European (Swedish) Centurion Pro Tours
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
European (Swedish) Centurion Pro Tours
Hi folks,
I been lurkin about for some time and figured I'd contribute to the forums.
I recently aquired two Centruion Pro Tours and I thought I'd share some findings with you guys.
This thread could be seen as a continuation to the old thread "identifying centurion pro tour"
Unless I'm totally wrong, that OP is also Swedish seeing the iconic "sand" bin on one of the pics and the snow in another
There was mentions of Miyata built centurions in europe, do anyone have more information about this? Could they have used the Miyata 1000 frameset and just centurioned it? So in other words, is this acually a M one thousand? 🤔
The first one is my size (58 st 57tt c-c), Tange infinity tubing. I am currently in the process of fixing this one up as a randonneur for crappy roads, or as the cool kids would say, gravel bike. Since it was very rusty i had to steel wire brush it down to the metal and re do the paint job. I's sitting at my floor with a holographic flake paintjob hardening. Here it is in original paint
Unfortunately I dont think i took a picture of it before it took it apart...
Specs for it:
Suntour self adjusting cantilevers
XCD 6000 accushift Rear Derailleur
XCD framväxel
accushuft index/friction down tube shifters
XCD triple crank 170mm
"Phil Wood of Japan" Kajita Runners Sealed Bearing bsa Bottom Bracket (!).
Araya rims laced to SR freewheeled hubs, quite nice actually.
Sakae Randnner Road Champion [sic] ultra narrow, like 38 in the tops.
Centurion Pro Tour Fork
Off Center decal just like the other Swedish Pro Tour on here
80s vibe downtube logo
Very rusty sadly, luckily it turned out to be only surface rust
size 58 c-c
I usually do not like to repaint bikes as i like to keep things original. But this one was just beyond saving.
Holographic sparkle
https://i.imgur.com/ejkmVn6.mp4
Second looks quite cool, but it was not my size (56 tt+st c-c) and the tubing was a bit heavy. > Hi ten.
Again, I didnt take pics of if when i first got it. I'm an idiot.
It was specced with an awful steel flat bar that could be used to sink boats. Moreover, all the bearings was shot and the wheels were very much out of true.
I added the white outline to the frame, don't know if that was a good idea. And the stem looks horribly out of place. Other than that, it turned out ok.
Don't look at the stem
Too bad an alligator had to die to equip the wheels with tires.
I been lurkin about for some time and figured I'd contribute to the forums.
I recently aquired two Centruion Pro Tours and I thought I'd share some findings with you guys.
This thread could be seen as a continuation to the old thread "identifying centurion pro tour"
Unless I'm totally wrong, that OP is also Swedish seeing the iconic "sand" bin on one of the pics and the snow in another
There was mentions of Miyata built centurions in europe, do anyone have more information about this? Could they have used the Miyata 1000 frameset and just centurioned it? So in other words, is this acually a M one thousand? 🤔
The first one is my size (58 st 57tt c-c), Tange infinity tubing. I am currently in the process of fixing this one up as a randonneur for crappy roads, or as the cool kids would say, gravel bike. Since it was very rusty i had to steel wire brush it down to the metal and re do the paint job. I's sitting at my floor with a holographic flake paintjob hardening. Here it is in original paint
Unfortunately I dont think i took a picture of it before it took it apart...
Specs for it:
Suntour self adjusting cantilevers
XCD 6000 accushift Rear Derailleur
XCD framväxel
accushuft index/friction down tube shifters
XCD triple crank 170mm
"Phil Wood of Japan" Kajita Runners Sealed Bearing bsa Bottom Bracket (!).
Araya rims laced to SR freewheeled hubs, quite nice actually.
Sakae Randnner Road Champion [sic] ultra narrow, like 38 in the tops.
Centurion Pro Tour Fork
Off Center decal just like the other Swedish Pro Tour on here
80s vibe downtube logo
Very rusty sadly, luckily it turned out to be only surface rust
size 58 c-c
I usually do not like to repaint bikes as i like to keep things original. But this one was just beyond saving.
Holographic sparkle
https://i.imgur.com/ejkmVn6.mp4
Second looks quite cool, but it was not my size (56 tt+st c-c) and the tubing was a bit heavy. > Hi ten.
Again, I didnt take pics of if when i first got it. I'm an idiot.
It was specced with an awful steel flat bar that could be used to sink boats. Moreover, all the bearings was shot and the wheels were very much out of true.
I added the white outline to the frame, don't know if that was a good idea. And the stem looks horribly out of place. Other than that, it turned out ok.
Don't look at the stem
Too bad an alligator had to die to equip the wheels with tires.
