Centurion Serial Number Database
#1076
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Well here are a bunch of photos of the bike as found. Definetyly not a Centurion Professional.What do you all think? That Laprade seat post is pretty long...maybe I can ride it.
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I just got a positive ID on the mystery bike from the shop that sold it back in 1980. Its a Sakae Pro 4000, their highest model. The woman I talked with actually used to ride the exact same bike. She thought it was original except for the 105 derailer in front and maybe the back wheel. Anybody know any 5 footers looking for a bike?
Jason
Jason
#1078
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I just got a positive ID on the mystery bike from the shop that sold it back in 1980. Its a Sakae Pro 4000, their highest model. The woman I talked with actually used to ride the exact same bike. She thought it was original except for the 105 derailer in front and maybe the back wheel. Anybody know any 5 footers looking for a bike?
Jason
Jason
BTW for the purposes of accuracy during sale, the serial number indicates a 1981 model, not 1980, and it's a Sekai, not a Sakae.
Last edited by T-Mar; 10-19-10 at 08:24 AM. Reason: added image
#1079
Senior Member
1975 Centurion LeMans
my newest purchase not to sure of the date so iam guessing 1975 the specs are :
crank - Tourney
shifters - Suntour power
rear derailler- Suntour V-GT Luxe
front derailer -Suntour SL
handle bars -sakae road champion
wheels - 700c alloy suzue
ser# U887
seat - Osaka Japan
brakes -die-compe
crank - Tourney
shifters - Suntour power
rear derailler- Suntour V-GT Luxe
front derailer -Suntour SL
handle bars -sakae road champion
wheels - 700c alloy suzue
ser# U887
seat - Osaka Japan
brakes -die-compe
Last edited by pinch1967; 10-19-10 at 10:36 AM.
#1080
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Location: Greenfield, IN
Posts: 53
Bikes: 2011 Raleigh Revenio 3.0, 1986 Centurion Accodo RS
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I just picked an Elite RS. Not sure of the year. Serial # is KF510802. Tange 2 frame.
Shimano 600 front & rear derailers, friction downtube shifters & 6 speed 14-24 freewheel.
Sugino Alp 52-42 crank
Sugino fluted seat post
Araya 700c rims with Suzue q/r hubs
Dia Compe Gran Compe brake levers
Dia Compe Royal S side pull brakes
Nitto Olympiade alloy handle bar
Technomic stem
Shimano 600 front & rear derailers, friction downtube shifters & 6 speed 14-24 freewheel.
Sugino Alp 52-42 crank
Sugino fluted seat post
Araya 700c rims with Suzue q/r hubs
Dia Compe Gran Compe brake levers
Dia Compe Royal S side pull brakes
Nitto Olympiade alloy handle bar
Technomic stem
#1081
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Thanks for the other info. I was told by the woman at the Freewheel bike shop that the Sekai 4000 and 5000 models were sold as framesets only. That explains the hodgepodge of parts on this bike, and the lack of continuity in others I have since come across. I also found the Yellow Jersey in Madison, WI has NOS decals for the Sekai bikes, but sold out for the 4000.
I've finished disassembly and have all the paint removed from the chromed stays, fork and crown etc. Now I've got to pick a color...for somebody yet to be found.
I've finished disassembly and have all the paint removed from the chromed stays, fork and crown etc. Now I've got to pick a color...for somebody yet to be found.
#1082
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my newest purchase not to sure of the date so iam guessing 1975 the specs are :
crank - Tourney
shifters - Suntour power
rear derailler- Suntour V-GT Luxe
front derailer -Suntour SL
handle bars -sakae road champion
wheels - 700c alloy suzue
ser# U887
seat - Osaka Japan
brakes -die-compe
crank - Tourney
shifters - Suntour power
rear derailler- Suntour V-GT Luxe
front derailer -Suntour SL
handle bars -sakae road champion
wheels - 700c alloy suzue
ser# U887
seat - Osaka Japan
brakes -die-compe
Last edited by T-Mar; 10-25-10 at 07:52 AM.
#1083
Dropped
Following is a transcription of a review of the Centurion Cinelli Equipe that appeared in Bicycle Guide in 1985. It resolves some of the current mystery about the production history of the bike (EDIT: Ashley Wright, after making contact with Alan Goldsmith - formerly of WSI - offers these updates and corrections to the article below.). Following the article is a 'COUNTERPOINT' piece found in the same issue, and a list of specs and weights for the complete bike and F/F.
CENTURION: THE EQUIPE CENTURION COAXES A WINNER OUT OF ITALY
Bicycle Guide (April 1985: Vol. 2, Number 2) - Pages 44-47
By Christopher Koch
There is a hard lesson to be learned when a cyclist makes that
first memorable pilgrimage to the sport's mecca, Europe. During
those few squirmy hours of sleep in coach class, our intermittent
dreams are filled with visions of thousands of happy Italians and
Frenchmen teeming over the narrow, picturesque roads of Europe on
their fancy racing bikes.
Upon arrival however, we find that most of the Cioccs and
Gueciotti's of our dreams are either strapped to the back of
Francesco Moser's team car, or back home in our dentist's basement.
