sjpitts 

I know, that has to sound like stupid question, but hear me out.

What I wanted was an rougher-road/canal-bank kind of bike-- but one that was faster than my mountain bike, but could be used on rougher roads and trails than my road bike. We have all kinds of unpaved canals here in Mesa-- so I need to handle gravel and dirt, but I also want to be able to ride on the roads with decent speed to get to those canals.

The Centurion ProTour 15 is a touring bike-- it has wider 27x1 1/4 wheels, cantilever brakes and all kinds of frame lugs. My thinking was that because of the cantilever brakes and wider rims I could get some wider road tires (or even cyclecross if so inclined). But it also has Tange Champion #2 tubing and nice SunTour Cyclone components. I think it weighs 23 lbs.

The MB3 has Ritchey Logic Tubing, 16 3/4 inch chain stays, and weighs about 26 lbs. The MB3 already has some 1.5 inch Specialized Nimbus Road tires on it-- pretty good tires for my purpose.

So in a sense I have a mountain bike turned into a hybrid, and a road bike turned into a hybrid.

But my wife is insisting that I have too many bikes in the garage. It seems like one of these should go.

If I keep the Centurion I will probably try some wider drop bars, and maybe those top mount cross levers, both with the idea of getting a bit more stability.

If I keep the MB3 I might try some sort to trekking handlebar to give me more hand options.

At first I was leaning towards keeping the Centurion--it is so very pretty and nice to ride. Lighter and faster. And it seems like such bikes are hard to come by.

But I also have found that I really like riding the MB3-- it seems so much more stable when dodging potholes. And it does not seem that slow. And it is already plenty beat up, so I don't have to worry about more gravel damage. And I can tow my kids around in the trailer. Finally, I suspect that I could get much more for the Centurion than I could the MB3.

Again, I could see how this is sort of stupid question. The right answer is probably whichever bike I like to ride the most. I just can't seem to decide which one that is. Can you help?

Jared

plodderslusk

Both of these are very good and really usefull bikes. Neither of them should have to go. How many wives do you really need ?

mstrpete

If there's a gun to your head, I think the Bridgestone's more versatile and the Centurion's probably more cash-productive. But those both look like keepers to me. Is there other stuff in the garage, or other bikes, that could be gotten rid of? I really don't think two bikes is too many. Two cars, maybe...

kbjack

I love the look and finish of the Centurion--those Protours got it right aesthetically. On ebay, a touring bike like that--especially as the season gets underway--is going to net quite a bit more than your Bridgestone.

In the end, though, you'll have some pocket money but no Centurion. I think that makes everyone a little sadder.

wrk101

+1 Bridgestone is more suited to your description of your riding.

+1 Centurion will yield more coin when you sell it.


Just recognize that finding such a sweet vintage touring bike can be difficult, so once its gone, its gone.


I use my Trek 950 similar to your Bridgestone. Set up with slicks, its a decent road bike. Set up with Kenda Kross tires, I used it for a towpath tour last summer. I still have it set up that way for this spring's ride.

How many bikes do you have? If you ride frequently, four or five bikes is a reasonable number.

I recently sold my Univega touring bike. Like you, I needed more of a towpath bike, and the Trek is better suited to this service. So I let the Univega go, and trimmed my fleet (it did help rationalize keeping the Colnago I picked up in January!)

IceNine

You need to think out of the box here. Find a way to hide one of your bikes. What the wife doesn't know won't kill her.

RobbieTunes

I know what I'd do.

CardiacKid

2 bikes are too many? My kids each have 2 bikes.
Sell the mb-3 if she sells all of her purses but 1. How many purses does a person need. You only use 1 at a time.
Alternative number 2, put one of the bikes in the bedroom and you sleep on the couch.
Alternative number 3, get an apartment, that sounds like where you will be living soon anyway, especially if you go with alternative 1 or 2.

kbjack

I've used friends' garages in the past.... It's easier to lose friends' wives.

ebr898

+1

tmh657

I told the owner of my LBS I might have to get rid of one of my bikes because my wife said I had too many.
He asked me how many pairs of shoes she had and if she might be willing to part with a few pair.

WNG

LOL!
Really, simple next move is to bring the bike(s) inside the house. Too many bikes in the garage? OK, how about one in the bedroom? One in the den?
I think she'll get the message. Not seriously trying to tell you how to go about this, but generally, to keep the peace, she should stay out of the garage, as guys should stay out of their closet. The number of bikes may be sign to her you're not going to be spending enough attention on her. Keep the romance healthy and she'll allow you to open a bike shop.

