Hey gang!
Seeing all the amazing bikes at Cirque has got me fired up about the idea of parking one or more of mine on the floor next year. And seeing how there were no Japanese bikes on the floor this year, what better choice than my '78 (as near as I can tell, based on component labels and such) Centurion Professional. So it's not a big name, small production bike... it's one I actually own, instead of dream of, and it's in pretty darn good shape.
What I'm wondering is this - does anybody out there have a trove of Centurion catalogs or at least a wealth of info on them? I'd love to figure out just what the bike would have had originally, as well as really nail down the date. I think I've asked before, but perhaps someone has info I couldn't find before.
Here's what I can tell you about it:
It looks to be the top of their road line for the period, on the racing side of things. The frame is built up of Tange Champion tubes (no number), with lugs that are very much like old Cinelli lugs, with simple circular cutouts. The seat stays are fastback style, again mimicking Cinelli, and the fork crown is a sloping model like Cinelli's. The whole frame is chromed under the paint, which is a lovely metallic orange color. Very striking. The chrome is bare on top of the fork crown, on the seat stay caps, and at the dropouts.
Parts on it that I'm reasonably certain are original:
Sugino Mighty Victory crankset, the one that's polished and drilled out. Suntour Cyclone derailleurs, the original edition, with the really delicate looking downtube levers with integral clamp band. DiaCompe Gran Compe sidepulls, the early model with the on/off quick release instead of the cam type that they later copied from Campy. Levers to match, much like the old 500G levers but with adjusters at the lever. Seatpost is the two bolt Sakae copy of the NR post. It was world champ rainbows on it, as well as the basic SR logo. The stem and bars are SR as well. The stem has the cutout in the clamp area, and the bars are the ones with the eagle logo and small circular "cutouts" on the sleeve. Very pretty, but the stem is kinda low for my 45 year old back and the bars are kinda narrow, so at the moment the bike as newer SR bars and stem, wider and higher. But I have the originals in the box.
When I got the bike, it had a set of wheels with Sanshin ProAm hubs (dated '78, and I think original), laced to Mavic Module E rims. I'm guessing the rims are NOT original, as I don't imagine a Japanese company would be using French rims at that time. What would it have had originally? Some flavor of sewup? Or a narrow clincher? When did the Araya 20A come out? Would that make the most sense?
It also had an old, odd Regina freewheel... also not original, I'm sure, with a 15-22 range. Unfortunately, the notches were chewed out, so I ended up having to pull it apart and pipe wrench it off. Ouch. Right now it has a generic Shimano of some sort on it, in a six speed. I'm guessing it would have originally had SunTour, in either a 5 or Ultra 6. No clue what pedals or saddle it would have had... right now I have SPDs and a Brooks on it, but for "show" purposes I'd probably put something like a pair of MKS track pedals on it. But what would have been original I wonder?
It's a lovely bike, and rides really nicely. The condition is really very good, although some of the decals are shot. I'd love to learn more about it, and see about showing it next year. Not in hopes of awards or anything... just to show it off.
Now, my other, bigger project is that '51 Lenton Tourist that I need to get together....
Tim
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Tim Fricker
Falls Church, VA USA