The bikes of Europe are functional and inexpensive. The occasional
racing bike you see straining under the bulk of an overweight
Italian is usually a mongrel. "You might find a basic racing frame
with a Stronglight crank, Campagnolo derailleurs and an Ofmega
headset --whatever they can get their hands on," says Alan
Goldsmith, founder of the mail order house Bikology and a design
consultant for Centurion.
In this respect, Goldsmith's latest creation for Centurion, the
Cinelli Equipe, is a true European racer. It is a fascinating
melange of functional Italian componentry (with only three items
from Campagnolo) attached to a luxurious but unpretentious frame of
Columbus tubing.
The bike has, by industry standard, a royal lineage. Goldsmith,
whose list of credits at Centurion includes the Comp TA --an
aesthetic and marketing triumph --made a pilgrimage to the old
country two years ago that most of us can only dream about. He stayed
two weeks with Cino Cinelli to talk bikes and learn how to make
olive oil (Cinelli has left most bicycle business dealing to his
son Andrea, and concentrates on experimental bicycle designs and
his olive groves). Cinelli's firm is responsible for some of the
more innovative designs in the bicycle world --he worked on
Francesco Moser's hour record bike with a team of scientists --and
his name is attached to what may be the world's most expensive
production bicycle.
Goldsmith's visit, while pleasurable, was aimed at business,
however. Centurion wanted a high-end bicycle to throw to the eager
materialists of the so-called "yuppie" market, so Goldsmith was
sent to Europe to find food for the trunks of America's BMWs and
Porsches. The American appetite for fine European machinery and the
mystique of Italian bicycles drew Goldsmith to Cinelli as if by
divining rod. "We wanted to associate ourselves with the most
prestigious company available," says Goldsmith. "Cinelli was the
obvious choice."
Negotiations were carried out in a style frighteningly similar to
that of the Paris Peace Talks. The principals spent two years at a
vast oak round table struggling over the size of the Cinelli name
on the bicycle, among other things. (Judging from the rather small
size of the Cinelli decals on the downtube and chainstay, it would
appear that Centurion has a more skilled stable of diplomats.)
At long last, however, Cino agreed to set up a factory for
manufacture of the bike frames. According to one source, space in
"another bike company allied with Cinelli" (he would not specify
which manufacturer) was leased, and Cinelli personnel were
installed to supervise production. Goldsmith claims that the
Equipe is on the same level as Cinelli's own esoteric masterpiece
because it incorporates Cinelli's famed investment cast lugs and
bottom bracket. Goldsmith also attests to "state of the art"
computerized jigs that hold the Equipe frames in place during
construction.
Judging from the results, Goldsmith's claims seem justified. The
frame is a jewel. The lug work is absolutely flawless, and the
transition between seat stay and rear dropout --a small but telling
sign of the amount of care put into construction --is as smooth as
any production frame, Italian or otherwise, that we've seen. The
dropouts have been carefully chromed so that quick releases won't
chew up the surface, and the head and downtube lugs are also
tastefully shiny. One of the BG test riders' favorite features of
the frame is the panoloply of useful braze-ons. There are two water
bottle bosses and a pump peg --a combination crucial to long rides
on hot summer days. It's hard to understand why this combination
hasn't caught on, while that useless, ubiquitous front derailleur
braze-on (unfortunately present on the Equipe) is turning up on
$300 club racers.
Despite its steep angles, the bike does not feel overly stiff, and
it tracks as if running in a slot. Steering is conservative --
responsive without being twitchy and skittish --thus making this a
good candidate for the beginning racer, triathlete or sport rider.
And that's the market that Goldsmith and Centurion are looking at.
But in order to sell the bike to the triathlete crowd, its price tag
had to be below $1000. To bring costs down, Goldsmith decided to
chuck the tried and true Campy gruppo strategy. "We evaluated the
components on cost and value per part," he says, "and we believe we
have the best combination, a far better value than could be
achieved with a specific gruppo in that price range." The choices
may also have had something to do with the fact that Cinelli is a
member of the Primo group, an Italian cooperative of bike parts
manufacturers who look out for each other. The members of the group
come as no surprise when looking at the bike: Ofmega, Columbus,
Vittoria, Universal and Regina.
Goldsmith's knowledge of what makes a bicycle work is evident in
the choices he has made for the Equipe. Spend your money where it
counts, and save where it doesn't. The drivetrain is solid --Campy
Nuovo Record derailleurs, the quiet, smooth running Regina CX
freewheel and the solid, well-finished Ofmega Mistral cranks. The
only complaints we have in this area are with the chain and pedals.
Centurion has provided a Regina Oro Record chain instead of the CX
chain, and the Record model does not mesh particularly well with
the freewheel. Ofmega's pedals, which are made of a hard nylon
compound, are not very rugged --the bearings worked loose on the
first ride.
The wheels are functional and attractive, yet do not cost much to
build. The Miche (pronounced Mee-kee, according to Goldsmith) hubs
can pass for Campy if you don't look closely; the residual
roughness in the races should disappear in a few hundred miles. The
Fiamme Hard Silver rims are attractive and have that chic grey
anodizing that everyone wants these days.
In fact, the only telling cost cutter here is the Gipiemme seat
post, which is ridiculously short at 195mm. The meaty Universal AER
brakes are serviceable, although not as smooth as their Campy
cousins. The Vittoria Nuovo Pro tires are beautifully made and
durable. And of course, Cino's bars, stem (the top of the line
1/R) and seat are state of the art.
