seypat

I have to order something from Amazon, so I walk upstairs and ask the wife if she needs anything to get the free shipping. I say, "heyyy, I could order some handlebar tape to get to the $35 free shipping. What if I found a pink color that matched the Ironman?" She starts shaking her head side to side and says, "uh......no. People not in the Ironman know would be questioning your manhood." So there you go. The wife will always give you the straight scoop!

texaspandj

Random thoughts while riding:
I think faster than I can type so A lot of times I write kinda backwards, like Yoda talks e.g. typing I am.
My anniversary is coming up in june, no not marriage, bike forums. I came on at page 30, I think markwesti was here about a month before me. The thread was at page 30 in 4yrs. But in less than a year it has almost doubled the previous 4 years. It's crazy to think about and I wonder why. Maybe if we hold on long enough the Ironman will be as popular as a any trek or cannondale. The fact that it had a limited run may prove it already is.
Man my 86 Ironman with 7400 dura ace is so quiet when coasting.
My youngest son was admiring my trophies when he was about 5, (thousand yrs ago) and asked how does it feel to race the bike fast? I couldn't believe he asked me that. And I stole the line by Radney Foster, like a cowboy in Texas in 1880.
Your Weight matters less on a bike than when running.
This is my favorite thread. Everyone who visits is always cool. And the more regular ones are cool and I always check out what they have to say on other threads when I see their names posted e.g. RT, markwesti, jetboy, rccardr,seypat and always respect their opinions.
I almost always listen to music while riding my Ironman, but occasionally I'll take my earplugs out to listen to my bike.
As a musician I pretty much respect all music, however my favorite artist is the ones I have CDs of. And although I do not own a bon Jovi CD one of my favorite all time riding my bike songs is wanted dead or alive.
I always think it would be cool to pick someone (markwesti or seypat comes to mind) and everyone just mention the hell out of him i.e. @markwesti or @seypat and see if we can get his mention higher than his post count. They have a good sense of humor.
Oh finally I'll be posting a new Ironman soon. Ok later Irongents.

Bradleykd

I was drawn to the Ironman for two reasons.

1) Completing an Ironman tri was one of the hardest things I've ever done (and will not do again) and it reminds me of my accomplishment without the tattoo that insinuates that I continue to do them.

2) I am drawn to kind of obscure, quality, things with kind of cult followings. Luv trucks, old Volvos, Centurion Ironmans....

I think the draw to be different than most bikes around, but still have a quality piece, is what draws many people to these bikes.

markwesti

Ride on tex .

jetboy 

Chevy Luv, my first vehicle when I was 16. I was already 6'2" and its a very tiny truck. my father paid $800 at the local dealer because a friend of his needed a sale, even if it was small one. good times.

RobbieTunes

I understand Ironman bikes. They speak to me, like a mid-western car dealer: "this is how it is"
I understand the people who understand Ironman bikes, even if for different reasons than I.
I even like the Deep Purple song, and the movies, and the watch. I have an Ironman helmet.
I have done one Ironman triathlon; like Bradleykd, I have no reason to do another.
Centurion had a lot of nerve. So be it; it worked out.
The cult, the idea, the slight, knowing smugness.
No reason to apologize, no reason to explain.
Let's go ride, and smile about it.

@seypat's enthusiasm. @texaspandj's grabbing speed back. @markwesti's cool appreciation. @jetboy's build. @roccobike's grasp of the bike. @txvintage's approach. @A.Winthrop's leadership. @LittleDarwin's demeanor. @ldsmt's enthusiasm. @Otto Rax's fervor. @Bradleykd's explanation. @cehowardGS's unbridled joy at riding. @frantik's curiosity. @thirdgenbird's scheme prowess. @Fitzboy and @calamarichris coming to the fold. @Force's experience. @Bianchigirll and @Roger M's input, and @horatio's friendliness, @alan Edward's "mastery;" can't forget @trekKiller (who led me to a Wraith). @realestvin7's "Vices, @ tashi's Expert in the sun. I can't forget @gmoucharwar finding me a Carbon, and then another steel one. @mazdaspeed getting one for his girlfriend (now that's a man), @oldbikenewbike chiming in, @bikemanbob, @rjhammet, and @flash2070, and @brockd15.