I'd keep both, tidy up the garage (more space for you, NOT her stuff), take her out on a romantic evening, and set up the MB-3 for your goals. It's the better choice.

alternate solution: build a bigger garage!

PS> I have 12 bikes of my own, 10 are in project state and boxed. Kids and wife just picked up 4 mtb fixer uppers for themselves. One is going straight into the trash. And she recently picked up a Ti mtb frame that she thought I might find interesting. My 3-car garage is a very packed place. I give no unsolicited opinions on her number of shoes or handbags.
Works for us!

RobbieTunes

hooks

sjpitts 

I already tried something similar. I tried to convince her that what she was looking at was not four separate bikes, but just parts of three bikes spread around. She didn't buy it. I should have known better. She is crazy smart, has a Masters Degree in Mathematics, and is not easily fooled.

And now she is monitoring the garage bike count more closely than ever.

Jared

sjpitts 

Ok, this thread has degenerated into a "hide the bike the wife from the wife thread". To get us back on track, do you guys agree that it is really a waste to try and use a nice old touring bike as a canal path bike?

This Centurion is just in such nice shape. In comparison, my Schwinn Circuit looks like it was dragged behind a herd of angry mules. I wish I had found a nice road bike and beat up touring bike.

Jared

muccapazza

WHoa whoa whoa, where did this beatup Schwinn Circuit come from? This is easier now. Ditch the Schwinn. Ride Centurion on the road with panaracer pasela tourgard 1 1/8. And the case is sol-ved! Thank you, thank you, please you are too kind, really everybody please, take your seats...Allright, who threw the tomato?

kbjack

I think you meant "hide the wife from the bike..."

Edit: and to keep it on track, I agree with muccapazza--there's no reason you can't put wide touring (or, perhaps better yet, cyclocross tires) on the Centurion and have yourself a very classy canal path bike.

If you're worried about fitting 27" rims, there is this fairly inexpensive option:
https://www.amazon.com/Kenda-K161-Kro...9121445&sr=8-2

IceNine

Yeah, I agree with mucca. What is your rationale for wanting to keep the Schwinn over the other two bikes?

WNG

The Schwinn Circuit was purchased for a challenge put forth by a triathlete friend. There are a few individual threads about for each bike.


I personally think the touring bike will get pretty beaten if ridden in gravel and stone.
If it's small crushed compacted stone paths, I think the frame paint won't suffer badly.

You can also inform her you're going to ditch the Circuit after you complete training and that race. And keep the Centurion, it is awfully nice.

riva

+1.8 trillion. Saved my marriage.


Edit: I've done some light offroading with the tires kbjack posted, and they do ok on dirt. I think I'd rather have something fatter for long stretches of bumpy stuff though.

Wino Ryder

Well, there's probably no talking you into keeping both bikes, so sell the Centurian. You need something to bomb down those canal paths like a kid, and that MB-3 is better suited for it. You've seen the threads on these boards about Centurians. So sell the Centurian to one of the forum members who will love it and ride it like it deserves.

A sentence of hard labor in the rock quarries is ill justice for a nice Centurian like that, sorry.

Grand Bois

That MB-3 May be worth more than you think. I was shocked at what old Bridgestone MTB's sell for when I was looking for one. The Ritchie Logic tubing makes it especially desireable. I started out looking for a nice MB-1 and had to settle for a thrashed MB-2 because it was all I could afford.

sjpitts 

Many good replies. As stated above, the rationale for keeping the schwin is that it is pure roadbike, and I have this little race coming up. The schwinn had some funky vintage aero bars on it, and is a size too large, but I must say that it feels very quick. That bike is very light. And I think the seven speed makes a big difference.

I love that centurion, but it does not seem to really be geared to go fast. Too much space between gears.

I have had my eye on a 58 cm ironman for a while. If I could get the price down enough I would sell the schwinn, but until I have a replacement road bike the schwinn must stay.

Jared

PS: tell me more about the "hooks"

RobbieTunes

First buy the Ironman.

sjpitts 

No, what I should have bought is the Turbo you just sold. It would have went together very nicely with the ProTour. Were they not from the same year?

Although I am still not convinced that your Turbo was not a 60cm bike.

Jared