel bearings turn smoothly, and the shifters, gear changers and brakes work perfectly. I suspect that this bike is built well enough to provide good service for ANOTHER twenty or thirty years.