Since Centurion has lowered the price of the Equipe from $995 to
$785 (due to the plummeting value of the Italian lire, according to
Goldsmith) we find the bike hard to resist. It's not the flashiest
Italian bike around --it's offered only in industrial grey with a
purple Centurion sticker --but look closely and you'll see one of
the best crafted and finished Italian frames now on the market.
With a few inexpensive component modifications, this bike rides like
one of those $1500 Italian specials. Prego, Cino!
------------
COUNTERPOINT
Italian designs are wonderful, in part because they please the eye
so, and in part because of the way they make you feel. Ferrari's
seat. Olivetti's typewriters. Ducati's big twins --each makes you
feel as if it were custom tailored.
Italian bicycles carry this legacy well. As usual, Koch summed it
up neatly in the midst of a long test ride. "On most bikes, I feel
like I'm sitting on top," he said, "but on an Italian bike I feel
like I'm sitting down inside it." Exactly! Centurion's
collaboration with Cinelli has created a form-fitting bicycle which
retains that elusive quality only the Italians seem to be able to
summon so effortlessly. Here is a bike that is immediately
comfortable and urges you to ride it long and hard.
Complaints? I don't like the pedals much, and the brakes need a lot
of fiddling and lubrication to bring into shouting distance of the
Italian standard. And this bike is so restrained, so formal. I'm
enough of a traditionalist to think that all Italian bikes should
be painted Ferrari red. But that's my problem, not Centurion's.
-- Ted Constantino
---------------------------------------------
SPECIFICATIONS: 1985 CINELLI EQUIPE CENTURION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Men's Cinelli 12-speed racing bike (1984\85; one year only).
Color : "Titanium silver" (4 primer\finish coats, 1 clear coat).
Serial Number: None. "60" (size c-c) stamped under BB.
MSRP: US$995 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,962).
Introductory price: US$790 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,558).
FRAME:
Columbus SL(SP) "Cylex" CrMo steel frame and fork.
Campagnolo dropouts (chrome), seatpost binder bolt,
double water bottle braze-ons. 126mm rear spacing.
Total weight: 21lb, 2.5oz
Frame without fork: 5lb, 1.0oz
Fork only: 1lb, 10.5oz
Front wheel only: 2lb, 6.5oz
Rear wheel only: 3lb, 6.0oz
COMPONENTS:
Cinelli:
Record "Giro D'Italia" bar (64-42cm) and stem (120mm).
Volare unicanitor suede-over-plastic saddle.
Full set of investment cast lugs; sloped fork crown; bottom
bracket shell; seat and chain stays, and brake bridge. Fork
crown, head lugs and drive-side chain stay are chromed.
Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleurs and downtube shifters.
Universal AER side pull brakes and levers.
Regina:
CX-S, 6-speed freewheel with 13-14-15-17-19-21 cogs.
Record chain (wide-spaced; 108 links, drilled).
Ofmega:
Mistral cotterless alloy crankset (170mm; 144mm BCD).
Mistral chainwheels (52\42).
Mistral bottom bracket (70mm\36x24); alloy spindle (118mm).
Mistral headset.
Sintesi composite platform pedals; toe clips\Binda straps.
Fiamme Hard Silver 700C tubular rims (340gr; 36-hole; eyelets).
Miche Competition quick-release hubs (36 hole; stainless spokes).
Vittoria Nuovo Pro tubular tires.
Gipiemme seatpost (27.2mm).
MARKINGS:
Cinelli logos (new style) embossed on bar and stem, fork crown,
seat and seat stays, rear brake bridge and under bottom bracket.
Other markings include: a "Cinelli Equipe" decal on down-tube
just above shifters and on left chain stay; an "Italia: Made in
Italy" decal high on seat tube.
Centurion decals on down-tube (left and right), and a Centurion
"C" decal badge on head tube.
Columbus tubing decals on fork ("FORCELLA ORIGINALE") and frame
("TUBI RINFORZATI GARANTIZI"; "ACCIAIO [dove] SPECIALE"; "COLUMBUS").
Columbus SL tubing as described by Columbus: "All-purpose, high-
performance tube set for road races over even terrain. Double-butted
tubes; cold-rolled fork blades." "Cylex" steel Weight: 1925g
Centurion was the trade name for road bikes imported by the
Canoga Park, CA, based Western States Imports (WSI). In 1984\85
WSI and Cinelli joined forces to produce a limited number of
high-end "project bikes," which were co-branded Cinelli\Centurion.
This bike was produced for one year only.
An advertisement in the December 1984 issue of Bicycling
Magazine, introducing the Cinelli Equipe Centurion, states:
"The frame is designed by Cino Cinelli and production is
coordinated and supervised by his staff."
The ad also states that that the suggested retail price was
$995.00 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,962) with an introductory
price of $789.95 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,558).
CENTURION: THE EQUIPE CENTURION COAXES A WINNER OUT OF ITALY
Bicycle Guide (April 1985: Vol. 2, Number 2) - Pages 44-47
By Christopher Koch
There is a hard lesson to be learned when a cyclist makes that
first memorable pilgrimage to the sport's mecca, Europe. During
those few squirmy hours of sleep in coach class, our intermittent
dreams are filled with visions of thousands of happy Italians and
Frenchmen teeming over the narrow, picturesque roads of Europe on
their fancy racing bikes.
