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Old 12-14-06 | 10:36 PM
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Centurion

Saw a Centurion CLIC at St. vinnys. Needs lots of clean up . $25. Worth it?
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Old 12-15-06 | 01:09 AM
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I'd pass; the loe-end Clic wasn't one of their better efforts. Really, besides the early '80s Miyata-built models and the later Ironman, Centurions aren't anything too special.
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Old 12-15-06 | 08:10 AM
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Didn't think so. Thanks Mike ! Have a Merry Christmas and may santa bring you lots of bikes next year!!!!
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Old 12-15-06 | 08:22 AM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
besides the early '80s Miyata-built models.
Do you know specifically which models were built by Miyata? I'm just curious, I've got an '83 Pro Tour15 w/Tange Champion #2 tubing; the Pro Tour 15 was their top of the line tourer for a few years. I've wondered who actually built the frame-

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Old 12-15-06 | 08:41 AM
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From: Take a deep breath, and ask--What would Sheldon do?

Bikes: Nishiki Nut! International, Pro, Olympic 12, Sport mixte, and others too numerous to mention.

I would just like to throw my two cents in about liking my Centurion mixte...and I would also like to know which ones were built by Miyata?

Besides, the mixte is in the car at work right now. Depending on our luck, it may be the only bike left standing! I have been hearing ominous tales of trees down all over my neighbourhood...I am not looking forward to going home today .

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Old 12-15-06 | 01:24 PM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
Really, besides the early '80s Miyata-built models and the later Ironman, Centurions aren't anything too special.
What date marks the end of the Miyata-built models? Thanks!
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Old 12-15-06 | 02:49 PM
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Originally Posted by oglala_1927
Saw a Centurion CLIC at St. vinnys. Needs lots of clean up . $25. Worth it?
Depends. I'd buy it for $25 if it were complete, even though it's low end.
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Old 12-15-06 | 03:58 PM
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Depends on if you want it. If you can use it, any bike is worth $25 IMHO. If it's going to take money to get it going, you have to consider that too but a working bike that you can use for $25 is a no brainer to me.
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Old 12-15-06 | 08:46 PM
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Originally Posted by mswantak
I'd pass; the loe-end Clic wasn't one of their better efforts. Really, besides the early '80s Miyata-built models and the later Ironman, Centurions aren't anything too special.
I've cataloged serial numbers for well over a hundred Miyata and Centurion, but I have yet to find any Centurion with a Miyata serial number. This is not to say that they do not exist, but if Miyata had been one of the major contractors, I would have thought that I would have come across one by now.

Well Biked, I've got an Accordo of yours in my database, but not a Pro Tour. Please PM me the specifics. TIA.
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Old 12-16-06 | 05:07 PM
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I'm probably mistaken then. I'm referring to models built in Japan in the early '80s. These bikes had a level of fit and finish Centurion never approached before or after. My wife's '83 LeMans 12 mixte is one; I'll have to go check its serial number.
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Old 12-16-06 | 06:28 PM
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BTW, I PM'd T-Mar the serial number of my '83 Pro Tour 15 as he requested, and as usual he filled me in on some great original spec info. Thanks again, T-Mar! But it wasn't built by Miyata-
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Old 12-16-06 | 07:54 PM
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"""My wife's '83 LeMans 12 mixte is one"""

Yes those did look good and were well-made...but damn heavy huh?? I've been looking for a Cinelli Centurion for a while now.... It's called a Centurion Equipe....and it's bloody rare and valueable.
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Old 12-16-06 | 10:53 PM
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Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?

Originally Posted by well biked
BTW, I PM'd T-Mar the serial number of my '83 Pro Tour 15 as he requested, and as usual he filled me in on some great original spec info. Thanks again, T-Mar! But it wasn't built by Miyata-
Well Biked -- What color is your 83 ProTour? Mine is the copper/bronze and I thought it was 84.
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Old 12-17-06 | 07:39 AM
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Originally Posted by Wildwood
Well Biked -- What color is your 83 ProTour? Mine is the copper/bronze and I thought it was 84.
Mine's a two tone blue, the main color is "ice blue" which is what I'd call a light-medium blue, and the headtube and some highlighting around a couple of the lugs is darker blue. With the serial number info, my frame was built in June '83, which makes it an '83 model. Here's a link to the '84 catalog on Sheldon's site: https://sheldonbrown.com/centurion198...0pro-tour.html

And here's a link showing detailed specs for all the '84 Centurions: https://sheldonbrown.com/centurion198...s/20specs.html
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Old 12-17-06 | 07:46 AM
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Bikes: Bikes??? Thought this was social media?!?

Ahhh - thanks for the link

That's my bike. Thank you very much for the links.

Last edited by Wildwood; 12-17-06 at 07:55 AM.
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Old 12-18-06 | 11:08 AM
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Centurion sold a wide range of road bikes in the USA between around 1974 and 1989. Looking through old bike magazines and books, the models described are low mid-range, middle mid-range, and upper mid-range. Even the cheapest Centurion road bikes were a step up from the Schwinn Varsity, and similar entry level bikes from Huffy and Columbia. Those were 40 pound bikes, and even the cheapest Centurion of the 70's weighed at least ten pounds less.

But, only one or two limited edition models were of "pro" caliber. Centurion's bread and butter models were the road bikes using Shimano 600 drivetrains, and the even better Sun Tour drivetrains, combined with high quality Tange cro-moly frames and forks. Those bikes, including the "Dave Scott" models, weighed just a pound or two more than the elite bikes of that era, yet sold forabout a half or a third the price of a pro level bike with all Campy components.

Oddly, on E-Bay, Centurions tend to sell in a similar price range. The low-end Centurions that sold new for $150 sell for about the same price as a Centurion that sold for $600 new. It seems that customers lump all Centurions together as "cheap" bikes, and miss out on the gems, such as the Centurion Pro Tour 15, and the Dave Scott models.
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Old 12-19-06 | 07:28 PM
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Originally Posted by M-theory
"""My wife's '83 LeMans 12 mixte is one"""

Yes those did look good and were well-made...but damn heavy huh??
Not this one. It's Tange CrMo and comes in about 23 lbs.
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