I'm a complete beginner in the world of bicycles, outside of knowing how to ride one. I'm in the market for a bike that I can commute with, tinker on and upgrade, and to learn general maintenance and repairs. After checking my local Craigslist, I've come to two options that fit my college budget and that appear decent. I'm hoping that you all could offer some feedback, opinions, and advice regarding these two.

First up is a Bianchi Axis. I am going to check it out tomorrow to see if it's a good fit, but before then, could anyone help me learn more about this model and perhaps its year? Are there any issues that I would need to be aware of?

And then there is this 1987 Centurion LeMans RS. I have the same questions as I did with the Bianchi. Is there anything that I should be mindful of before opting for it, assuming that it is a good fit?

Here are pictures of the Centurion and Bianchi. --> https://imgur.com/a/pBt1O

I really appreciate any help you guys can give, and I hope to be on the road with you soon should either of these be a good choice!

EDIT: The Bianchi seems to be the better choice based on the comments so far. I appreciate all the advice you all have given me so far.One more question: The Bianchi is $200, and the seller said they are fairly firm. Is this a reasonable price?

Basically, the Centurion is a better frame (I know, I know. But really, it is.) with more stable geometry and will almost certainly ride more smoothly. The Bianchi has better components and will probably 'feel' faster if not quite as comfortable (even if it isn't any faster at all), and will probably need less in the way of updating.

The Centurion's got soul. The Bianchi's got a good name.

The Bianchi looks like a way better bike to me. If Memory serves the Axis was a Cross bike, so it should be very versatile. I'd take it any day over the Centurion. Do some research on bike fit and make sure it fits before you buy! Also if you want to avoid some heartache bring some tools and make sure that the seatpost moves and the stem is not stuck. Also take it for a test ride and make sure it rides straight and nothing is out of whack. Try shifting through all the gears, picking up some speed and then stopping.

Good luck and welcome to the forum!

Thank you! I plan on sticking around, and I appreciate the advice you've given.

Do you know how the command shifters will affect the ride? Someone told me that they had a plastic casing which can mean a lack of crisp shifts. Also, I read that the spacing on the freewheel was proprietary and a stock freewheel is expensive nowadays. Is it possible to work around that?

I don't know, man. Look at the state of the saddle on that Centurion. If you let a bike get to look like that, what do you think the state of all the components are going to be? I would expect a complete rebuild. The Bianchi looks pristine to me. If the OP is a college kid looking for a commuter, he wants something ready to ride, I assume.

The Centurion is not an '87. It's not even '83 or '84, when the silky smooth Lemans RS had really nice components (unless someone swapped those in--it looks like the group from an early 80's Raleigh Rapide combined with Suntour piggyback shifters, and not the ratcheting LePree's from the 83/84 era).

At first glance, I saw the shifters on the Centurion and was prepared to defend and advocate for it. However, it appears older and more dated than the Bianchi, so I'd recommend, for your needs, the Bianchi, if it fits. If the Centurion truly was an '83 or '84 that someone cannibalized the parts from, it's a lot smoother frame, but is 27" on the wheel size, so I'd probably pass unless I wanted a project.

Sorry to disappoint all those who figured I'd go for the Centurion, but in this case, for his needs, I'd go with the Bianchi. I do agree with the Captain, the Centurion has more soul, but it'd be a project to bring it to the fore.

I stand corrected. Get the Bianchi, if for no other reason than the shifters. They are my personal favorites, better for me than any brake lever-shifter combo, and they give a nice crisp shift indeed. You do need to keep with Suntour componentry, but that's not a big deal, plenty of parts available still on eBay and in bike kitchens.

*edit* AWW SCHNITZ I just tracked down the listing. Yeah, get it and get it now, you won't be disappointed.

My Axis is from the same era (similar logos/decals), but not the same year (92 had bar-end shifters). Command shifters should be able to run in friction mode, so you could swap the rear wheel with another 700c rimmed wheel to run just about any 6-7-8 speed cassette with a little adjustment. I think the rear dropouts are 135mm, so look for touring and MTB rear hubs.

The Axis has been a fine bike for me.

+1 on the Bianchi.

I owned a later Centurion LeMans than the one posted and it was decent, but I wouldn't waste time on this one.

I would be all over that Axis if I was looking for a bike, I like mine and one day hope to do it up right. It should be a 1991 model as T-mar just dated a Bianchi Adventure I have that is the same color and has the same exact decal style on it. My Axis came with 7spd Suntour Accushift Bar Cons & had a 7spd Shimano HG freewheel in the rear, from what I have read it should work alright ( I tore the bike down before trying it) so you may be able to use a Shimano freewheel ( unless it has a Cassette) if you need to replace the one that's on there. The Command shifters are cool, and I also like the canti brakes that will allow you to run a pretty wide tire on that frame.

Glenn

I agree the Bianchi is simply hands down the better quality machine of the two. I also think the index shifting will work better for you than the friction on the Centurion.

As for the freewheel (FW).... yes Suntour spacing is unique and a new FW can be pricey but all older parts are getting pricey. we have a member here who runs a FW Spa you can mail him your FW with few dollars and he will recondition it. If the cogs are overly worn and you wish to upgrade to a shimano barends you can easily sell the Command Shifters (assuming they in great shape) to pay for other barends.

I was going to recomend the Bianchi as soon as I saw the pics simply because it has a triple and that will be very useful down there in Chatanooga. If it fits you, it looks like a 50 or 52 frame on 200c wheels, I would snatch the Bianchi up in a hurry. It am pretty sure it has eyelets for fenders and or a rack. It may need a good tuneup and certainly some rubber brake hoods, but after that you will have a great bike that will last a lifetime with minimal upkeep.