Upon arrival however, we find that most of the Cioccs and
Gueciotti's of our dreams are either strapped to the back of
Francesco Moser's team car, or back home in our dentist's basement.
The bikes of Europe are functional and inexpensive. The occasional
racing bike you see straining under the bulk of an overweight
Italian is usually a mongrel. "You might find a basic racing frame
with a Stronglight crank, Campagnolo derailleurs and an Ofmega
headset --whatever they can get their hands on," says Alan
Goldsmith, founder of the mail order house Bikology and a design
consultant for Centurion.
In this respect, Goldsmith's latest creation for Centurion, the
Cinelli Equipe, is a true European racer. It is a fascinating
melange of functional Italian componentry (with only three items
from Campagnolo) attached to a luxurious but unpretentious frame of
Columbus tubing.
The bike has, by industry standard, a royal lineage. Goldsmith,
whose list of credits at Centurion includes the Comp TA --an
aesthetic and marketing triumph --made a pilgrimage to the old
country two years ago that most of us can only dream about. He stayed
two weeks with Cino Cinelli to talk bikes and learn how to make
olive oil (Cinelli has left most bicycle business dealing to his
son Andrea, and concentrates on experimental bicycle designs and
his olive groves). Cinelli's firm is responsible for some of the
more innovative designs in the bicycle world --he worked on
Francesco Moser's hour record bike with a team of scientists --and
his name is attached to what may be the world's most expensive
production bicycle.
Goldsmith's visit, while pleasurable, was aimed at business,
however. Centurion wanted a high-end bicycle to throw to the eager
materialists of the so-called "yuppie" market, so Goldsmith was
sent to Europe to find food for the trunks of America's BMWs and
Porsches. The American appetite for fine European machinery and the
mystique of Italian bicycles drew Goldsmith to Cinelli as if by
divining rod. "We wanted to associate ourselves with the most
prestigious company available," says Goldsmith. "Cinelli was the
obvious choice."
Negotiations were carried out in a style frighteningly similar to
that of the Paris Peace Talks. The principals spent two years at a
vast oak round table struggling over the size of the Cinelli name
on the bicycle, among other things. (Judging from the rather small
size of the Cinelli decals on the downtube and chainstay, it would
appear that Centurion has a more skilled stable of diplomats.)
At long last, however, Cino agreed to set up a factory for
manufacture of the bike frames. According to one source, space in
"another bike company allied with Cinelli" (he would not specify
which manufacturer) was leased, and Cinelli personnel were
installed to supervise production. Goldsmith claims that the
Equipe is on the same level as Cinelli's own esoteric masterpiece
because it incorporates Cinelli's famed investment cast lugs and
bottom bracket. Goldsmith also attests to "state of the art"
computerized jigs that hold the Equipe frames in place during
construction.
Judging from the results, Goldsmith's claims seem justified. The
frame is a jewel. The lug work is absolutely flawless, and the
transition between seat stay and rear dropout --a small but telling
sign of the amount of care put into construction --is as smooth as
any production frame, Italian or otherwise, that we've seen. The
dropouts have been carefully chromed so that quick releases won't
chew up the surface, and the head and downtube lugs are also
tastefully shiny. One of the BG test riders' favorite features of
the frame is the panoloply of useful braze-ons. There are two water
bottle bosses and a pump peg --a combination crucial to long rides
on hot summer days. It's hard to understand why this combination
hasn't caught on, while that useless, ubiquitous front derailleur
braze-on (unfortunately present on the Equipe) is turning up on
$300 club racers.
Despite its steep angles, the bike does not feel overly stiff, and
it tracks as if running in a slot. Steering is conservative --
responsive without being twitchy and skittish --thus making this a
good candidate for the beginning racer, triathlete or sport rider.
And that's the market that Goldsmith and Centurion are looking at.
But in order to sell the bike to the triathlete crowd, its price tag
had to be below $1000. To bring costs down, Goldsmith decided to
chuck the tried and true Campy gruppo strategy. "We evaluated the
components on cost and value per part," he says, "and we believe we
have the best combination, a far better value than could be
achieved with a specific gruppo in that price range." The choices
may also have had something to do with the fact that Cinelli is a
member of the Primo group, an Italian cooperative of bike parts
manufacturers who look out for each other. The members of the group
come as no surprise when looking at the bike: Ofmega, Columbus,
Vittoria, Universal and Regina.
Goldsmith's knowledge of what makes a bicycle work is evident in
the choices he has made for the Equipe. Spend your money where it
counts, and save where it doesn't. The drivetrain is solid --Campy
Nuovo Record derailleurs, the quiet, smooth running Regina CX
freewheel and the solid, well-finished Ofmega Mistral cranks. The
only complaints we have in this area are with the chain and pedals.
Centurion has provided a Regina Oro Record chain instead of the CX
chain, and the Record model does not mesh particularly well with
the freewheel. Ofmega's pedals, which are made of a hard nylon
compound, are not very rugged --the bearings worked loose on the
first ride.
