In a message dated 5/9/03 12:56:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
tom@wilsonbike.com writes:
> Subj: Re: [CR]"Funk" Category
> Date: 5/9/03 12:56:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
> From: <A HREF="mailto:tom@wilsonbike.com">tom@wilsonbike.com</A>
> To: <A HREF="mailto:classicrendezvous@bikelist.org">classicrendezvous@bikelist.org</A>
> Sent from the Internet
>
>
>
> I was just thinking about this. When is a Period Correct lightweight bike
> become 'worthy of the list'? I posted inquiries about a Japan made
> Centurion
> Super LeMans, and I thank you all for putting forth honest comments. The
> owner loves the bike though and thinks it's the best. It's not a mass
> produced MIG'ed product like Huffys back then. It was clearly produced for
> the US dealer market. It has many years of a loving cycle of use and
> neglect. Looking back at the French made Motobecane Mirage and Super Mirage
> I had abused in HS, they were all of the same quality and spec level if you
> take price points and inflation into effect.
> A few ideas why the love for Motobecane and not the Centurion.
> -The Motobecane had a marketing program that included fielding TdF winning
> teams, the Centurion at the time did not.
> - Made in France vs Made in Japan.
> -too low end to be considered as a 'real' classic lightweight.
>
>
> Tom
>
Fellow Funksters First, I am an admitted Centurion aficionado, I sold them for years. They are called Diamondback these days but are removed from the Japanese factory that made the nicer ones we liked. Notable ones were the ProTour 15- hed nicer chrome trim, lotsa practical braze-ons, Frank Berto approved gearing, and a nice Avo-Copy Italian leather seat with small ditch.
The Dave Scott Ironman would be one of the only ones that I would consider approaching funky, and then only with the pink/purple/neonpaint and DH bars.
Even though I have outfitted many a triathloon with equipment over the past decades and have even rubbed elbows with many of 'em in the whatever they might call a pack (string??)
To me, like many of the competition motorcycles, go karts, and race cars, the best tend to look on the side of contraptions, with art on the back burner.
Even with my 'gotta have'em all' history representation aspiration, I've eliminated this category from the wishlist. Maybe an old Kirk, Hamilton (24" wheels) or first-edition Kestrel will survive the cut.
Back to the Centurions, the only other that might fit with CR would be the 'almost funkk/'contrast' category of the Equipe 84 to commemorate the Olympics. Mady by Cinalli NR/SR/Ofmega/Nisi..... Nice Cinelli icon silver but with , yes, lavender decals
I just can't see any other being in the funky collectible arena. LeMasns, Super LeMans.. Cavaletto... They were all nice bikes but nothing funky there.
Oh, yes, the CLIC might be in there because the name came and went quickly. We can even add a category for names and writing.
TEASE was a tough brand to Sell, and the C'Itoh was interesting The downtube had large lettering across it: "world's finest Bicycle Tested Precision Mechanism"
See y'all at the funkshow
I will be riding my Alenax or maybe a RiSiGo
Larry Black
Mt Airy, Md