New in the stable... '86 Centurion LeMans RS
12-24-15, 11:49 AM
#26
Senior Member
Thanks for posting this link. I didn't know that site existed.
To the OP, nice bike and a good price. I have an older Le Mans RS. They're good bikes.
I bought it along with this one, from the daughter of the original owners
Here's another one, that I sold several years ago.
To the OP, nice bike and a good price. I have an older Le Mans RS. They're good bikes.
I bought it along with this one, from the daughter of the original owners
Here's another one, that I sold several years ago.
Its a new site that is getting underway.need to catalog all of this Centurion knowledge out here
12-25-15, 11:38 PM
#28
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Tempe, AZ
Posts: 112
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Thanks for the heads up on the pump, it'll stay on the bike. 
Yep, it's really clean; it needs a good bath and buff, but everything looks to be surface dirt. It's a shame about the scratch on the top tube. You can't see it in the pictures, but it's a nasty one. Thankfully, it's only through the red top coat and not through the white to the metal.
The teeth on the front an rear show very little rounding off or "shark tooth" wear, so I agree that it's fairly low mileage.
The seat, while not the white seat shown in the catalog pages, is still an original Centurion branded seat. Frankly, I'm not big on white seats, tape, or hoods, so I'm debating whether to convert to black across the board, but a big part of me want's to go with the original colors.
Yep, it's really clean; it needs a good bath and buff, but everything looks to be surface dirt. It's a shame about the scratch on the top tube. You can't see it in the pictures, but it's a nasty one. Thankfully, it's only through the red top coat and not through the white to the metal.
The teeth on the front an rear show very little rounding off or "shark tooth" wear, so I agree that it's fairly low mileage.
The seat, while not the white seat shown in the catalog pages, is still an original Centurion branded seat. Frankly, I'm not big on white seats, tape, or hoods, so I'm debating whether to convert to black across the board, but a big part of me want's to go with the original colors.
12-26-15, 02:57 PM
#30
Ride, Wrench, Swap, Race
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Northern California
Posts: 9,182
Bikes: Cheltenham-Pedersen racer, Boulder F/S Paris-Roubaix, Varsity racer, '52 Christophe, '62 Continental, '92 Merckx, '75 Limongi, '76 Presto, '72 Gitane SC, '71 Schwinn SS, etc.
Mentioned: 132 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1562 Post(s)
Liked 1,287 Times
in
858 Posts
Especially since the Centurion brand happened not to have been on my radar back in the day (graphics/colors didn't jibe with my '70's aesthetic sensibilities!!!), I've always been in the dark about their model hierarchy.
Yearly changes, not to mention their being forced to re-name their Comp TA and then re-arrange their lineup naming around this change, meant that I didn't know quite what I had when I found my '85 RS Elite.
FLJeepGuy 's LeMans RS looks so much like an updated version of my bike; Tange#2 and still with a brazed box crown, yet finally wearing an SIS drivetrain and aero levers, while mine still had "New 600EX" and GC levers with cables out the top. Similarly-large frame size as well, looks like both of us have taken to stretching the meaning of a "proper fit"!
Mine has a K prefix on the serial #, suggesting a possible Kawamura build (Nishiki's builder). They really had mastered a high-quality build and finish by this time.
I'm hoping that the weather allows you to ride the bike, assuming that the fit will be made suitable (I did have to slam the saddle forward, and modified the steerer and headset to fully slam the stem down).
I am very much enjoying mine.
Yearly changes, not to mention their being forced to re-name their Comp TA and then re-arrange their lineup naming around this change, meant that I didn't know quite what I had when I found my '85 RS Elite.
FLJeepGuy 's LeMans RS looks so much like an updated version of my bike; Tange#2 and still with a brazed box crown, yet finally wearing an SIS drivetrain and aero levers, while mine still had "New 600EX" and GC levers with cables out the top. Similarly-large frame size as well, looks like both of us have taken to stretching the meaning of a "proper fit"!
Mine has a K prefix on the serial #, suggesting a possible Kawamura build (Nishiki's builder). They really had mastered a high-quality build and finish by this time.
I'm hoping that the weather allows you to ride the bike, assuming that the fit will be made suitable (I did have to slam the saddle forward, and modified the steerer and headset to fully slam the stem down).
I am very much enjoying mine.
Last edited by dddd; 12-26-15 at 03:02 PM.
05-18-17, 01:38 PM
#31
Full Member
Thanks for posting this link. I didn't know that site existed.
To the OP, nice bike and a good price. I have an older Le Mans RS. They're good bikes.
I bought it along with this one, from the daughter of the original owners
Here's another one, that I sold several years ago.
To the OP, nice bike and a good price. I have an older Le Mans RS. They're good bikes.
I bought it along with this one, from the daughter of the original owners
Here's another one, that I sold several years ago.
I can't find what year it is?!
thought originally '87, but those appeared to all have Shimano SIS RD's. These have Suntour Cyclone.
05-18-17, 01:53 PM
#32
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Berkeley CA
Posts: 2,533
Bikes: 1981 Ron Cooper, 1974 Cinelli Speciale Corsa, 2000 Gary Fisher Sugar 1, 1986 Miyata 710, 1982 Raleigh "International"
Mentioned: 97 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 929 Post(s)
Liked 1,289 Times
in
486 Posts
Great buy! My wife had that exact same bike (only a smaller frame) and I wish we hadn't sold it. We bought hers brand new and the seat was black, just as yours is.
05-18-17, 01:53 PM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Beaverton, OR
Posts: 14,742
Bikes: Yes
Mentioned: 525 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3230 Post(s)
Liked 3,865 Times
in
1,439 Posts
https://vintage-centurion.com/sites/d...on_Catalog.pdf
__________________
My Bikes
My Bikes
05-19-17, 12:18 AM
#34
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Boulder County, CO
Posts: 1,511
Bikes: '92 22" Cannondale M2000, '92 Cannondale R1000 Tandem, another modern Canndondale tandem, Two Holy Grail '86 Cannondale ST800s 27" (68.5cm) Touring bike w/Superbe Pro components and Phil Wood hubs. A bunch of other 27" ST frames & bikes.
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 110 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times
in
4 Posts
My wife's Centurion Lemsns mixte is probably the favorite bike in the stable, and until last week we had three tandems, it's a big stable.
Rose champagne paint with gold accents and the highest production value on the paint and frame finish of a thing we have, and that includes two Chehslis Kleins. When the Kleins take a backseat in paint and production value, that's saying something.
I love Centurions now. Thanks to RobbieTunes for clueing me into the brand. They don't work for me, but I love 'em.
Rose champagne paint with gold accents and the highest production value on the paint and frame finish of a thing we have, and that includes two Chehslis Kleins. When the Kleins take a backseat in paint and production value, that's saying something.
I love Centurions now. Thanks to RobbieTunes for clueing me into the brand. They don't work for me, but I love 'em.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
sparkhee93
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
10
08-31-15 01:58 PM
straightsixZ
Classic and Vintage Bicycles: Whats it Worth? Appraisals.
7
08-25-12 11:51 PM