The wheels are functional and attractive, yet do not cost much to
build. The Miche (pronounced Mee-kee, according to Goldsmith) hubs
can pass for Campy if you don't look closely; the residual
roughness in the races should disappear in a few hundred miles. The
Fiamme Hard Silver rims are attractive and have that chic grey
anodizing that everyone wants these days.
In fact, the only telling cost cutter here is the Gipiemme seat
post, which is ridiculously short at 195mm. The meaty Universal AER
brakes are serviceable, although not as smooth as their Campy
cousins. The Vittoria Nuovo Pro tires are beautifully made and
durable. And of course, Cino's bars, stem (the top of the line
1/R) and seat are state of the art.
Since Centurion has lowered the price of the Equipe from $995 to
$785 (due to the plummeting value of the Italian lire, according to
Goldsmith) we find the bike hard to resist. It's not the flashiest
Italian bike around --it's offered only in industrial grey with a
purple Centurion sticker --but look closely and you'll see one of
the best crafted and finished Italian frames now on the market.
With a few inexpensive component modifications, this bike rides like
one of those $1500 Italian specials. Prego, Cino!
------------
COUNTERPOINT
Italian designs are wonderful, in part because they please the eye
so, and in part because of the way they make you feel. Ferrari's
seat. Olivetti's typewriters. Ducati's big twins --each makes you
feel as if it were custom tailored.
Italian bicycles carry this legacy well. As usual, Koch summed it
up neatly in the midst of a long test ride. "On most bikes, I feel
like I'm sitting on top," he said, "but on an Italian bike I feel
like I'm sitting down inside it." Exactly! Centurion's
collaboration with Cinelli has created a form-fitting bicycle which
retains that elusive quality only the Italians seem to be able to
summon so effortlessly. Here is a bike that is immediately
comfortable and urges you to ride it long and hard.
Complaints? I don't like the pedals much, and the brakes need a lot
of fiddling and lubrication to bring into shouting distance of the
Italian standard. And this bike is so restrained, so formal. I'm
enough of a traditionalist to think that all Italian bikes should
be painted Ferrari red. But that's my problem, not Centurion's.
-- Ted Constantino
---------------------------------------------
SPECIFICATIONS: 1985 CINELLI EQUIPE CENTURION
GENERAL DESCRIPTION:
Men's Cinelli 12-speed racing bike (1984\85; one year only).
Color : "Titanium silver" (4 primer\finish coats, 1 clear coat).
Serial Number: None. "60" (size c-c) stamped under BB.
MSRP: US$995 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,962).
Introductory price: US$790 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,558).
FRAME:
Columbus SL(SP) "Cylex" CrMo steel frame and fork.
Campagnolo dropouts (chrome), seatpost binder bolt,
double water bottle braze-ons. 126mm rear spacing.
Total weight: 21lb, 2.5oz
Frame without fork: 5lb, 1.0oz
Fork only: 1lb, 10.5oz
Front wheel only: 2lb, 6.5oz
Rear wheel only: 3lb, 6.0oz
COMPONENTS:
Cinelli:
Record "Giro D'Italia" bar (64-42cm) and stem (120mm).
Volare unicanitor suede-over-plastic saddle.
Full set of investment cast lugs; sloped fork crown; bottom
bracket shell; seat and chain stays, and brake bridge. Fork
crown, head lugs and drive-side chain stay are chromed.
Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleurs and downtube shifters.
Universal AER side pull brakes and levers.
Regina:
CX-S, 6-speed freewheel with 13-14-15-17-19-21 cogs.
Record chain (wide-spaced; 108 links, drilled).
Ofmega:
Mistral cotterless alloy crankset (170mm; 144mm BCD).
Mistral chainwheels (52\42).
Mistral bottom bracket (70mm\36x24); alloy spindle (118mm).
Mistral headset.
Sintesi composite platform pedals; toe clips\Binda straps.
Fiamme Hard Silver 700C tubular rims (340gr; 36-hole; eyelets).
Miche Competition quick-release hubs (36 hole; stainless spokes).
Vittoria Nuovo Pro tubular tires.
Gipiemme seatpost (27.2mm).
MARKINGS:
Cinelli logos (new style) embossed on bar and stem, fork crown,
seat and seat stays, rear brake bridge and under bottom bracket.
Other markings include: a "Cinelli Equipe" decal on down-tube
just above shifters and on left chain stay; an "Italia: Made in
Italy" decal high on seat tube.
Centurion decals on down-tube (left and right), and a Centurion
"C" decal badge on head tube.
Columbus tubing decals on fork ("FORCELLA ORIGINALE") and frame
("TUBI RINFORZATI GARANTIZI"; "ACCIAIO [dove] SPECIALE"; "COLUMBUS").
Columbus SL tubing as described by Columbus: "All-purpose, high-
performance tube set for road races over even terrain. Double-butted
tubes; cold-rolled fork blades." "Cylex" steel Weight: 1925g
Centurion was the trade name for road bikes imported by the
Canoga Park, CA, based Western States Imports (WSI). In 1984\85
WSI and Cinelli joined forces to produce a limited number of
high-end "project bikes," which were co-branded Cinelli\Centurion.
This bike was produced for one year only.