I'll continue on, but many of these folks have graciously helped me, corresponded, and traded. It all goes around....

oldbikenewbike

Thanks for the mention, Robbie! Love my Ironman Master!!!

Loose Chain

They take a licking and keep on ticking!



J

texaspandj

Holy smokes! My first vehicle was a 1975 Chevy Luv pick up in 1979. My brother gave me my down payment and my Uncle Joe cosigned for me at 16. Man that pick up and my 63 Nova are two of the best vehicles I have ever owned and some dang good memories. However I can't tell you about em on this forum.

@RobbieTunes for being tough,thick skinned, a persuader,knowledgeable, inspiring, generous, wise,kind, level headed, and sometimes (on very rare occasions) funny.

RobbieTunes

Hey, this is a family forum!

RobbieTunes

Chevy's first co-op with Isuzu?

plonz 

I believe it was. I was on the other side of the 70s Detroit/Japan pickup games with my 76 Ford Courier. Used to call it a Forzda. Bulletproof drivetrain but man those panels and floor pans rusted quick in the salt belt. Drivers door literally rusted off the hinges by 1988.

Back to our regularly scheduled programming...

oldbikenewbike

I like the fact that you picked up the yellow in the logo. Makes it pop!

Mine has been kept a bit lower key (if you can count that paint scheme as lower, lol), but I want to replace the tape with pure white.

fred

RobbieTunes

Nice. I find white tape with black letters tends to blend well, too.

texaspandj

I like your bike. I have a purple haze like yours albeit a lot smaller. I had mine in white then changed it to black, meanwhile yours is black and white. Very cool. Are those brake levers original,to the bike?

texaspandj

Here's an ad with the Man.

oldbikenewbike

Ye, brake levers are original to the bike. Original owner replaced the stem, and I replaced the saddle and tires. I don't know where he found matching colored water bottle holders, but I'm glad he did.

texaspandj

I failed to mention I like those cages. Outstanding, as I searched online for some when I was thinking going purple. But it was too difficult to judge the colors.
I also thought about going yellow. I think eventually I'll switch back to white. For me Switching colors involves brake housing, saddle, bar wrap, bottle cages, and brake lever hoods. And that stuff is difficult to match using websites.

texaspandj

Here's one in the dfw area. It's a 89 52 cm master in vgc. Supposedly the 89s have quicker handling geometry which I'm guessing means slightly steeper angles. This looks like 52 and has no pump peg, so not a 54. But it appears to have more space at the headtube where the tt and dt are joined. In fact looks like enough room for a pump peg. I have two 52cm and this one seems to have more room comparitively speaking.
So my question is will a steeper geometry on the same size frame create a longer headtube? Maybe I'm just imagining it. Either way I want this bike . I would put a white saddle and wrap on it though. But this thing is ready to fly. Definitely FMV.
Centurion Master Ironman Road Bike 52cm Full Shimano 600 New Tires

markwesti

The marble fade is cool , I don't know about the head tube being longer because of steeper geometry , but with the steeper geometry you will , (well at least me) really need to pay attention .

jetboy 

the standard IM is steep enough! But someday, I will own one of the later Black frames... which have the repute of being the steepest of the bunch.

fleslider 

89's do have steeper frames between a 87 and 89 60cm frames and there is a difference in geometry between them

Loose Chain

Like the paint and the purple on white. Very much like my blue on white Prestige. These are the most under rated bicycles out there. Amazing build quality and uniformity, good components and excellent geometry.



I have new black hoods for mine but I do not want to spoil the tape. I will wait until it is worn a little. This bike is a rocket.

texaspandj

Absolutely love that color. Believe or not there are some Ironman that came in that same color scheme. There's one posted a few pages back. That's 105 on there, correct? Also an ad posted showing the prestige was used by a professional team. Check it out.

texaspandj

There seems to be a run on the hard rock Ironman. Here's another one in the Austin area. This is a 56cm. Note the saddle and pedals are not included.
56cm Centurion Dave Scott Master