Road Test/Bike Review (1988) Buyers' Guide -- Centurion, GT, and Mongoose
03-23-21, 09:07 AM
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Road Test/Bike Review (1988) Buyers' Guide -- Centurion, GT, and Mongoose
The 1988 Buyers' Guide had road tests for 9 featured bikes and a Table of Specifications for 240 bikes.
This post is for featured models CENTURION LeMans, GT Karakoram, and MONGOOSE Alta.
The 1988 Buyers' Guide road tests for BIANCHI Sport SX, RALEIGH Instinct, and MIYATA Six Fifteen were posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...gh-miyata.html
This post is for featured models CENTURION LeMans, GT Karakoram, and MONGOOSE Alta.
The 1988 Buyers' Guide road tests for BIANCHI Sport SX, RALEIGH Instinct, and MIYATA Six Fifteen were posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...gh-miyata.html
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03-23-21, 01:03 PM
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Thanks for posting that I really enjoyed the Centurion and GT. I have a 1988 Karakoram and back in the day my Dad had the Mongoose Alta.
I would be interested in seeing the tables of specs for the buyers guide!
I would be interested in seeing the tables of specs for the buyers guide!
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03-23-21, 01:19 PM
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Cool. The final 3 road tests and the Table of Specifications will be posted over the next 2-3 days.
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03-23-21, 01:31 PM
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Kind of fun reading about GT as they were becoming something in mountain biking. I didn't know they got their start in BMX.
Love these articles, so thank you very much!
Love these articles, so thank you very much!
03-23-21, 05:48 PM
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Coincidentally, Slingshot bikes first came on the scene in BMX, and they certainly brought the funk too.
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03-24-21, 06:12 AM
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So neat going through these. Fascinating to read what the conventional wisdom was back in the day on many things, although you get the sense they were a little deferential to the manufacturers' spin on things (steel chainrings are better on the Centurion for shifting!). Super interesting that GT lured a few Jamis people to crank up their MTB line--who knew? And I love how they knocked the Alta (which was lighter than the GT!) for not offering toe straps.
Last edited by PugRider; 03-24-21 at 06:13 AM. Reason: typo
03-24-21, 08:42 AM
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So neat going through these. Fascinating to read what the conventional wisdom was back in the day on many things, although you get the sense they were a little deferential to the manufacturers' spin on things (steel chainrings are better on the Centurion for shifting!). Super interesting that GT lured a few Jamis people to crank up their MTB line--who knew? .
In fact, more than once I've thought of starting to construct a genealogy chart/timeline showing the movement of key people, creation of new companies, and the demise of previously successful firms.
I believe there are a number of BF members who probably have this knowledge in their BRAIN and can recite it at any time,
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WTB: Bicycle Guide issues 1984 (any); Jun 1987; Jul, Nov/Dec 1992; Apr 1994; 1996 -1998 (any)
WTB: Bike World issue Jun 1974.
Last edited by SpeedofLite; 03-24-21 at 04:32 PM.
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03-24-21, 01:50 PM
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Back in those days , Toe Clips were for the serious cyclist. the Clipless pedals were the rage upgrade for the road bike guys, but most didnt have them on their Mt Bikes, I had a Diamond back Ascent and it had the cheap plastic pedals that wouldnt take toe clips , so i ended up getting a set of Deore mtn pedals so i could put toe clips on it. people would tell me i was crazy riding a mtn bike with toe clips..
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