An advertisement in the December 1984 issue of Bicycling
Magazine, introducing the Cinelli Equipe Centurion, states:
"The frame is designed by Cino Cinelli and production is
coordinated and supervised by his staff."
The ad also states that that the suggested retail price was
$995.00 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,962) with an introductory
price of $789.95 (1984\85 dollars; 2007=$1,558).
Last edited by JunkYardBike; 11-05-10 at 01:27 PM.
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Thanks for posting that, Patrick. Herewith one version of the original. It came to me with the OEM bars,
but without the Fiamme Hard Silver tubulars/Miche hubs. Came to me w/Campy hubs/Sun M14A rims.
but without the Fiamme Hard Silver tubulars/Miche hubs. Came to me w/Campy hubs/Sun M14A rims.
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 09-24-20 at 10:23 AM.
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Same bike after the "re-do."
I went back to the OEM Cineli bars, dropped the 6-sp Regina for a 7-sp Regina America.
Added '89 Chorus group courtesy of Spinz here on BF, Record headset from eBay.
Paint by Porkchop customs, deals by then - CycloMondo. Specialized BG saddle.
I went back to the OEM Cineli bars, dropped the 6-sp Regina for a 7-sp Regina America.
Added '89 Chorus group courtesy of Spinz here on BF, Record headset from eBay.
Paint by Porkchop customs, deals by then - CycloMondo. Specialized BG saddle.
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 09-24-20 at 10:23 AM.
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My second one, against a barn in Montanta, and ready to "start."
I didn't feel the need to repaint, and the OEM Centurion decals were already removed, so I improvised.
8-sp Chorus Ergo group. A few changes along the way, but basicall what you see in the overall R side photos.
Things like red brake pads are harder to see than the quite obvious Vento wheelset.
Red decals for the wheelset are here, but the OEM's are screened under the clearcoat, so the swap could be difficult.
I didn't feel the need to repaint, and the OEM Centurion decals were already removed, so I improvised.
8-sp Chorus Ergo group. A few changes along the way, but basicall what you see in the overall R side photos.
Things like red brake pads are harder to see than the quite obvious Vento wheelset.
Red decals for the wheelset are here, but the OEM's are screened under the clearcoat, so the swap could be difficult.
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 09-24-20 at 10:25 AM.
#1087
Dropped
Ashley Wright, author of the Centurion Bicycles article that
appears at www.sheldonbrown.com/centurion and at www.velobase.com
in the articles section there, adds this update:
In response to the "publication" on the Web (www.velobase.com -
articles section) of my transcription of the Cinelli Equipe Bicycle
Guide article, Alan Goldsmith, the guy who did the deal with
Cinelli for Western States Imports (WSI) has written to me and
filled in many details that clear up questions about this bike's
origins, who built it and where.
1. The deal was done between WSI and Cinelli (the company) of Milan.
2. Goldsmith represented WSI and Andrea Cinelli, Cino Cinelli's
son, who remained working for Cinelli after his father retired and
sold the company to Antonio Columbo in 1979, represented Cinelli
(the company) in the negotiations that began in late 1983.
3. The frame was designed by Goldsmith and built in the Chiricho
shop on the outskirts of Milan after design details were discussed
among Goldsmith, Andrea Cinelli and Chiricho and revisions were
made. The Chiricho shop also built Super Corsas for Cinelli (the
company).
4. Goldsmith says not more than 150, or one shipping container
load, of this bike was made. He has since had a chat with another
former WSI principal who said he "feels" that the number was either
50 or 100, but was not sure.
5. Goldsmith said that "sales were horrible" due to a host of
logistical and market factors. It was not a failure of the bicycle
but a failure of distribution and marketing.
My own thinking is that the numbers must be more than 50 as I've
seen 17 sell on eBay over the last seven years and am aware of half
a dozen more in private hands. That would be an unusually large
percentage of the total to track down. So maybe a 100 but I would
go with Goldsmith's guess of 150 as one container load would seem a
logical first contract target. It might also be a reasonable number
for the shop to turn out in a year, in addition to whatever SCs it
was producing. Just uninformed speculation here on my part.
There is still a question of Cino Cinelli's role, if any, in the
Equipe project. The introductory ad in the December 1984 of
Bicycling Magazine clearly states: "The frame is designed by Cino
Cinelli and production is coordinated and supervised by his staff."
But Alan told me that as far as he knows, Cino did not play a role
in the Equipe project. He pointed out that Andrea Cinelli, who was
running the company at the time for Antonio Columbo, was an expert
in his own right and would not have needed his father's help
executing the Equipe project.
I'm thinking the writer of the '85 Bicycle Guide article, which
also implies a Cino role, may have confused Alan's visit with Cino
to discuss the Centurion Ironman DS of '85 after Alan signed on
Dave Scott as endorser/promoter of that model, not yet on the
drawing boards. Alan said he had hoped to incorporate Cino's ideas
into the Ironman design but WSI nixed the idea in favor of
designing it after the already successful Comp TA, another project
of Alan's.