Last edited by herr_hest; 09-30-20 at 12:48 PM. Reason: Added pics
Likes For herr_hest:
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Alta California
Posts: 14,242
Mentioned: 415 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3802 Post(s)
Liked 3,324 Times
in
2,170 Posts
#3
52psi
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,014
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 801 Times
in
390 Posts
Yep. I think you need to quickly find your way to that 10-post threshold. Responding to your own thread several times should do the trick!
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Updated with pics in the first post!
Also, here's the link to the other post referenced;
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-pro-tour.html
The second pro tour was almost identically spec:d with the araya rims and so on. I rebuilt the wheels using 36h RS300 hubs which turned out great.
Also, here's the link to the other post referenced;
https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...-pro-tour.html
The second pro tour was almost identically spec:d with the araya rims and so on. I rebuilt the wheels using 36h RS300 hubs which turned out great.
Last edited by herr_hest; 09-30-20 at 12:51 PM. Reason: added info about the 2nd bike
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Chicago, the leafy NW side
Posts: 2,477
Bikes: 1974 Motobecane Grand Record, 1987 Miyata Pro, 1988 Bob Jackson Lady Mixte (wife's), others in the family
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 125 Post(s)
Liked 154 Times
in
78 Posts
I'm not the Centurion expert by any means, but from convos here and looking at bits and pieces online, I've gotten the idea that there must have been a consortium of bike vendors in different countries/regions who used the Centurion name and drew from the same Japanese vendors for frames and components. Then they would come up with a suitable line of bikes for their customer base. Some years ago I found online a German Centurion catalog with bikes that bore the same names as US models, but the bikes were completely different. I don't think that the frame vendor would have been Miyata as the Centurion tubing like on your 'Pro Tour' was Tange and Miyata famously made their own tubes.
(Both bikes look great. I don't even mind the stem on the second one, if it puts the bars in the right position it's fine. Nice tires with that bronzey-green color frame too.)
(Both bikes look great. I don't even mind the stem on the second one, if it puts the bars in the right position it's fine. Nice tires with that bronzey-green color frame too.)
__________________
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
I never think I have hit hard, unless it rebounds.
- Dr Samuel Johnson
Last edited by Chicago Al; 10-01-20 at 06:18 AM.
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
We don't see many European market Centurion on the forum. Of the dozen or so that have surfaced, I don't recall seeing any Miyata. There have been some from Merida, Miki and Yamaguchi. The best clue as to the source will be the serial number.
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Likes For T-Mar:
#9
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I see! What I don't see is another number though, even after inspecting the frame with a flashlight for the past 20 minutes perhaps it was not as heavily stamped as the Danish vin
#10
52psi
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 4,014
Bikes: Schwinn Volare ('78); Raleigh Competition GS ('79)
Mentioned: 29 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 801 Times
in
390 Posts
I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really like that stem on this build. It very much fits with the gravel/all-terrain vibe.
__________________
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
Likes For Fahrenheit531:
#11
Senior Member
I hope you enjoy riding that all over Sweden. I did the same with my Pro Tour, and those 5 years were the highlight of my life.
Likes For DiegoFrogs:
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 23,223
Mentioned: 654 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4722 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,874 Posts
Danish VIN are typically near the bottom of the seat tube or downtube, on the non-drive side. If the VIN is on the BB shell, then one of those two locations may be where you'll find the actual serial number.
#14
Junior Member
Thread Starter
new findings. the frame is JIS spec:d, meaning 27mm fork crown and 30mm cups. I suspect it might be a Nishiki. They had a very large market share here in the 80-90:s
Last edited by herr_hest; 10-12-20 at 04:09 PM. Reason: grammar
#15
2k miles from the midwest
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,964
Bikes: ~'75 Colin Laing, '80s Schwinn SuperSport 650b, ex-Backroads ti project...
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 525 Post(s)
Liked 931 Times
in
446 Posts
damn. That's fly.
I love the holo decals. Makes me think of old school bmx.
Likes For Dylansbob:
#16
Junior Member
Thread Starter
All right fam, it's DONE.
Centurion Pro Tour with R7000 / GRX groupset.
Shimano CX70 cantilevers
Specialized hover bars cause i like em.
Custom laced Novatec / TB14 / Sapim wheelset
The holographic sparkle paint and decals are kinda hard to photograph, they look shimmering IRL.
Indoor pic, it's really black unless the sun hits it.
Centurion Pro Tour with R7000 / GRX groupset.
Shimano CX70 cantilevers
Specialized hover bars cause i like em.
Custom laced Novatec / TB14 / Sapim wheelset
The holographic sparkle paint and decals are kinda hard to photograph, they look shimmering IRL.
Indoor pic, it's really black unless the sun hits it.
Likes For herr_hest: