TheTeaHermit

So, my first into into the C&V bike world was through a 1984 Centurion Comp TA frame that I picked up when I was shopping around for a new commuter/casual whip. I built that guy up and rode it daily for the last however many years. Unfortunately, it has come under some duress. When trying to overhaul it and replace consumables this winter I tried to remove the seat post that was stuck without hope of moving. I tried everything I could to get it unstuck even trying to saw into the post laterally in hopes of being able to break the galvanized aluminum steel bond to no effect, I tried so hard that the tube began to split/tear. I know it's fixable, but I decided to give up the ghost on it as it looks like only Caustic Soda might remedy this situation now and I know that will ruin the paint, which I might just do at a later date and try and repaint it and tack up the tube and what not. It also suffers from a bent downtube that was the result of a sewer grate grabbing my front wheel one commute and catapulting me over the seat, crumpling the downtube to a degree.

But not today!

No. I was dejectedly browsing the Facebook market place with no decent bikes in a fifty mile radius. Out of dumb luck I happen to search Centurion and I found a one month old ad that was listed under the wrong category and didn't even mention bike or bicycle in the ad so unless you were searching specifically for Centurion it would have never pulled up.

Here's the kicker.

All. Original. I don't know if dude was the OG owner or if he got it from the OG owner but all parts are original. It shows very little signs of wear,maybe one or two small scratches/scrapes less than an inch.

I shouldn't say all original, the wheels aren't, but they are period correct.

Beautiful NGC 400 brakes and Dia Compe Gran Compe levers.

Suntour Superbe Pro groupset paired to a Sugino Aero Mighty crank and BB.

Even the original Selle Italia Turbo saddle is on it and in good, unworn condition (a little discolored, but no wear marks,same goes for the other touch points of the bike, making me think it was barely used)

Only thing that differs from the catalog is that it's sitting on a pair of Mavic MA40S laced to Suntour hubs. But those are period correct.

The stamped sn date code doesn't match up with what I've read on Sheldon Browns site. But these were only made in 83&84 with different components so I assume mine is 84.

Pics follow:













Oh. And here's the kicker. I paid $125 for it.

3speedslow

Wow! Not seeing pics though. Prob'ly my dinky hand held pads fault. Glad you were able to find another one and maybe able to repair the first one.

TheTeaHermit

https://imgur.com/a/qWLQj


Hmm, I tried hosting them on my imgur account. Maybe that's the issue. They're showing fine for me, but who knows. Here's a direct link to the images if you're interested

OTS 

Pics are showing up !

Good work, SCORE.

Salamandrine 

Yeah, total score. A fine racing machine.

FWIW: People used to really like those pedals. I remember seeing them on bikes that were otherwise all campy. So keep them in your junk/treasure box if you take them off to install clipless.

Rims are disposable. Don't sweat the period correct rebuild.

jamesdak 

Pretty Sweet!

TheTeaHermit

Oh yeah, for sure about the rims and all that. I just think it's cool that everything's OG or close to.

The wheels roll fine and are true. I'll use them for now. I might get a pair of Mavic Open Sports just to have them.

blamester

Looks like a good bike. Looks like it needs a good service but should roll along lovely afterwards. For that sort of money you can't go wrong.

3speedslow

I can see, I can see!

Drool worthy!

tyler_fred

Nice! Velo Orange sells a Dia-Compe hood that is a perfect fit for those brake levers.

AZORCH

I've owned two of those. One was the very first "serious" roadie I owned; the second came to me in trade many years later. Great components, extremely light frame set for the time. In fact, light enough that by the time the second frame rolled around I was too heavy to ride it!

devinfan

Congratulations, that is a beautiful machine. Best possible components too, in my opinion. Fantastic.

phenry24 

I feel like I've seen this bike someplace else

But seriously, I'm jealous. These are the kind of deals that keep me checking the listings every day.

coolkat

Wow that frame is just gorgeous. Love all the chrome bits Centurion used to do. And it has Superbe, what a fantastic find

cdmurphy

Nice! The Turbo is the spiritual successor to my absolute favorite, the Centurion Semi-Pro. They tightened up the tire clearances a bit, and updated the components from the Suntour Cyclone / Sugino Mighty Comp on mine. I hope you get many thousands of happy miles out of it.

I wouldn't sweat the rims, they're arguably the best available at the time. Unless you're trying for a museum piece, just ride the snot out of them. :-)

AustinFitz

Wow, that is amazing score! Beautiful bike! My Centurions are by far my favorite bicycles I own. There's just something special about them!

RobbieTunes

As Centurion fans would say. Lucky bastid. Great job, bike was destined for you, take that to the bank.

Sweetest seat stay wrap out there....

TheTeaHermit

Got it mostly all assembled with no issue. Need to wait for an order for a SR2 tool to pull off the freewheel. Going to home depot tomorrow because I am missing my 15mm socket...and the cranks have a 15mm bolt. Go figure.



Gonna repack all bearing grease and polish up the chrome bits. Wash and wax the frame and get it in tip top shape and ready to ride in no time.

Looked further into the parts and all that.

Suntour Superbe Pro:
Front and rear hubs
Front and rear derailleurs
DT shifters
Pedals
6spd freewheel

Dia Compe New Gran Compe:
Brakes and levers

Sugino Aero Mighty Cranks

Mavic MA40 rims

I'm so confused bike has no signs of use. As far as I could tell the original pads and tires were on it with no signs of wear. The brakes, which I usually find to be give signs of use in caked on brake dust are 100% clean.

It's essentially a NOS bike it looks like.

Lascauxcaveman 

Be sure you find a thinwall 15mm socket. Many sockets are too thick to fit inside the hole in which that crank nut resides.

Very nice catch; the name, the colors, the colors of the high end components... Very much of it's time.

TheTeaHermit

Update on the overhaul.

FD clamp is busted. Everything else is good. Currently putting cables on. Gonna throw a Shimano 600 FD on there for the time being. Hoping to find another Suntour Superbe Pro front derailleur to put on there because I think it's neat to have the original components.

AZORCH

As it happens, I think I still have that original FD with the weirdo clamp. PM me.

fleslider 

given the graphics it looks definitely a 1984 model. chestnut and gold color.

the frame might have been serialized in 1983 but built and painted as a 1984 model. common thing among Bicycles/Cars/Motorcycles