Alan, a lawyer by profession, and his wife Susy started up
Bikecology in Santa Monica, CA, in 1971. Bikecology (renamed
Supergo in 1982) was a retail and mail order business dealing in
high-end European bikes, frames and components. It was sold to
Performance Bicycles in 2002. Alan did two stints with WSI under
contract as a consultant, the first in the late '70s working on the
Semi-Pro and Pro Tour models among others and in the early to mid-
'80s focusing on the Comp TA, Equipe, Ironman and Accordo models.
appears at www.sheldonbrown.com/centurion and at www.velobase.com
in the articles section there, adds this update:
In response to the "publication" on the Web (www.velobase.com -
articles section) of my transcription of the Cinelli Equipe Bicycle
Guide article, Alan Goldsmith, the guy who did the deal with
Cinelli for Western States Imports (WSI) has written to me and
filled in many details that clear up questions about this bike's
origins, who built it and where.
1. The deal was done between WSI and Cinelli (the company) of Milan.
2. Goldsmith represented WSI and Andrea Cinelli, Cino Cinelli's
son, who remained working for Cinelli after his father retired and
sold the company to Antonio Columbo in 1979, represented Cinelli
(the company) in the negotiations that began in late 1983.
3. The frame was designed by Goldsmith and built in the Chiricho
shop on the outskirts of Milan after design details were discussed
among Goldsmith, Andrea Cinelli and Chiricho and revisions were
made. The Chiricho shop also built Super Corsas for Cinelli (the
company).
4. Goldsmith says not more than 150, or one shipping container
load, of this bike was made. He has since had a chat with another
former WSI principal who said he "feels" that the number was either
50 or 100, but was not sure.
5. Goldsmith said that "sales were horrible" due to a host of
logistical and market factors. It was not a failure of the bicycle
but a failure of distribution and marketing.
My own thinking is that the numbers must be more than 50 as I've
seen 17 sell on eBay over the last seven years and am aware of half
a dozen more in private hands. That would be an unusually large
percentage of the total to track down. So maybe a 100 but I would
go with Goldsmith's guess of 150 as one container load would seem a
logical first contract target. It might also be a reasonable number
for the shop to turn out in a year, in addition to whatever SCs it
was producing. Just uninformed speculation here on my part.
There is still a question of Cino Cinelli's role, if any, in the
Equipe project. The introductory ad in the December 1984 of
Bicycling Magazine clearly states: "The frame is designed by Cino
Cinelli and production is coordinated and supervised by his staff."
But Alan told me that as far as he knows, Cino did not play a role
in the Equipe project. He pointed out that Andrea Cinelli, who was
running the company at the time for Antonio Columbo, was an expert
in his own right and would not have needed his father's help
executing the Equipe project.
I'm thinking the writer of the '85 Bicycle Guide article, which
also implies a Cino role, may have confused Alan's visit with Cino
to discuss the Centurion Ironman DS of '85 after Alan signed on
Dave Scott as endorser/promoter of that model, not yet on the
drawing boards. Alan said he had hoped to incorporate Cino's ideas
into the Ironman design but WSI nixed the idea in favor of
designing it after the already successful Comp TA, another project
of Alan's.
Alan, a lawyer by profession, and his wife Susy started up
Bikecology in Santa Monica, CA, in 1971. Bikecology (renamed
Supergo in 1982) was a retail and mail order business dealing in
high-end European bikes, frames and components. It was sold to
Performance Bicycles in 2002. Alan did two stints with WSI under
contract as a consultant, the first in the late '70s working on the
Semi-Pro and Pro Tour models among others and in the early to mid-
'80s focusing on the Comp TA, Equipe, Ironman and Accordo models.
Last edited by JunkYardBike; 11-05-10 at 07:24 PM.
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A pair of Centurion Lemans mixtes, $199 in Las Vegas. The best thing about Centurion mixtes is they are not French. Almost everything fits.
https://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-vintage-wom...item255eb3b961
Pair of vintage womens Centurion Le Mans 12 Road bikes
Item condition: Used Time left:6d 12h (Nov 13, 201020:30:34 PST)
Starting bid: US $199.00
https://cgi.ebay.com/Pair-vintage-wom...item255eb3b961
Pair of vintage womens Centurion Le Mans 12 Road bikes
Item condition: Used Time left:6d 12h (Nov 13, 201020:30:34 PST)
Starting bid: US $199.00
#1089
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According to a post in the old bikelist archives, Alan Goldsmith also had a deal with Centurion whereby some Centurion models were branded as Niko and sold through Bikecology, presumably at a lower price point. There is a Bikecology catalog c. 1978 on the Bulgier.net site and another from 1980 here if anyone wants to do comparisons.
We had a late 70s Niko mixte that was the spitting image of a Centurion LeMans of the same time, even down to the same typeface in the logo.
BTW: While I was at a workshop this afternoon, some schmoe out in Chicago's western burbs put up a 'Centurion bike' for sale on CL for $50. It was an Ironman Expert, and long gone before I emailed about it. Not my size so...I hope someone from this gang got it!
Edit to add: Here's that little Niko 'Mystere' mixte. It wasn't that special a bike but my daughter loved it--should have given it more than a cable lock.
We had a late 70s Niko mixte that was the spitting image of a Centurion LeMans of the same time, even down to the same typeface in the logo.
BTW: While I was at a workshop this afternoon, some schmoe out in Chicago's western burbs put up a 'Centurion bike' for sale on CL for $50. It was an Ironman Expert, and long gone before I emailed about it. Not my size so...I hope someone from this gang got it!
