Preynmantis

Life has been good lately. We enrolled my son (whom we refer to as "the boy") in an online school and he has been doing well. One of the components of this school is he is required to do his own PE for 30 minutes a day. My son has decided he REALLY likes cycling and we now do afternoon rides when I get home from work, though they tend to go for an hour plus.

The challenge is he has been trying to ride with me on a heavy mountain bike while I ride my Centurion. This has prompted more than a few comments from him about how he needs a "road racer". So, I have been looking for one for him and came across the following CL ad.

Vintage Centerion Road Bike - $75
Steel frame roadbike but she can still ride smooth and powerfully. I am including the computer. I am 5' 3" and it fits me perfectly. It should be able to fit anyone from 5'1" to 5' 6". I can include saddle and clipless pedals for extra.

<to be continued>

Grand Bois

Go for it!

lostarchitect 

If he's cool with a pink bike, looks good.

bikemanbob

I would be contacting him. Smaller sizes are hard to find.

due ruote 

Run, don't walk.

The Thin Man 

I helped my buddy acquire this exact model/color earlier this summer. After he picked it up (for $150, and I thought that was a steal!), I gave it a quick tune up and off he went to brave the mean streets of Portland. I ran into him two days ago (after I noticed the bike sitting outside a shop I was walking into) and after 2 solid months of using it as his main mode of transportation, he absolutely loves it. He had nothing but glowing reviews. He even liked the color as it seems he gets quite a few comments about it. Not only because it's light purple and he's a guy but because it's such a distinct color pattern that anyone who has ever owned a Centurion of this paint scheme always remembers it. So, it's a mix of nostalgia and the humor of the color scheme, as compared to today's standards and gender roles. Either way, he loves the bike and seems to really enjoy the attention as well.
If your boy doesn't mind the color, like what was said above, "run, don't walk".

Puget Pounder

you haven't bought this yet? If you don't end up liking it yet, I would love to have it shipped here

frenchbikefan

that won't last very long in Colorado

Preynmantis

<continued>

Since finding my own Centurion Semi Pro, I have kept an eye out for other Centurions, but apparently Robbie has been talking to them because they all had appropriate prices for Centurions on them. This ad caught my eye for the immediate fact that Centurion was spelled Centerion, and for the price. Opening the ad, the paint scheme was the first clue that this had to be an 80s Iron Man Centurion and I was immediately intrigued. I thought the paint almost perfect, since purple and yellow are the school colors for the local high school. I had not researched the models much, but had read a bunch of glowing reviews on them. Looking up the pictures on the 'net, I was able to see that it was a 87 or 88 Iron Man Expert and should be a 105 equiped, Tange 1 steel bike, if still original. NICE! Perfect for the Boy's first road bike.

<to be continued>

Preynmantis

<continued>

So, I called the guy that night and set up an appt for the next morning to go see the bike. Had a few funky dreams about Miami Vice colored bikes and got up the next morning. Went to work, then took about an hour in the middle of the day to go look.

Nice bike, measures out at about 49cm, seems mostly original except for the missing seat and pedals. Seen some rough times, scratches and such, nothing serious. Hubs are in really good shape, no need to pack yet, still in tune.

So, the long and the short of it is...

Price for a 1987 Centurion Iron Man Expert, $70. Time to get the bike from work, 90 minutes.

Seeing your son on his first "road racer"...



PRICELESS!!!

SoreFeet

You got a good deal those bikes are well worth 75...thats top of the mark that I'd pay because I'm cheap. He's gonna have a blast.

tjcough 

Congrats man! I'm glad you found something that your son likes, and now you and him can both enjoy it more! I hope you guys ride as much as you can!

Chicago Al 

Great find, great price, and a great activity for the two of you to share. My son is on his second road bike, neither of them to that level of quality. But he rides to HS and all over, and the bikes naturally get all beat up so a nicer bike would be a waste. He and I rebuilt his first bike, a Fuji Allegro, as an independent study for him in 8th grade. Just sold that bike a couple of weeks ago for considerably more than you paid for that Ironman. Unfortunately son is now too cool to hang out and work on bikes with his old man. But he's 15, has a lot of homework, lots of friends including a cute girlfriend...I don't really blame him.

THEJAPINO

Freakin awesome! Nice work!

due ruote 

You know you're in danger of getting dropped now, right? Get that boy some proper kit and clipless pedals and it's over. Great score. You'll be able to sell that at a profit to fund the next purchase when he needs to size up.

Preynmantis

Yeah, I remarked to my wife that I will need to re-evaluate how much of a lead I spot him now on our little challenge races. Though I have a year or so before I have to worry about him dropping me, though the time is quickly approaching.

I had thought the same thing on funding his next bike.

ColonelJLloyd 

Awesome!