Centurion Bike with a Ventura Head badge
11-23-20, 01:19 PM
#1
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Centurion Bike with a Ventura Head badge
Hello, Considering buying this bike for $100 (a light blue centurion on the downtime, Ventura head badge, hi ten decal on seat tube, no other markings) but can find no information on it. It is made of hi-ten steel. Anyone know why it would not have a matching head badge? Worth it? Thanks! Unfortunately I can not post photos, because I have not had 10 posts to the forum!
11-23-20, 02:05 PM
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Welcome to the forums. That's a lot better than hi-tensile steel. Components are neglected Campagnolo (Nuovo) Record with the exception of the SR Royal crankset and Universal brakes. Frame dropouts appear to be Campagnolo. The only Centurion with Campagnolo dropouts were the early Acer-Mex built Professionals and the 1985 Cinelli Equipe and it's neither of those. I suspect all the decals were an attempt to dissuade potential thieves but any pro bike thief would recognize those high end components in a heartbeat.
Link to OP's photos: https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/525797
Link to OP's photos: https://www.bikeforums.net/g/user/525797
11-23-20, 02:10 PM
#3
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Sorry, not sure how I got those up there...that is a different bike from months ago. I did buy that bike a nice Raliegh International! Still working on its seized seat tube. How can I post images?
11-23-20, 02:14 PM
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D'oh! I didn't go far enough the OP's photo gallery album. There are two bicycles. The 2nd one, which is what the OP is talking about, looks like a late 1970s Centurion Super Lemans but with Shimano components and a Ventura head badge. Probably built by Tano who was contract manufactured the Super LeMans during this period.
11-23-20, 02:33 PM
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This bicycle would have have been right around the crossover from entry level to mid-range in the late 1970s. The derailleurs are 1st generation Shimano 600 but the Shimano Tourney brakes with the Link Mechanism are a step down and place it no earlier than 1977. I can't positively identify the crankset but possibly a Tourney,. The wheels are decent with QR hubs and aluminum rims. The bar end shift levers are a nice touch. Condition appears average. Yes, I'd probably pay $100 for this bicycle, provided there were no surprises during an in-person inspection and test ride.
11-23-20, 04:52 PM
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the Ventura marque was created by the Centurion importer as a means of packing more product into a given market
Ventura bicycles are identical to their Centurion denominated counterparts
Centurion was a "protected line" in that retailers were given a certain amount of population/territory where they had exlusivity
with the Ventura badge the importer/distributor could come in right behind and say to Mr. Retailer "Yes, that fellow over in the next block has the rights to Centurion for this area but I can give you the exact same product line under a different name."
having a second badge is a fairly common practice in the bicycle industry
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the Ventura marque was created by the Centurion importer as a means of packing more product into a given market
Ventura bicycles are identical to their Centurion denominated counterparts
Centurion was a "protected line" in that retailers were given a certain amount of population/territory where they had exlusivity
with the Ventura badge the importer/distributor could come in right behind and say to Mr. Retailer "Yes, that fellow over in the next block has the rights to Centurion for this area but I can give you the exact same product line under a different name."
having a second badge is a fairly common practice in the bicycle industry
-----
11-23-20, 05:20 PM
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11-23-20, 05:22 PM
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Pic Assist.
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11-24-20, 07:38 AM
#13
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Needs to be cleaned up and refurbished with new parts & tires. Make sure the wheels spin true & don't have any broken spokes. And, that's a small size. Could be a tough bike to re-sell. But, if you really want it then $100 is reasonable. (It would be a way better deal at $50).