Edit to add: Here's that little Niko 'Mystere' mixte. It wasn't that special a bike but my daughter loved it--should have given it more than a cable lock.
__________________
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
Last edited by Chicago Al; 11-09-10 at 10:36 AM.
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Thanks for the additional info on Alan Goldsmith. I've communicated with him very briefly, and am working up the nerve to try an interview... I'm pretty solid on the Equipe now, but have some other questions I'd like to ask....
Last edited by RobbieTunes; 11-09-10 at 10:20 AM.
#1091
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Centurion Ironmaster Expert
Not sure of the model year. Serial number N7N7941.
All Shimano 105 components, SIS, but not sure about the rims. Tange #1 frame, made in Japan.
All Shimano 105 components, SIS, but not sure about the rims. Tange #1 frame, made in Japan.
#1093
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I picked up a hot pink Diamondback Master TG last week for $50, having been "weathered" for a number of years. The serial number is U01021164. I've already stripped the frame down and filled in the major rust spot. It's got all Shimano 105 gear, in shockingly good shape. The bike must not have seen many actual miles, as the chainrings and cassette are barely worn. Here's a link to a flickr album with some photos of the frame before & after stripping - https://www.flickr.com/photos/4102109...th/5202836620/
I'd be curious to know exactly what the frame tubing is. The frame, with the headset & paint, weighed 4.6 lbs on a digital bathroom scale. I expected it to be heavier, and I'm quite pleased with the result.
Haven't decided what color I'll paint it, as I'm working on getting my main fixed gear ride back on the road after from frame modifications. The plan is to lace the 105 hubs into 650b rims and run 38c tires, since there's just no room for anything bigger than a 25c or so and I prefer to avoid running smaller than 32cs due to local road condition, wrist injuries, and my proclivity for finding and following any dirt roads or trails I find. I'm excited to get this bike built up, as I haven't had a geared bike for a year or two and the wind and cold weather really beg for a variable drivetrain.
I'd be curious to know exactly what the frame tubing is. The frame, with the headset & paint, weighed 4.6 lbs on a digital bathroom scale. I expected it to be heavier, and I'm quite pleased with the result.
Haven't decided what color I'll paint it, as I'm working on getting my main fixed gear ride back on the road after from frame modifications. The plan is to lace the 105 hubs into 650b rims and run 38c tires, since there's just no room for anything bigger than a 25c or so and I prefer to avoid running smaller than 32cs due to local road condition, wrist injuries, and my proclivity for finding and following any dirt roads or trails I find. I'm excited to get this bike built up, as I haven't had a geared bike for a year or two and the wind and cold weather really beg for a variable drivetrain.
#1094
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The tubing is chrome-moly, not sure of the level, as they only labeled the later Diamondback that had Tange Prestige tubing. My Expert TG only said "100% Chrome-moly" on it.
#1095
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"New" Facet and a slight change to an Ironman....
The Facet came out very well, many thanks to pastorbob for facilitating.
Bars are Belleri that came on a Trek 460, stem is OEM Nitto.
Seatpost is Sugino, and also OEM, as is the Suntour headset.
This 1986 model is all aluminum, pretty light, and came with Suntour Sprint 2x6 friction.
I rehabbed a 50cm model earlier this year and it went to a BF member's sister.
I still yearned for one, so when opportunity knocked, I answered the door.
This one is 56cm and has a Tange chro-mo fork, which I may replace with a Slice threaded CF.
The drivetrain is 105 9-sp, calipers are Nashbar, wheels are Mavic Cosmic Elites.
Farther down is a pic of an Ironman I've had, decided to try a SSM Regal saddle and white wrap.
and the Ironman...
The Facet came out very well, many thanks to pastorbob for facilitating.
Bars are Belleri that came on a Trek 460, stem is OEM Nitto.
Seatpost is Sugino, and also OEM, as is the Suntour headset.
This 1986 model is all aluminum, pretty light, and came with Suntour Sprint 2x6 friction.
I rehabbed a 50cm model earlier this year and it went to a BF member's sister.
I still yearned for one, so when opportunity knocked, I answered the door.
This one is 56cm and has a Tange chro-mo fork, which I may replace with a Slice threaded CF.
The drivetrain is 105 9-sp, calipers are Nashbar, wheels are Mavic Cosmic Elites.
Farther down is a pic of an Ironman I've had, decided to try a SSM Regal saddle and white wrap.
and the Ironman...
#1096
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Tange OS or Tange Ovesize was the proper name for this tubeset. It was available initially in MTB and road versions, and later in Prestige versions. It had a number of new features to save weight, including shorter butts and tapers,tapered butting at the head tube end of the top and down tubes and the bottom bracket end of the seat tube. The post end of the seat tube used external "bulge butting" for reinforcement, though the literature is not clear and this may be only on the the ATB set? I'd appreciate if you'd check your frame for change in the external diameter of the seat tube, staring 2-3" below the top tube. I don't have any info on the gauges but later in the 1990s, after these sets were dropped from the lineup, it's notable that the Prestige OS set came in gauges equivalent to standard diameter #1, #2 and Prestige.
#1098
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^That black/yellow LeMans is a really good looking bike!
__________________
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson